Photo Credit: Mattia Ozbot for World Athletics
Katzberg rewrites championship record in hammer
By A Correspondent
Korean Woo Sang-Hyeok had to settle for the silver after a rousing battle with Olympic champion Hamish Kerr in the men’s high jump  contest on the fourth day of the World athletics championships in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Kerr won at 2.36m after the top two were tied at 2.34m with the Korean having the upper hand on countback. Just within sight of what could have been his and Asia’s first gold medal in these championships, Woo failed at 2.36m while the New Zealander sailed through without a hitch. It was New Zealand’s second gold in Tokyo, the first having been won in a sensational finish in the men’s 3000m steeplechase on Monday by Geordie Beamish at the expense of the Moroccan legend, Soufiane El Bakkali.
The Korean had won the silver in the 2022 edition also, behind Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar 2.37 to 2.35m. Asia, with today’s contribution from Woo, has swelled its medals tally to two silvers and two bronze so far. The US with six gold medals and two bronze was at the top of the medals table.
It was a day when Canadian Ethan Katzberg unleashed a championship record of 84.70m in the men’s hammer throw contest. Also, a day when Kenyan Faith Kipyegon underlined once again her complete command over the women’s 1500 metres. Before the track action wound up, American Cordell Tinch lived up to his pre-meet ratings with a fluent victory over the men’s 110m hurdles. Champion in the last three editions and also the Olympic champion, Grant Holloway of the US did not make it through the semifinals.
With the stage set for Kerr and Woo to dominate the high jump contest, after the defending champion Italian Gianmarco Tamberi having failed to make it from qualification and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar, the joint 2021 Olympic champion, having dropped out from this meet with an injury, the two did not disappoint. At one stage there was the possibility of a tie for the gold but that was avoided by Kerr who had failed twice at 2.31m to the Korean’s lone failure and was thus at a disadvantage on the countback.
The two smiling, clapping gold and silver winners presented a great sight at the National Stadium with either of them clapping for the other as the tense final moments came in a gripping contest. India’s Sarvesh Anil Kushare, an Asian championship silver medallist in 2023, shared the sixth place with Tyus Wilson of the US, at 2.28m, bettering his personal best of 2.27m set three years ago.
There was much to cheer for the Kenyans, too, as Kipyegon, the world record holder in the women’s 1500m, and Dorcus Ewoi, a newcomer to this level of championships experience, celebrated their one-two to the joy of their small band of team-mates and supporters in the packed gathering. Of course, the Japanese gave a round of applause too to every success, but on yet another day of disappointment for the host on the track, the atmosphere failed to pick up.
Kipyegon won from gun to tape. Only Australian Jessica Hull provided a semblance of a fight to the Kenyans as three of them broke into the front on the final back straight. Nearing the home bend, Kipyegon was on her own, with the Australian and the two Kenyans in pursuit. Hull beat the third Kenyan in the midst, Nelly Chepchirchir by nine-hundredth of a second for the bronze.
Kipyegon clocked 3:52.15, Ewoi had 3:54.92, a personal best, and Hull 3:55.16 with Chepchirchir following her at 3:55.25. It was Kipyegon’s fourth World title.
“After setting the world record in Eugene (Prefontaine Classic this year), I said to myself: 'I have to go to Tokyo and defend my title. I knew I could run it under control,” said Kipyegon who made her World championship debut in 2013. She is scheduled to go for a double in this meet, having entered the 5000m too.
Katzberg was unstoppable in men’s hammer this day. The Canadian who had also won the Budapest and Tokyo Olympics gold, had the best series ever any thrower could have hoped for in a World championship final: 82.66, 84.70, 82.01, 81.86, 83.07 and 83.73.
Merlin Hummel of Germany had his first major medal taking the silver at 82.77m while Bence Halasz of Hungary, Olympic silver medallist in 2024, took the bronze in 82.69m. Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan, the Olympic bronze medallist, had to settle for the fourth place with 82.02m.
“I can't ask for much more,” said Katzberg.  He said he was getting closer to the world record, two metres away from it in fact, and he would continue to push towards it. He said after Camryn Rogers won for Canada the gold in women’s hammer yesterday, he was under pressure to perform.
 “I watched her win the women's (hammer) final. It was an incredible performance from her, so for Canada to win the men's hammer tonight as well is amazing.”
Tinch who was the only sub-13 athlete in the men’s 110m hurdles final won his first global title on Tuesday. It was an authoritative victory to keep the US monopoly on this event after defending champion Holloway crashed out at the semifinal stage.
Tinch clocked 12.99s, and was followed by Orlando Bennett of Jamaica in a personal best of 13.08s and another Jamaican, Tylor Mason in a PB-equalling 13.12s for the bronze. The host nation’s great hope this evening, Rachid Muratake (13.18s) was fifth. He was devastated in the end as the crowd who lustily cheered for him, fell quiet for a moment.
Japan had some success on track as Joseph Nakajima made the final of the men’s 400 metres, clocking 44.53s, in second place to Botswanian Bayapo Ndori (44.21s) in heat No. 3 of the semifinals. Qatar’s Ammar Ismail Yahiya Ibrahim could not qualify for the final despite clocking a 44.74s in fourth place in one of the three semifinal heats.
Qatar’s defending champion, Salwa Essa Naser was in fine form in the women’s 400m semifinals, winning her heat in 49.47s but it was left to American Sydney McLauglin-Levrone to provide the most formidable-looking semifinal timing, a 48.29s that bettered the long-standing American record of Sanya Richards-Ross (48.70s) that had stood for 19 years.
Comments are closed.