There were mixed fortunes for the Caribbean men in the 400m semi-finals on day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Antonio Watson was first up and set the track ablaze with a massive personal best 44.13 to take semi-final one over the likes of South African world record holder Wayde Van Niekerk and American Vernon Norwood.

Norwood ran a personal best of his own with 44.26 for second while Van Niekerk ran 44.65 in third and Jereem Richards ran 44.76 in fourth.

Van Niekerk made it through to the final as one of the fastest losers while Richards was just beaten out Norway’s Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen who ran 44.70 in heat two.

Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson Smith won the second semi-final in a personal best, British and European record 44.26 ahead of 2011 World Champion Kirani James who ran 44.58.

Unfortunately, reigning Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner looked set to book his spot in the final before pulling up injured while leading with about 100m to go in the third semi-final.

The race was eventually won by American Quincy Hall in 44.43 while Jamaica’s Sean Bailey also made it through to the final with 44.94.

 

Three Jamaicans will contest the medals in the women’s 400m hurdles as the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest after producing excellent semi-final performances on day four on Tuesday.

Clayton was first-up in semi-final one with a personal best 53.30 to win and book her spot in the final. American Anna Cockrell also advanced to the final with a personal best 53.63 in second.

Andrenette Knight had to go up against a loaded field in semi-final two including Femke Bol and former world record holder Dalilah Muhammad. Bol took the win in an easy 52.95 while Knight ran brilliantly to finish second in 53.72. Muhammad ran 54.19 in third and failed to make it to the final.

The third semi-final saw four athletes make it through to the final. Shamier Little produced a season’s best 52.82 to win ahead of Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya (53.69). National champion Janieve Russell ensured that it would be three Jamaicans in the final with 53.83 in third while Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso ran a national record 53.89 to also advance.

Navasky Anderson failed to advance from the heats of the Men’s 800m on day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Anderson, who ran a national record 1:44.70 in July to qualify for the championships, was only able to produce 1:45.81 for fifth in heat two.

After seven heats, Anderson’s time was just .05 slower than the final non-automatic qualifying time.

The 23-year-old also failed to advance from the heats at last year’s edition in Eugene.

Ackera Nugent, Devynne Charlton, Danielle Williams and Megan Tapper all progressed to the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles on day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Tuesday.

Nugent, the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Champion, was first up in heat one, producing 12.60 to narrowly win ahead of American Masai Russell who was credited with the same time. Ireland’s Sarah Lavin (12.69) and France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela (12.71) completed the top four.

2019 World Champion, Nia Ali, ran 12.55 to win the second heat ahead of Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska (12.65), South Africa’s Marione Fourie (12.71) and Hungary’s Luca Kozak (12.71).

2015 World Champion Danielle Williams and 2022 World Indoor Champion Devynne Charlton both lined up in heat three. Charlton and Williams were second and third with 12.44, a new Bahamian national record, and 12.51, respectively, as the race was won by American former world record holder in a blistering 12.24. Great Britain’s Cindy Sember was fourth in 12.83.

Puerto Rico’s Olympic Champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, was next up in heat four. She continued her unbeaten run this season with 12.50 to comfortably win the heat ahead of the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser (12.68) and Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji (12.71). Celeste Mucci of Australia also made it through with 12.90 in fourth.

Jamaican national champion, Megan Tapper, finished second in the fifth and final heat in 12.51 to advance. Nigerian World Champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan ran 12.49 to win the heat while Australia’s Michelle Jenneke and Cyprus’ Natalia Christofi ran 12.71 and 12.90 in third and fourth, respectively.

Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson must take her chance to become a world beater, according to Sally Gunnell.

The 1992 Olympic 400m hurdles champion believes Hodgkinson has the right mentality to secure her first global title at the World Championships.

Hodgkinson opens in the 800m heats on Wednesday with defending champion Athing Mu expected to compete after doubts over whether the American would travel to Hungary.

Kenya’s Mary Moraa also remains a threat to Hodgkinson – who has already won world and Olympic silver at the age of 21 – and Gunnell feels the Brit has the perfect chance in Budapest to top the podium.

“She’s still got many more years to go but sometimes you have to take these opportunities and now’s the time to do it,” she said.

“This week is going to be the big test of that, isn’t it? The last few years it has been about ‘wow, this new person is getting medals’.

“The stages you have to go in to be a top athlete, you’ve got to do your apprenticeship and this week is about going in as one of the favourites.

“She’s got massive competition in there, don’t get me wrong, so it’s not going to be an easy walkover by any means.

“These athletes don’t come by very often. It’s that outstanding talent and ability that somebody has, that natural ability she’s got.

“On top of that, she’s got a great mindset. She’s competitive. She’s focused, she trains hard. She’s got absolutely everything.

“She’s still young but she’s mature enough to be able to hold that and you almost feel like she has to take the opportunity because you don’t know what the next four years is going to be like.”

Gunnell’s husband Jon Bigg trains Jemma Reekie, who is also set to race in the 800m on Wednesday.

The 57-year-old, who won 400m hurdles gold at the World Championships in Stuttgart 30 years ago, believes this generation of athletes has the platform for success.

“It’s a very different era. Then we didn’t have the support of the National Lottery and being a full-time athlete,” she said.

“Now the support they have, the funding and the team that’s around them, has allowed us to have more depth and more are getting to finals.

“The pathway has been put in place. That’s the bit that is really showing us the difference.”

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Mo Farah put a summer of speculation behind him to make it half a dozen global titles as he again proved unbeatable over 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Beijing, on this day in 2015.

Farah was ruthlessly focused amid all the off-track distractions as he burst away from the twin Kenyan challenge of Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor and Paul Tanui down the home straight.

The 32-year-old has endured a tumultuous year, caught up in the doping allegations surrounding his coach Alberto Salazaar, but had not lost his aura of invincibility on it as he came home in 27 minutes 01.13 seconds.

The double Olympic champion was back at the Bird’s Nest stadium, the scene of the biggest disappointment of his career when he failed to make the final of the 2008 Olympics.

Farah’s victory on this occasion meant he continued his Games and World Championships winning streak since his second-placed finish at Daegu, South Korea in 2011.

Farah was in a pack of five, well clear of the field for most of the race, also including American Galen Rupp, his training partner at the Nike Oregon Project in Portland, and, ominously, three Kenyan team-mates.

Farah kicked to the front with a lap to go and, although the Kenyans tried to respond, they simply could not match his finishing speed as the Briton came home with more than half a second to spare.

The double Olympic champion has admitted his name has been dragged through the mud over his links to Salazar- although he himself had been accused of no wrongdoing – and this win was the ideal way to answer his critics.

“I want to keep doing what I’m doing and serve my country and win as many medals as I can,” Farah told the BBC.

“I want to be remembered as someone who did something for their country.

“It’s been good to have so many people behind me on Instagram and Twitter, sending me messages.

“It’s a great atmosphere. It’s important I started the team well. I’m one of the oldest. So hopefully people look at that and say ‘I can do it’.”

Farah feared a last-lap stumble had killed his hopes of victory, but branded the challenge the toughest of his career.

He added: “The last lap, that was close. At one point, I honestly thought I was gone as I stumbled and I was thinking,
‘Not 24 laps into it, the last lap’.

“I was trying to go round and the Kenyan guy Geoffrey caught my leg. So I almost stumbled and managed to stay on my feet, go round to the front and make sure I had something left at the end. It was close, it wasn’t easy.”

2019 World Championship silver medallist, Fedrick Dacres, produced a 66.72m effort to finish fifth in the final of the Men’s discus throw on day three of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Monday.

The event was won by Sweden’s Daniel Stahl with a championship record 71.46m while Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh threw 70.02m for second and Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna threw 68.85m for third.

It was an exciting end to the competition as Ceh took the lead with his final round effort before Stahl produced the championship record throw with the very last throw of the competition.

Traves Smikle finished 11th with a best throw of 61.90m.

Sha’Carri Richardson produced a breathtaking performance to claim her maiden World 100m title on day three of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Monday.

Richardson, running from lane nine after a shaky performance in the semi-finals earlier on Saturday, produced a personal best and championship record 10.65 to take the gold.

Shericka Jackson followed up her 10.79 in the semis with 10.72 to take her second consecutive silver medal in the evet while defending champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, was third with a season’s best 10.77.

 

Olympic Champion Hansle Parchment once again showed himself to be a man for the big occasion with a silver medal in the Men’s 110m hurdles final at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Monday.

Parchment produced 13.07 to take silver behind American Grant Holloway who ran a season’s best 12.96 to claim his third consecutive World title. Holloway’s American teammate Daniel Roberts was third with 13.09.

This is Parchment’s second World Championship silver medal after running 13.03 at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

Marileidy Paulino, Candice McLeod and Sada Williams all successfully made it through the semi-finals of the Women’s 400m on day three of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Monday.

Paulino, the reigning Olympic and World Championship silver medalist, produced 49.54 to win semi-final one.

Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke (49.87) also automatically advanced through to the final from semi-final one while Belgium’s Cynthia Bolingo ran 49.96, a new national record, to advance as one of the non-automatic qualifiers. Jamaica’s Candice McLeod ran 50.62 for fourth to advance as the final time qualifier.

The second semi-final was won by Lieke Klaver in 49.88 while Talitha Diggs also made it through with 50.86. Jamaican champion, Nickisha Pryce, was in a qualifying spot after running a hard first 300m before fading down the stretch and eventually running 51.24 for fifth.

Sada Williams, the defending World Championship bronze medallist, ran a personal best and national record 49.58 for second in semi-final three to advance. Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek ran 49.50 to take the win.

Defending champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson are through to the finals of the 100m. So, too, was Julien Alfred of St Lucia who continued her unbeaten run this season by taking her semi-final heat to advance to her first global final.

American medal hopeful Sha’Carri Richardson and the dangerous Marie Jose Ta-Lou are also through into what is expected to be a cracking final.

Fraser-Pryce who is going for her sixth world 100m title but whose preparation this season has been interrupted by a long-running knee injury, eased out of the blocks but rushed past the field to win her heat in 10.89.

The USA’s Tamari Davis secured her spot in the final by finishing second in 10.98.

Jackson, meanwhile, was more impressive getting a good start and cruised to victory in 10.79, just ahead of an impressive Ta Lou, who was just as easy finishing second on 10.79. Richardson, who was left in the blocks managed to take third in 10.84, a time that eventually got her into the final.

Alfred, who is unbeaten in the 100m this season, survived a scare in her heat after receiving a yellow card for a faulty start. However, having dodged a repeat of her fate at the 2022 World Championships, she started cautiously but stormed past the field to win in 10.92.

Britney Brown of the USA booked her finals berth after running 10.97 for a second-place finish.

Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith made it into the final having finished third in 11.01.

Olympic Champion Hansle Parchment successfully made it through to the final of the men’s 110m hurdles on day three of the IAAF World Athletics Championships on Monday.

Parchment got his customary slow start before coming through to eventually finish second in 13.18. The race was won by American Freddie Crittenden in 13.17. Wilhem Belocian of France advanced as one of the non-automatic qualifiers after running 13.23 for third while Switzerland's Jason Jospeh also made it through in fourth with 13.25.

Reigning two-time World Champion Grant Holloway was the fastest qualifier with 13.03 to win semi-final two ahead of France’s Sasha Zhoya (13.15). Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya (13.16) won semi-final one ahead of the USA's Daniel Roberts (13.19).

The final is set for 2:40 pm Jamaica time on Monday.

Jaydon Hibbert’s gold medal ambitions at the World Athletics Championships have been shattered. 

The talented 18-year-old,  the world leader with his mark of 17.87m was among the favourites to win the triple jump at the championships. He appeared to have suffered an injury on his first approach. As he leapt off the board, he aborted his attempt while clutching the back of his right leg.

Officially, he will take no further part in the competition.

 

Kyron McMaster and Roshawn Clarke both advanced to the final of the men’s 400m hurdles on day three of the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Monday.

McMaster ran a composed 47.72 to win the first semi-final ahead of Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.30) and the USA’s CJ Allen (48.30). Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Jaheel Hyde, had a blistering first half of the race before fading in the final 200m to finish fourth in 48.49.

Rai Benjamin (47.24) and defending champion Alison Dos Santos (47.38) were comfortably the top two finishers in the second semi-final. France’s Ludvy Vaillant finished third in 48.48, knocking Hyde out of one of the non-automatic qualifying spots.

The third semi-final saw World Record holder Karsten Warholm look awesome in running 47.08 to win ahead of Jamaica’s Roshawn Clarke and USA’s Trevor Bassitt.

Clarke’s time in second was 47.34, a new national record and world junior record while Bassitt’s time of 47.38 in third was also good enough to take him to the final.

The final is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:50pm Jamaica time.

Jamaica’s prowess in the Women's 400m hurdles was on full display on Monday as all three hurdlers, Rushell Clayton, Janieve Russell, and Andrenette Knight, confidently secured their spots in the semifinals during the afternoon session on Day 3 of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Clayton's solid run of 53.97 earned her the top spot in the opening heat, surpassing former world-record holder Dahlilah Mohammed, who clocked in at 54.21. The German athlete Carolina Kraftik claimed third place with a time of 54.53, followed closely by Viivi Lehikoinen of Finland, who secured the fourth automatic qualifying spot with a time of 54.65.

Russell continued the Jamaican surge, executing a controlled performance that resulted in her winning the second heat in 54.53. She outpaced Anna Cockrell of the USA, who finished in 54.68. Gianna Woodruff of Panama secured the third position with a time of 55.31, while Canada's Savannah Sutherland secured the final automatic spot in the semifinals with a time of 55.85.

Andrenette Knight maintained the Jamaican success, finishing second in her heat behind Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain, who claimed first place with a time of 53.56. Knight's impressive run of 54.21 ensured her progression to the semifinals. Italy's Ayomide Folorunso secured the third qualifying spot with a time of 54.30, while Cathelijn Peeters of the Netherlands clinched the final automatic spot with a time of 54.95.

Meanwhile, the gold medal favorite Femke Bol of the Netherlands showed why she is the fastest woman in the world this year. Determined to make a statement after failing to lead her team to a medal in the Mixed Relays on Saturday, Bol clocked an impressive time of 53.39 in her heat, leaving her competitors trailing in her wake. Vicktoriya Tkachuck of Ukraine secured second place with a time of 55.05, while Hanne Claes of Belgium took third with a time of 55.1. Line Kloster of Norway clinched the final qualifying spot in the heat with a time of 55.23.

Great Britain's Jessie Knight won the final heat, finishing with a time of 54.27 and securing first place. She triumphed over Shamier Little of the USA, who took second place with a time of 54.40. Anna Ryzhykova of Ukraine secured third place with a time of 54.70, while Nikoleta Jichova of the Czech Republic secured the fourth qualifying spot with a time of 55.10.

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