In an era when the world of sports is constantly evolving and expanding, the oldest global sporting event is one that has stood the test of time. The World Athletics Championship is a biennial competition organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and it is open to athletes from all 213 member federations. Over the years, a number of world, area and national records have been set at the event.
On a day of twists and turns, 2021 Olympic champion Damian Warner withdrew before the competition got under way, defending champion Pierce LePage pulled out after four events and top-seeded runner-up Sander Skotheim was disqualified after a hurdles mishap. Yet, despite the drama, Germany’s Leo Neugebauer prevailed with an impressive five-metre PB in the javelin to claim gold.
USA sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden added to her golden run in the women’s 100m and 200m by forming part of the 4x100m winning team in Tokyo on Sunday (21). She became just the second female to complete a sprint treble at World Championships, receiving a baton from legendary Jamaican sprint superstar Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Clayton Young was a surprise winner after squeezing past Amanal Petros of Germany and Illiass Aouani of Italy in a nail-biting finish. Nicola Olyslagers secured another world outdoor high jump title, while Cole Hocker returned to form in the 5000m. Faith Kipyegon also continued her unstoppable reign in the women’s 1500m with a fourth world title, with Dorcus Ewoi and Jessica Hull taking silver and bronze respectively.