Athletics

Fraser-Pryce bags fifth 100m world title as she leads Jamaican clean sweep

18 July 2022 - 05:59 By Reuters
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Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce celebrates winning the women's 100m final alongside silver medallist Shericka Jackson and bronze medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce celebrates winning the women's 100m final alongside silver medallist Shericka Jackson and bronze medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah.
Image: REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce claimed an astonishing fifth world 100m title on Sunday when she clocked 10.67 seconds to edge out Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah in a Jamaican clean sweep.

Fraser-Pryce got a brilliant start and held her form as fast-finishing Jackson clocked a personal best 10.73 and Thompson-Herah 10.81.

American Grant Holloway successfully defended his 110m hurdles title, coming home in 13.03 seconds ahead of compatriot Trey Cunningham and Spain's Asier Martinez.

Jamaica's Olympic champion Hansle Parchment did not line up for the final after picking up an injury in the warmups while world leader Devon Allen was disqualified for a false start.

Grant Holloway of the US in action during the men's 110m hurdles final.
Grant Holloway of the US in action during the men's 110m hurdles final.
Image: REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Double Olympic champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser finally bagged world championships gold as he led a US clean sweep in a dramatic shot put competition with a best throw of 22.94m. 

Defending champion Joe Kovacs had briefly led with a fifth-round effort of 22.89m but had to settle for silver, while Josh Awotunde claimed bronze with a big personal best of 22.29m. 

It was the first time any nation had swept the podium in shot, coming a day after the US men did the same in the 100m.

Ryan Crouser of the US in action during the men's shot put final.
Ryan Crouser of the US in action during the men's shot put final.
Image: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach

Crouser thought he had won gold in 2019 when he launched a massive throw in the final round, only for Kovacs to snatch it by 1cm with his final throw.

He might have thought it was happening again as he sat on the lead with 22.58m from his third round then saw Kovacs beat it with his best effort of the season.

Next into the circle though, the world record-holder showed his mettle with a championship record throw. 

Tom Walsh of New Zealand, champion in 2017 and bronze medallist in 2019, struggled in the early rounds and finished fourth with 22.08m. 

Olympic champion Katie Nageotte won the US' first women's pole vault gold at the world championships in more than two decades on Sunday, with compatriot Sandi Morris taking silver and Australian Nina Kennedy the bronze.

Nageotte cleared 4.85m on her first attempt to win her first medal at the worlds, while Morris had to settle for a third straight silver after clearing the same height, but on her second attempt.

Katie Nageotte of the US in action during the women's pole vault.
Katie Nageotte of the US in action during the women's pole vault.
Image: REUTERS/Mike Segar

The last American to win gold in the event was Stacy Dragila at the 2001 Edmonton worlds.

It was the third straight gold for the American women in the field events in Eugene, Oregon, after Chase Ealey won the shot put and Brooke Andersen triumphed in the hammer throw.

Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola won the men's marathon in dominant fashion earlier on Sunday as he forged powerfully clear around 34km to come home more than a minute ahead to take gold in a championship record two hours, 05.37 minutes.

Taking advantage of relatively cool conditions afforded by the 6.15am local start time, the 2017 silver medallist splintered the pack with a sustained acceleration and by 39km he was safely 46 seconds clear and continued to press all the way home.

Over a minute back in 2:06.44, Mosinet Geremew made it an Ethiopian 1-2 for the second World Championship in a row with his second successive silver.

Belgium's Somalia-born Bashir Abdi matched his bronze from the Tokyo Olympics in 2:06.48, taking his country's first medal in the event for men or women.

All three men were inside Abel Kirui's 2003 championship record of 2:06.54 in Paris, though championship marathon time comparisons bear little scrutiny due to course differences.

The early pace was brisk, but manageable, keeping a pack of over 30 together at halfway, but Ethiopian defending champion Lelisa Desisa wasn't one of them as he fell off the back and eventually dropped out.

Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola celebrates winning the men's marathon alongside silver medallist Mosinet Geremew and bronze medallist Bashir Abdi.
Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola celebrates winning the men's marathon alongside silver medallist Mosinet Geremew and bronze medallist Bashir Abdi.
Image: REUTERS/Brian Snyder

American favourite and former University of Oregon runner Galen Rupp was next to slip back, much to the disappointment of the fans lining the three lap course, which was also livened up by large numbers on bikes accompanying the runners.

Tola, 30, made what turned out to be the decisive move soon after, escaping solo to almost immediately open a 12-second gap at 35km and splintering the pack on the back of a 2.44 minute kilometre.

From then on, looking relaxed throughout, he steadily built the lead as the chasing group was reduced to three. He waved to the crowd over the last few hundred metres, enjoying the biggest win of his career.

"It was a dream come true," Tola said. "I learned from my mistake in 2017 [world championships] and I made sure it did not happen again."

Geremew broke clear for second and Abdi was just behind him.

Canada's Cameron Levins delivered a late surge to take fourth in a national record of 2:07.09, with Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor, back racing after suffering a badly broken leg after being hit by a motorbike during a training run in 2020, finishing fifth.


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