Race report:
Actually, I’ll leave you with this. Bye!
Careful careful! #thoseareexpensivelegs #Beijing2015 pic.twitter.com/dQYtxew9CR
— Kareem Streete-Thomp (@kaystreete) August 27, 2015
I leave you with the image of Bolt on his knees with the whole track to himself, doing his pointy pose and generally looking like the coolest man in the building. What a phenomenal champion he is. Two more years of Bolt, so he says, before he retires. Can you imagine athletics without him?
Britain’s Zharnel Hughes after finishing sixth in the world championship final:
I give God thanks for the experience. Usain Bolt is a legend, man. I even doubted him a bit but he’s phenomenal.
A photographer accidentally downs Bolt on his victory lap, tripping the bare-footed big man to the floor who backward-rolls out with panache.
Zharnel Hughes was in touch coming down the home straight – not with Bolt or Gatlin but certainly with the contenders for bronze – but came up just short and finished fifth with a personal best 20.02secs. A fine run and a wonderful experience no doubt for the 20-year-old.
Bolt and Gatlin sit down on a track-side bench and natter like two very fast people waiting for a bus. I’m not sure what they are nattering about but Gatlin seems happy enough. The replay shows Bolt glance up to the screen with 10m to go and beat his chest over the line, reminiscent of him winning the 100m in Beijing in 2008. That was a totally dominant performance.
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Usain Bolt wins 200m world championship gold!
It had to be, didn’t it? Bolt comes off the bend with the edge over Gatlin, straightens up and suddenly the legs extend, reaching out towards double world championship gold. Again. Bolt wins in 19.55secs way clear of Gatlin in 19.74secs. Jobodwana takes bronze.
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Gatlin blows some kisses and does a finger twizzle like he’s spotted a team-mate that needs to be subbed. I don’t get it. Bolt takes a deep breath and gets down into his blocks. Here we go...
Men’s 200m final line-up
2 Ogunode (Qatar) SB 20.05 PB 20.05
3 Guliyev (Turkey) SB 20.01 PB 20.01
4 Gatlin (USA) SB 19.57 PB 19.57
5 Hughes (GB) SB 20.05 PB 20.05
6 Bolt (Jamaica) SB 19.95 PB 19.19
7 Jobodwana (South Africa) SB 20.01 PB 0.01
8 Ashmeade (Jamaica) SB 20.18 PB 19.85
9 Edward (Panama) SB 19.90 PB 19.81
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Usain Bolt sets up his blocks in lane six, dressed in his tiger stripes. Justin Gatlin swaggers around in four and in between the main protagonists is our very own Zharnel Hughes. Either it’s an absolutely terrifying lane draw, or they are going to drag him to the other medal. Full cast coming up...
You know what’s next. Bolt or Gatlin? Or Zharnel Hughes? No, probably not. But on the plus side neither Bolt nor Gatlin have mentioned going for bronze, so that one seems up for grabs.
Allyson Felix hits the home straight in the 400m final with a meaty lead and she glides to a massive victory in her unique style (49.26secs). It’s a stunning performance from the American who passed Christine Ohuruogu after 100m or less. The Briton couldn’t keep pace and finished eighth in the end. Miller takes silver, and the Jamaican Shericka Jackson wins bronze.
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Two events left on day six: Bolt v Gatlin round II, but first it’s the women’s 400m final and the power of Christine Ohuruogu is taking on the grace of Allyson Felix. Will Felix win her first individual major gold over this distance? The American runs in lane six with the Briton in seven. The Bahama’s young sprinter, Shaunae Miller, is another to watch here and she is in five.
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... With the pressure on, the Cuban puts in his best jump of the competition at 17.73m, but it’s not enough to challenge Taylor’s mamouth leap. In an indistinct commentary gantry high in the Bird’s Nest, the world record holder allows a little smile. Jonathan Edward’s 18.29m in Gothenburg remains intact.
Christian Taylor attacks his sixth jump and it’s a beauty, all three parts clicking together to land the second-longest jump in history with a 18.21m. Incredible, but Pichardo is still to come...
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Britain’s Lynsey Sharp after missing out on the women’s 800m final:
I didn’t run my own race, I was concentrating too much on Sum. I know I’m in great shape, I’ve done all the work training, it just didn’t come together.
The final women’s 800m semi-final: Team GB’s Lynsey Sharp places herself well on the shoulder of the event favourite, Eunice Sum, coming into the home straight. It’s a three-way fight to the line and, after looking at this text for about two seconds, I look back to see Sharp is no longer up there. The Canadian athlete, Melissa Bishop, wins the heat and surprisingly Sum goes through only as a fastest loser.
Poland’s sensational hammer thrower, Anita Wlodarczyk, seals gold with 80.85m, four-and-a-half metres clear of China’s Zhang who takes the silver. She’s awesome.
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In the second 800m semi-final Shelayne Oskan-Clarke tucks herself behind the leaders, and squeezes up the inside to pip Lamote on the line and win the heat in 1min 58.86secs, a massive personal best – she will start tomorrow’s final.
Sophie Hitchon throws another British record with her final hammer throw (73.86m) but it’s just shy of bronze at 74.02m and the 24-year-old will probably finish fourth.
Back to the triple jump joust between Pichardo and Taylor, Cuba v USA. Taylor goes first in round four – he carries his massive runway speed through the jump and puts down a 17.68m to take the lead for the first time. Pichardo can’t respond and with two jumps to go the American is on course for gold.
Jenny Meadows after being eliminated from the 800m semi-finals:
Maybe I was a bit underwhelmed by the occasion rather than overwhelmed. I’d give myself two or three out of ten for that. I hope the other two British girls can do a little bit better.
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In the first 800m semi-final Jenny Meadows doesn’t mess around, getting on the shoulder of Buchel who kicks up a testing pace with a 58sec opening lap. But on the final bend Meadows runs out of steam and the others leave her behind as the Briton comes in seventh. Lupu and Arafi are the automatic qualifiers, and Buchel looks distraught – she will have to wait to see if she qualified as a fastest loser. Semenya was nowhere, coming in last.
The women’s 800m semi-finals are next up on the track and there is plenty of British interest. Jenny Meadows goes in the first heat against Caster Semenya, the 2009 world champion, and Selina Buchel.
Anita Wlodarczyk is just a silly person. She’s nailed another throw further than 80m – her closest rival is Zhang of China with 76.33m. Sophie Hitchon is currently fourth, and will need to beat her national record thrown in round three to grab a medal with her final throw.
Asher-Smith qualified for the 200m final in the fastest time: 22.12secs. Schippers was cruising, though, and will start as favourite while Elaine Thompson of Jamaica should feature. One to look forward to.
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Wowza – Dina Asher-Smith screams round the bend with a couple of metres in the bank and ekes out even more on the straight before easing down – so, so impressive. The 19-year-old Briton will start the 200m final tomorrow with a serious chance of a medal.
The men’s triple jump final is cranking up. Pichardo puts in a 17.60m jump to open up a decent lead over Taylor – and the American hits back with exactly the same distance! This is shaping up to be proper ding dong between these two. Three jumps left each and no-one else is close.
Dafne Schippers is back on the track after winning 100m silver and the former heptathlete controls her 200m semi, clocking 22.36secs whilst looking over her shoulder to take in the sights and sounds – plenty more in the locker. Sherone Simpson qualifies for the final behind her but Britain’s Margaret Adeoye finishes eighth.
In the women’s hammer, the ridiculously dominant Wlodarczyk bombs out a world championship record throw of 80.27m. Moments later Sophie Hitchon launches a British record 73.65m to move up to fourth – she’s delighted and her coach does some fantastic tense-bicep fist pumping in the stands.
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Asked if she could have ran a quicker bend, Williams replies: “I always run a rubbish bend.” Ah well, something to work on and she seems happy enough.
Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson cruises round the bend and eases off to clock an ominous 22.13secs to win the first 200m semi-final heat. In a very open event Thompson has every chance of taking the title. GB’s Bianca Williams was always struggling and came in sixth.
Before the women’s 200m semi-finals get under way, here is the news from the day’s earlier session:
In the men’s triple jump final Pichardo can’t extend his lead with his second jump, leaving plenty on the runway, but his 17.52m mark remains the distance to beat.
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Lawrence Clarke after finishing 7th in his heat in the men’s 110m hurdles semi-finals:
I ran out of steam trying to keep up with David Oliver. I ran the fastest five I think I’ve ever ran – but God those guys are quick.
The final heat in the men’s 110m hurdles semi-finals brings disappointment for GB’s Lawrence Clarke who made a really strong start but clipped the final barrier and faded. David Oliver put together a pretty messy race but qualifies for the final second behind France’s Dimitri Bascou, who ran 13.16secs.
The men’s triple jump is under way and it should be a fascinating battle between USA’s Christian Taylor and Pedro Pichardo of Cuba. Pichardo makes an unspectacular but solid start with a 17.52m and Taylor follows up with a ragged 16.85m.
The second 110m semi-final heat is stacked with quality. Aries Merritt gets to the first hurdle first and stays there, the world record holder winning in 13.08. Omar McLeod has to settle for the second automatic qualifying spot, leaving French talent Martinot-Lagarde to wait and see if he has qualified as a fastest loser, with one more heat to come.
Parchment was a full tenth slower to react to the gun that the quickest reaction measured in that heat – a fair chunk of time to give away.
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The men’s 110m hurdles semi-finals are under way, and the first of three heats goes to the form guide with Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment recovering from a sluggish start to qualify with Sergey Shubenkov.
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Day six schedule (all times BST)
12.00pm – women’s hammer throw final
12.05pm – men’s 110m hurdles semi-final
12.10pm – men’s triple jump final
12.35pm – women’s 200m semi-final
1.05pm – women’s 800m semi-final
1.40pm – women’s 400m final
1.55pm – men’s 200m final
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Preamble
Bolt v Gatlin round II. When Bolt eventually hangs up his spikes – which might not be so far away given the ever slimmer margins he’s winning major titles by these days (plus that football career on his to do list) – he will be remembered most keenly for his exploits in the 100m. The sheer audacity to beat his chest after 80m in Beijing; posing with the Berlin bear; Michael Johnson’s face.
But Bolt is no natural 100m runner, technically speaking. His tall frame wobbles out of the blocks, veering across his lane in the path of most resistance like a drunk in the street. The 200m – there is a distance Bolt’s supreme body was built for. Any less and you threaten to deny him the head of steam he needs; any further and his steam runs out. Arguably it’s more fun to watch too as the devastation he leaves in his wake is so much greater. Put another way, in the 200m he can win by this much:
But there’s plenty more before Bolt rumbles into the stadium later on. Sophie Hitchon goes for Team GB in the women’s hammer in one of the most closed events around – Anita Wlodarczyk is a near certain winner but the other medals are up for grabs.
Another of the track’s USA v Jamaica subplots gathers pace today with the men’s 110m hurdles, starring reigning but ageing American world champ David Oliver and the new kid in the blocks, Omar McLeod. Britain’s Lawrence Clarke is drawn in a lane next to Oliver in the last of three semis – Clarke finished fourth in London and will need to run close to his best again to make another major final.
The men’s triple jump should be a straight shootout between Cuba’s Pedro Pichardo and Christian Taylor of the USA, which gets under way shortly before the women’s 200m: Britain have Bianca Williams and Margaret Adeoye in the first two semis (the latter through despite a bit of lane trespassing up ahead), but Dina Asher-Smith is GB’s one to watch after she sauntered down the track with pipe in hand to set a personal best 22.22secs in her heat yesterday. She is drawn outside Veronica Campbell-Brown, the only semi-finalist to have ever run under 22secs, and expect Dafne Schippers, silver medallist in the 100m, to impress again.
Team GB’s Lynsey Sharp runs in the women’s 800m semis, which precedes the women’s 400m final where Christine Ohuruogu goes against Allyson Felix. It will need something pretty special to deny Felix her first individual 400m gold at a major event.
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