Reuters
Beijing, August 30: LaShawn Merritt anchored the United States to a sixth successive world 4×400 metres relay title to bring down the curtain on the 15th World Athletics Championships here Sunday.
Merritt ran his leg in 44.16 to overhaul Jamaica’s Javon Francis on the final straight and cross the line for gold in two minutes 57.82 seconds, the best time of year.
Trinidad and Tobago, won silver in a national record 2:58.20 and Britain pipped Jamaica to third place in 2.58.51.
In the women’s 4x400m relay Jamaica stunned the US as Novlene Williams-Mills snatched the gold by passing Francena McCorory in the final 10 metres of a thrilling race.
Jamaica had held a 15-metre lead over the United States at half-way, after strong runs by Christine Day and Shericka Jackson, only to see America’s individual 400m champion, Allyson Felix deliver an astonishing leg to chase down and catch Stephenie Ann McPherson and hand over the stick for the anchor leg with a slight lead.
However it was to prove in vain as Williams-Mills ran a shrewd final lap to overhaul a tiring Francena McCorory and win Jamaica’s third relay gold medal of the Championships.
Jamaica clocked 3min 19.13sec, to the United States’ 3:19.44 with Britain taking bronze in 3:23.62.
Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop won the world title at 1,500 metres for the third time Sunday, producing a late charge from 12th place to first in the last half-lap to take gold on Sunday.
Kiprop, clocked 3 minutes 34.40 seconds, his teammate Elijah Manangoi took the silver in 3:34.63 and Morocco’s Abdelaati Iguider secured bronze in 3:34.67.
Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana put on a stunning display of front-running to win the women’s 5,000 metres by more than 17 seconds deprive compatriot Genzebe Dibaba of an unprecedented double gold.
The 23-year-old led home an Ethiopian podium sweep in a championship record time of 14 minutes 26.83 seconds.
Dibaba, who was hoping to become the first woman to win both the 1,500m and 5,000m at the same world championships or Olympics, was pipped at the line by compatriot Senbere Teferi, who took silver in 14.44.07.
Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba won the women’s marathon after a thrilling sprint finish along the home straight of the Beijing National Stadium Sunday.
Dibaba out-kicked Kenya’s Helah Kiprop to win the gruelling event by just one second, crossing the finish line in two hours, 27 minutes and 35 seconds.
While Canada’s Derek Drouin won the men’s high jump gold medal with a 2.34-metre clearance in a sudden-death finale Sunday.
Jaisha breaks own record
Beijing: O P Jaisha smashed her own national record while finishing 18th, one place above compatriot Sudha Singh, in the women’s marathon event as the World Athletics Championships Sunday. Jaisha clocked 2:34:43 to complete the early morning marathon race at 18th to better her earlier national mark of 2:37:29 set in January. Sudha finished with a time of 2:35:35.
