August 21, 2023
Discus Women
The day started with almost a sure guarantee of a win for the US in the Women's Discus. It happened but not the way it was expected. Valerie Allman was leading the world this year with the six best throws of the season, and she started very well with a 68.57 Meter (224.96 feet) throw and was holding well going into the fourth of six rounds. Then the surprise of the meet came as a thunderbolt when Laulauga Tausaga, USA and the University of Iowa went from 6th to first on a throw that went 4 meters (13.12 feet) beyond her personal best. Tausaga is no stranger to the WC's but without much success finishing 12th in both of her previous attempts. This time she went to the lead. Allman had two more attempts but could not better her 68.57 throw and thus had to concede the win to Tausaga. So the US had two athletes on the podium for the first time possibly ever in track history. Third place was Bin Feng of China who won the previous WC.
1. Lauluga Tausaga 69.49 M 227.98 feet PB
2. Valerie Allman 69.23 M 227.13 feet
3. Bin Feng 68.20 M 223.75 feet SB
4. Jorinde Van Klinken Netherlands 67.20 M 220.47 feet SB
5. Sandra Perkovic Croatia 66.57 M 218.40 feet SB
following from Reuters on the women's discus:
FAIRY GODMOTHER
"I don't know if I have a fairy godmother or my ancestors had some say in it, but I was able to do something tonight that I didn't think was possible," Tausaga said.
"I was confident if I was on my A-game I could sneak through into a medal place and not be 12th like I was in the last two world championships.
"It's unbelievable to go from 12th to first. I just said to myself, 'You need to let it out and if it fouls, then so be it'. But it sailed out to that big throw and here I am.
"I have a gold medal, I can't believe it, it's so unreal. When I saw my distance I just couldn't get to my coach fast enough to give him the strongest hug of my life."
Allman had a face like thunder at the end and said: "I wanted to be the champion tonight, it is not a secret.
"I have been training very hard, putting everything in for the victory. It's tough when you are in a good form and you cannot reach the gold medal.
"But I feel so proud of being on the podium and a one-two for USA is also so special, to stand together with Laulauga.
"I also know I am capable of responding to this. I need to put one more year of work into it and try to find what seemed to be missing. I know I can still improve and, most importantly, I am hungry and I am not done with the fight."
Last night's men's discus was equally as exciting with Daniel Stahl of Sweden taking the win on his final throw beating Kristjan Ceh of Slovakia.
3000 Steeple Chase Men
Soufiane El Bakkali (Morocco) conquers Lamecha Girma (Ethiopia) in a hot Steeple Chase.
This got Girma the Olympic champion and world record holder his third silver medal in WC competition. Girma set the world record in the Paris Diamond League meet last June with a 7:52.11 clocking. But tonight it was all El Bakkali.
Tactically Girma hung back and El Bakkali ran mid pack but with four laps remaining moved up to third place. Girma had moved up to second. At the bell El Bakkali took off and Girma responded a bit late and lost contact. He was almost two seconds behind at the tape.
El Bakkali (Mor) 8:03.53
Girma (Eth) 8:05.44
Abraham Kipbiwot (Ken) 8;11.98 after falling at one of the barriers.
1500 Meters Women
No one contested Faith Kipyegon all that much as she led all the way. Diribe Welteji hung on the whole race and was less than a second behind, but the outcome was not really in doubt. The question was how Siffan Hassan would do after her klutz fall in the 10,000. In the 1500 she hung tough and finished third in 3:56. Fourth was Ciara Mageean with an Irish national record of 3:56.61. Fifth was Nelly Chepchirchir of Kenya in 3:57.90. Laura Muir, not having her best year was sixth.
High Jump Men
Gianmarco Tamberi takes the high jump and refuses to share the Gold this time with another jumper as he did with Mutaz Barshim. Barshim actually got third this time while JuVaughn Harrison got in for a second place. Harrison came into the competition with a #2 World Ranking and proved he deserved it.
Tamberi and Barshim both took two shots to get over 2.25 M 7' 4 1/2". Harrison made it on his first attempt.
All three made 7' 5 3/4" and 7' 7 1/2" on their first attempts. Harrison still in the lead on misses.
Tamberi cleared 2.36 7' 8 3/4" on his first attempt. Harrison failed on his first attempt. Got it on his second attempt. Harrison's one miss at 2.36 gave Tamberi the win. They both missed all attempts at 2.38 7' 9 1/2". Barshim was third and Luis Enrique Zayas of Cuba finished fourth at 2.33
100 H Women's prelims
Kendra Harrison ran a world leading 12.24, her second best time ever. Devynne Charlton was second in 12.44. US champ Nia Ali won the second heat in 12.55 and Pia Skrzyszowska had a 12.65.
Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn won her twelfth straight race in 2023 in 12. 50 and Tobi Amusan the world record holder won heat five in 12.50.
Men's 400 M semis
Qualifiers for finals
1. Antonio Watson JAM 44.13
2. Matthew Hudson Smith GBR 44.26 European record
3. Vernon Norwood USA 44.26
4. Quincy Hall USA 44.43
5. Kirani James GRN 44.58
6. Wade Van Niekirk RSA 44.65 (third in his heat)
7. Havard Bentdal Ingvalden NOR 44.76
8. Sean Bailey JAM 44.94
400 IH Women
Dalilah Muhammed failed to qualify for the first time after medaling in her four previous world championships running 54.19. Femke Bol came back from her disaster in the 4x400 mixed and led all qualifiers in 52.95 until Shamir Little took the stage and ran 52.81. Here are the finalists:
1.Shamir Little USA 52.81 SB
2.Femke Bol NED 52.95
3. Rushell Clayton JAM 53.30 SB
4. Kemi Adekoya BRRN 53.39
5. Anna Cockrell USA 53.63 PB
6. Janieve Russell JAM 53.69
7. Andrenette Knight JAM 53.72
8. Ayomide Folorunso ITA 53.89 NR
9. Dalilah Muhammed USA 54.19 Did not qualify
800 Men
Defending champion Emmanuel Korir did not make it out of his heat finishing 4th. Also not advancing was the bronze medalist in Doha Ferguson Rotich of Kenya.
Notable semi finalists (there are 20) include:
Emmanuel Wanyoni KEN 1:44.92
Marco Arop CAN 1:45.05
Gabriel Tuol FRA 1:45.10
Simon Bartonini ITA 1:45.21
Adbdelati El Guesse MAR 1:45.24
Yani Meziane FRA 1:45.30
Other notables who failed to advance
Clayton Murphy USA 1:47.06
Issiah Harris 1:48.
Here is a link to Sean Ingle's report in today's The Guardian. He was there, could talk to athletes and can provide a much better perspective on most events than I can. Here in Western Canada the meet replay (stongly edited) comes on at 1:00AM. I'm up now at 6:00AM on Wednesday and can watch yesterday's action.
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