By A Correspondent
It was a day of comebacks and last-gasp efforts.
Sha’Carri Richardson, the American sprinter who missed the last two global championships, came back in telling fashion by taking the 100m gold in a World Championships record of 10.65s, also a personal best and a joint world-leading mark on Monday.
The 23-year-old Richardson, with her patent hairlocks and bright nail polish, a la Flo Jo, did that after nearly missing the final. Eventually she filled up one non-automatic qualifier’s spot and ran in lane nine, sneaking up almost unnoticed to the astonishment of the Jamaicans.
Jamaican Shericka Jackson, the pre-race favourite who led up to the half-way stage and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Jamaican legend, gunning for her fifth world title, occupied the second and third sports. It was a huge setback for the Jamaicans who had won four of the six titles in the Worlds during the last decade.
On another comeback was Swede Daniel Stahl, the World champion in 2019, in the men’s discus final. He had finished fourth the last time, but it was his day to reassert himself. In doing that from a near-hopeless position in the last round, he had to bring all his experience and technical perfection to beat defending champion Kristjan Ceh of Slovakia 71.46m to 70.02.
Fabrice Zango won for Burkina Faso its first gold medal in the World championships, hop step and jumping to 17.84m in the fifth round to beat Cuban Lizaro Martinez who threw 17.41m.
American Grant Holloway, one of the most-accomplished, smooth-hurdling technicians, claimed his third World title in a row, winning the men’s 110m hurdles gold effortlessly from Olympic champion Hansle Parchment of Jamaica.
The disappointment for Asia was the fifth-place finish by Japanese Shunzuke Izumiya in the high hurdles after he projected himself as a possible medal contender with his performance in the semifinals. The Japanese had won heat one of the semifinals in 13.16s, beating among others American Daniel Roberts who was to win the bronze later.
Richardson’s joy knew no bounds as she finished with the championship gold in a tense 100m final. She had endured agony in 2021 and 2022, missing the Olympics because of a marijuana infraction and not making the grade in the US Nationals next year for the team to compete in the World championships at home.
“I’m here. I’m the champion,” she said. “I told you all. I’m not back, I’m better.”
The Jamaicans looked stunned to begin with but quickly regained composure as they posed for photographers with the exuberant Richardson.
“I would say never give up,’” Richardson said. “Never allow media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself and your faith define who you are. I would say always fight, no matter what, fight.”
After failing to get an automatic spot in the final as she finished behind Jackson and Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, she was given a ‘best loser’ place. So, too Pole Ewa Swoboda who eventually finished sixth in 10.97s.
Richardson had clocked 10.84 in the semifinals coming behind Jackson and Ta Lou who were both given 10.79s. In the final, it was a different Richardson through the final 50 metres, making light of the outside lane and coasting through in triumphant gesticulation.
Four of the eight fastest sprinters in history figured in this race of the championships. The history favoured the Jamaicans though Fraser-Pryce was coming back this season from a knee injury and had very little competitions on the way to Budapest. Had she won this one it would have been her sixth World title in the short sprint. At 36 years this could be her farewell.
The men’s discus final produced high drama as Ceh, the giant Slovakian, led briefly with a second-round throw of 69.27m. Stahl’s response was 69.37m in the fourth round.
Stahl held that lead till the last round when Ceh, who has had an impressive build-up this season, crossed the 70-metre mark at 70.02.
Stahl had to bring in something extra in his final throw. The title which looked likely to swing in the Swede’s favour was slipping away. Stahl concentrated hard before unleashing his final throw. The cheer that went up as the disc landed beyond the championship record mark confirmed that Stahl had won. He did not show much emotions as he struck a muscular, bodybuilder pose for the photographers.
“This was my best performance ever,” said Stahl, who has his national record at 71.86m. “I had so much focus; I would say 1000% on the last throw after I saw Kristjan throw 70.02m.”
Ceh said, “My expectations were really high. I knew I was physically prepared, even though one month before the World Championships I was struggling with technique. In the end, everything came together, and I knew that I had 70 metres in me, which I showed on the last throw.
Ceh admitted that he was unsure of victory as Stahl was left with his last throw and the Swede had been performing well under pressure.
Stahl, 30, now has a 17-14 head-to-head record with Ceh including an Olympic victory in Tokyo in 2021.
Zango, with 17.81m this season at Doha this yea was one of the favourites for the triple jump crown once defending champion Pedro Pablo Pichardo of Portugal withdrew from the championships due to an injury. The 18-year-old Jamaican Jaydon Hibbert had a personal best of 17.87m this season and Andy Diaz of Italy who did not compete here had a national record of 17.75m.
As misfortune struck Hibbert in the opening jump when he pulled up clutching his right hamstring, never to come back for the next two attempts, the field was set for Zango and Diaz.
Zango’s opening jump of 17.37m was responded to by a 17.41 jump by Diaz. But after that the Italian could never come back into top gear. Zango had a 17.28m and 17.36m before coming up with his winning jump of 17.64m on his fifth. He fouled his last attempt.
“Look at my big smiling mouth. It tells you everything,” said Zango. “I had so many difficulties and doubts.
“I promised to make history and I did it tonight. That is the first gold medal in the men’s triple jump not only for my country, but for Africa as well. I cannot imagine the level of celebration in my country when I go back home, but I’m going to start the celebrations in Budapest.”
Zango now has a complete set of World championships medals, gold, silver (2022) and bronze (2019).
Chinese Zhu Yaming, Olympic silver medallist at Tokyo, and bronze medallist in the World championships last year, could manage only 17.15m on the last jump and finished fourth behind Cuban Cristian Napoles (17.40m, PB).
Another Chinese, Fang Yaoqing (17.01m) finished sixth.
Holloway made it three-in-a-row in the men’s 110m hurdles. He clocked a season best of 12.96 seconds while Parchment was well behind in 13.07s, also a season best, and Roberts in 13.09s.
Izumiya looked ready to challenge the favourites but faded past the fifth hurdle. His flat speed also was not matching with the speed he showed in the semifinals.
There were two other Japanese in the semis, with Taigo Yokochi finishng ninth in one of them with 114.93s and Shunya Takayama taking the fifth place in the other heat with 13.34s.
After three days of action, Asia is yet to open its medals tally, but the key events for the continent will come up from now on only. India is hoping Neeraj Chopra will strike gold in javelin on the final day and Murali Sreeshankar will at least clinch a medal in long jump (qualification 23 Aug, final 24 Aug).
China should be aiming to get the gold through shot putter Gong Lijiao who has the qualification and final on 26 Aug.
Qatar’s Essa Mutaz Barshim, three-time champion in high jump, will go into the final today (Aug 22).
Photo 1 Credit : https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a44869404/shacarri-richardson-wins-100-meters-2023-world-championships/
Photo 2 Credit : https://epaimages.com/search.pp?pictureid=11665795
Photo 3 Credit: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/08/37a60d830f0a-athletics-izumiya-5th-in-110m-hurdles-holloway-achieves-three-peat.html
Photo 4 Credit: https://www.flashscore.co.uk/news/triple-jumper-zango-soars-to-burkina-faso-s-first-ever-world-gold/MThuQPuR/
