After another magical night in Doha, that’s all from me. Of all the rousing performances, it was particularly striking to see Dalilah Muhammad hold off Sydney McLaughlin in the 400 metres hurdles with her second world record of the year. McLaughlin is only 20 yet she is already breathing down the 29 year-old’s neck and one day soon she will reign. But it’s always nice when the champion, the one who was never a prodigy and who gradually rose to the top, somehow manages to hold off the inevitable for one more year.
And then there was Mutaz Essa Barshim. He arrived to defend his title at his home world championships after undergoing ankle surgery, jumping an average 2.29 season best and with no reason to expect a win. But when you are a champion, none of those things matter. The Qatari high jumper rose to the biggest occasion of his life and he will never forget this great night. Until next time.
WHAT A NIGHT! #WorldAthleticChamps
— Chris Brown (@ChrisBrownSport) October 4, 2019
Muhammad 52.16s 400mH WORLD RECORD
Barshim 2.37m fairytale gold in front of home fans
Perez finally wins Discus gold after 2x 4th places
Kipruto defends steeplechase title & Kenyan pride by 0.01s
Gardiner 43.48s goes 6th on 400m all-time list
Do read Barney Ronay on Sebastian Coe’s response to Alberto Salazar’s ban.
Another day of drama comes to an end:
Sigh!
— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) October 4, 2019
In the women’s 400 metres hurdles, we saw Muhammad run her own race to a world record. This time, Gardiner could see all of his biggest rivals from the inside lane and he used them to time his run to perfection, blowing through the opening 200 metres and establishing his lead before holding on to win. As his rivals faltered, he was still distancing himself in the final 50 metres. Gardiner’s previous personal best was 43.87. What a time to smash it with an incredible 43.48 second run.
Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas wins the men’s 400 metres title with a national record of 43.48. Anthony Jose Zambrano of Colombia takes second and Fred Kerley wins the bronze.
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Finally, it’s time for the men’s 400 metres final. Fred Kerley of the United States will begin as favourite. Can Kirani James or Steven Gardiner catch him? Also, who will the 800 metre runner Emmanuel Korir embarrass today?
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Yaime Perez of Cuba wins the discus with a great throw of 69.17m. Her countrywoman Denia Caballero takes second with 68.44m. Former champion Sandra Perkovic has to settle for third.
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Gold for 🇰🇪 in the 3000m steeplechase! 🥇@KipConseslus is the world champion in 8:01.35 – wins by just 0.01 seconds.
— IAAF (@iaaforg) October 4, 2019
His time is the second fastest winning time in #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/i0pBvFn4f1
AAARRRGHHHHHHH
— IAAFDoha2019 (@IAAFDoha2019) October 4, 2019
GOLLDDDDDDD@mutazbarshim #WorldAthleticsChamps #TeamQatar pic.twitter.com/NXsen5A6an
Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar just became the first man to defend a high jump world title, leaping into form in front of a home crowd. Neutral athletes Mikhail Akimenko and Ilya Ivanyuk take second and third.
Golden girl Katarina Johnson-Thompson is in the BBC Studio:
I knew that I was in the shape of my life. I knew that coming into this I had the best prep ever.
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This is absurd. Mutaz Essa Barshim now clears 2.37m at the first attempt to move into first place. After ankle surgery last year and a previous season best of just 2.29m, he has jumped himself into form in front of his home crowd. A champion.
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Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya defends his 3000 metres steeplechase title with a time of 8:01.35, stealing the gold right on the line. What an incredible race. After the Ethiopians set the high pace early on, it was the 18 year-old Lamecha Girma who broke through and powered into the lead with about 120 metres to go. It looked like he had it, but at the very last second the Kenyan reeled him in. Girma finished with a valiant national record of 8:01.36, just a hundredth of a second separating them. Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco takes third in 8:01.36.
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Defending champion Barshim clears a world leading 2.35m at his first attempt! The crowd explodes once more and you can’t blame them. No man has ever defended the high jump world title but the home star just put himself in a great position.
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Chala Beyo and Gentet Wale of Ethiopia have started this steeplechase final leading from the front at an extremely fast pace. Soufiane El Bakkali, Benjamin Kigen and Conseslus Kipruto will all be looking for medals in this very open final.
It’s time for the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase final.
Meanwhile, the first packed crowd of the championships just exploded as Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim clears 2.33 at his third attempt. A season best for the defending champion and he is loving it.
McLaughlin is a great competitor and will be disappointed. However, it must be nice to know that, at 20 years-old, she is the standard.
Sydney McLaughlin has lost two 400m hurdles races as a professional and both times it took a world record to beat her. Pretty good rookie year.
— Jonathan Gault (@jgault13) October 4, 2019
WORLD RECORD
— IAAF (@iaaforg) October 4, 2019
WORLD RECORD
WORLD RECORD
52.16 by @DalilahMuhammad #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/76ULw6DbGL
What a race. Muhammad couldn’t see her young rival, so she just set the pace and ran her own race, remaining ahead throughout. 20 year-old McLaughlin finishes in 52.23, just .3 behind the Muhammad’s previous world record. We are looking at two fastest 400 metres hurdlers of all time. Rushell Clayton of Jamaica takes third.
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Dalilah Muhammad wins gold in the women’s 400 metres with a new world record of 52.16!
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It’s time for the 400 metres hurdles final. All eyes will be on world record holder Dalilah Muhammad and young sensation Sydney McLaughlin as they battle for gold.
Kudos to the many African fans who seem to have really made the atmosphere this year.
Most watched night of #WorldAthleticsChamps. Whatever has brought in the fans, what was needed on opening weekend for 100 sprints pic.twitter.com/g16Anbjpsv
— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) October 4, 2019
Now THIS is what a #WorldAthleticsChamps should sound like. Local star Barshim soars over 2.30m at his first attempt in the high jump and tonight's considerably larger crowd roars its delight.
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) October 4, 2019
Meanwhile in the high jump...
Honestly I can not believe what happened last night. WORLD CHAMPION 😭
— KJT (@JohnsonThompson) October 4, 2019
PB & New British record 6981 what the hell!
Thank you everyone for all your support and messages over the years!!! pic.twitter.com/E6GGJSutPZ
South Africa win the second relay heat in 37.65 seconds. Japan through in second, China advance in third. The biggest surprise of the heats is Canada failing to reach the final. Poor Andre De Grasse was left with too much to do in the final leg as he desperately attempted to drag his team into the final. In the end, Netherlands took the final spot with a national record of 37.91901 seconds. Canada’s time? 37.91906. Brutal.
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Adam Gemili is looking in much better spirits:
We were looking for redemption, especially me and Zharnell for the individuals not going how we wanted them to.
Great Britain ease into the men’s 4x100m final with a great time of 37.56 seconds. Brazil finished in second. What a mess of a race from the United States who finished in third.
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The men of the 4x100m relays are on the track. The British men will begin in the stacked opening heat, flanked by Jamaica and United States.
You can count on @gianmarcotamber to make an entrance!#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/VBDoMubLdn
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) October 4, 2019
Meanwhile, Katarina Johnson-Thompson was just on the podium to collect her heptathlon gold medal. What a lovely sight.
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That was pretty solid from Great Britain. Imani Lansiquot on the second leg and then then Daryll Neita, who moved into second place on the anchor leg were the stands out. Of course, Dina Asher-Smith is to come in the final. Exciting times.
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Great Britain are safely through to the women’s 4x100 metres final. Jamaica win in 42.11 and China take the third automatic place.
Heat two will feature Great Britain. The British team for this round is Asha Philip, Imani Lansiquot, Ashleigh Nelson and Daryll Neita. This is pretty stacked: Jamaica, China, Nigeria and world leaders Germany will also be looking to make the final.
The United States quartet are safely through in 42.46 seconds. Trinidad and Tobago take second, Switzerland take third. Spare a thought for the Australian girls as their third runner, Maddie Coates, immediately fell to the ground after taking the baton. There were tears, and for good reason after a huge opportunity missed.
It’s time for the women’s 4x100 metres relays. United States, Switzerland, France, Trinidad and Tobago and Netherlands all present. The first three go through.
That was a particularly great run from the 21 year-old Kerr. He spent much of the race towards the back of the pack alongside Lewandowski. When the Pole began to make his move in the final lap, Kerr followed him on the outside and accelerated towards the front with around 300 metres to go. By the end, he was looking around and he seems to have plenty more to give.
This is the first time three British men have advanced to the men’s 1500 metres final. Can any of them sneak onto the podium?
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Marcin Lewandowski of Poland wins the second 1500 metres semi-final in 3:36.50. That was some round for the British men, as Josh Kerr qualifies automatically in fourth and Jake Wightman scrapes in seventh.
Meanwhile, the men of the high jump final are on the field. The big question is whether defending champion Mutaz Essa Barshim, who has been riddled with injuries this year, can get back onto the podium in front of his home crowd. Otherwise, this will be a very open competition
It’s time for the second men’s 1500 metres heat. Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz of the United States and European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen line up side by side. Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman will look to join their countryman Gourley in the final.
By the way, please do read Sean Ingle on Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s glorious triumph.
A thrilled and confident Neil Gourley fancies his chances in the final after a great run just behind the world leader Cheruiyot:
“I’m right there. I’m not as far away as you’d think on paper. On paper I’m miles away but in reality it’s not quite like that. You’ll hopefully see that in two nights.”
Timothy Cheruiyot wins the first men’s 1500 metres in 3:36.53. But what a run for Britain’s Neil Gourley, who ran a perfect race, placing himself just behind the world leader for much of the race and then showing a strong burst to hold off the pack for third place.
It’s time for the men’s 1500 metres. Cheruiyot, Filip Ingebrigtsen and Britain’s Neil Gourley will go in the first semi. The first five advance automatically to the final.
Preamble
Hello! Welcome to day 8 of the World Athletics Championships in Doha. We begin today with the men’s 1500 metres semi-final round, where the red-hot Timothy Cheruiyot is favourite to win the title and 19 year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen will look to make a statement. British hopes will rest on Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley. In the men’s high jump final, Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim will be desperate to defend his title in front of a home crowd. Sandra Perkovic will be looking to claim an incredible third world discus title.
Tonight will also be the first 4x100 metres relay night. Remember those desperate days when just the thought of British teams trying to get the baton round would fill the nation with dread? No more. Great Britain’s men’s and women’s teams will be looking to repeat one of the glorious athletics evenings of this country’s history when the women took silver and the men won gold within 20 minutes of each other in the Olympic Stadium in 2017.
The track finals tonight will include a showdown between Dalilah Muhammad and Sydney McLaughlin of the United States in the women’s 400 metres hurdles, which seems to be set up in a similar manner to the ballistic women’s 400 metres final yesterday. Muhammad’s glorious 52.20 world record set this year could either fall to McLaughlin or be extended by its owner.
The night will conclude with the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase final, before the men’s 400 metres final takes centre stage. Fred Kerley of the United States will be the favourite after his brilliant 43.64 this year. Steven Gardiner and Kirani James will hope to have something to stay about that.
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