V13 N. 84 Day Eight World Champs Budapest 2023

 Here we go.   Canada picks up another gold in men's 800 with Marco Arop cleaning house from 600 on.  In the Decathlon Pierce Lepage and Damien Warner take one-two  and Sarah Mitton got a silver for Canada.  Meanwhile  Faith Kipyegon does it again in the 5000, carrying the lead in the last 600.  

US takes both 4x100's.  US women DQ in 4x400 semis.   Armand Duplantis goes 6.10 in PV  That's 20' and about 1/2".   

What a great sport this is…So glad for Bol…..Paul O'Shea

Stats and Stories

from Watch Athletics

Women's 5000m Final - Saturday, August 26

POS	ATHLETE	NAT	MARK	MS
1	Faith KIPYEGON	KEN	14:53.88
2	Sifan HASSAN	NED	14:54.11
3	Beatrice CHEBET	KEN	14:54.33
4	Margaret Chelimo KIPKEMBOI	KEN	14:56.62
5	Ejgayehu TAYE	ETH	14:56.85
6	Medina EISA	ETH	14:58.23
7	Freweyni HAILU	ETH	14:58.31
8	Nozomi TANAKA	JPN	14:58.99
9	Elise CRANNY	USA	14:59.22
10	Laura GALVÁN	MEX	14:59.32	.313
10	Lilian Kasait RENGERUK	KEN	14:59.32	.313
12	Maureen KOSTER	NED	15:00.78
13	Gudaf TSEGAY	ETH	15:01.13
14	Alicia MONSON	USA	15:04.08
15	Francine NIYOMUKUNZI	BDI	15:15.01
16	Nadia BATTOCLETTI	ITA	15:27.86

Men's 800m Final - Saturday, August 26

Marco Arop of Canada now looks to be the most dominant 800 runner in the world.  Proved through prelims and finals that he can run from the front or the back and still accomplish his goals.  Will the Kenyans pull themselves together for Paris?  Wait and see.  Marco hasn't quite got power and speed of David Rudisha, but let's give him year to work on it.  In interviews he is the most humble of guys I've seen at the mike of the interview gremlins who have a two or three question limit for everyone they interview.   Best Q/A of night "How do you plan to celebrate?"   Marco  -  "Well I might have some dessert."

POS	ATHLETE	NAT	RESULT
1	Marco AROP	CAN	1:44.24
2	Emmanuel WANYONYI	KEN	1:44.53
3	Ben PATTISON	GBR	1:44.83
4	Adrián BEN	ESP	1:44.91
5	Slimane MOULA	ALG	1:44.95
6	Djamel SEDJATI	ALG	1:45.08
7	Tshepiso MASALELA	BOT	1:45.57
8	Bryce HOPPEL	USA	1:46.02

Olympics.com report on Decathlon

Pierce LePage spearheaded a glorious night for Canadian track and field claiming his nation's first decathlon gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday (26 August) with a score of 8,909.

The 27-year-old LePage shared the podium with compatriot and Olympic champion Damian Warner in second place while Marco Arop won the men’s 800 metres gold medal in a time of 1:44.24

About 45 minutes after Arop's thrilling performance, Sarah Mitton added silver in the women’s shot put with a heave of 20.08m.

But it was LePage who wrote himself in the history books, edging Warner (8,804) into second place following superb second-day performances. He upgraded the silver he took at last year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Lindon Victor of Grenada produced a late charge, winning the bronze medal with a total of 8,756.

Little separated the top three contenders going into the final two events - the javelin throw and 1,500m - with LePage leading Germany's Leo Neugebauer and Warner by just over 200 points.

And LePage kept his cool, running a season's best of 4:39.88 in the 1,500m with his combined total launching him into sixth place on the all-time list.

"I’ve been competing with Damian for a long time. We’ve been in so many decathlons. We’ve won medals together. To share the podium with him is so special, especially winning my first World Championship gold,” LePage told Athletics Canada.

After the first day of the competition - which consists of the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, and 400m - the Canadian was in second place on 4,610, with Warner third (4,578). Neugebauer held the lead going into the second day of action on 4,640 thanks to personal bests in the long jump (8.00m) and the shot put (17.04m).

But LePage knocked Neugebauer off his perch in the first event of the second day clocking 13.77 seconds in the 110m hurdles with Warner moving into second place with a time of 13.67s.

Warner’s promotion was short-lived with Neugebauer swopping places with the Canadian after the pole vault. LePage consolidated his lead at the top of the pile scaling 5.20 metres which was the second-best jump during the round.

My comments:   Lepage proved himself more than worthy of the title and what a day again for Canada with a 1 - 2 on the podium with Damiaen Warner.  Pierce had tape all over him.  Shoulder banged up in Long Jump,  and tweaked a hammy warming up on Day 2.   These two are going to be a formidable combination to beat next year.  But they go through a lot in training and that gives greater opportunity for injuries. Anything can happen.  And Lindon Victor of Grenada is jacked from his third place finish.  Who knows how that will inspire him for next year?

Women's shot put

• Chase Ealey (USA) 20.43m SB 🥇             67'  1/4"
• Sarah Mitton (CAN) 20.08m SB 🥈             65'  10"
• Gong Lijiao (CHN) 19.69m 🥉                     64'  7"
• Auriol Dongmo (POR) 19.69m.                     64' 7"
• Danniel Thomas-Dodd (JAM) 19.59m.         64'  3"
• Maggie Ewen (USA) 19.51m.                       64''  1/4"
• Maddison-Lee Wesche (NZL) 19.51m PB.   64'   1/4"
• Jessica Schilder (NED) 19.26m.                   63'   3"

Chase Ealey was an easy winner here, but Sarah Mitton of Canada proved herself more than ready to be in this competition with a season best .  Man there will be a lot of concrete for throwing rings poured this fall and old hockey goals stacked up into temporary throwing cages as a spinoff from the Canadian results in hammer and shot.  

Men's Pole Vault Final - Saturday, August 26

Mondo Duplantis, barring injury,  is the only given in this event.  Every future result is totally unpredictable.  Nice job by the Philippine athlete Obiena in second with an Asian record.

POS	ATHLETE	NAT	RESULT
1	Armand DUPLANTIS	SWE	6.10          20' 1/2"
2	Ernest John OBIENA	PHI	6.00 =AR  19' 8"
3	Kurtis MARSCHALL	AUS	5.95 =PB   19' 6"
3	Christopher NILSEN	USA	5.95 SB      19' 6"
5	Thibaut COLLET	FRA	5.90 PB       19' 4"
6	Bokai HUANG	CHN	5.75 =PB     18'  8 1/2"
7	Ben BROEDERS	BEL	5.75             18'  8 1/2"
8	Zach MCWHORTER	USA	5.75             18'  8  1/2"
9	Jie YAO	CHN	5.75             18' 8 1/2"
9	Claudio Michel STECCHI	ITA	5.75             18' 8 1/2"
9	Piotr LISEK	POL	5.75              18' 8 1/2"
12	Robert SOBERA	POL	5.55              18' 2  1/2"
12	Ersu ŞAŞMA	TUR	5.55               18' 2 1/2"

Women's Marathon  

Report by World Athletics

On a sweltering Saturday morning, Ethiopia's Amane Beriso Shanukle displayed exceptional endurance and skill to win the women's marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. Shanukle crossed the finish line with a remarkable time of 2:24:23, showcasing her mettle in challenging conditions.

In a riveting show of endurance and spirit, Ethiopia once again stamped its mark on the world of long-distance running. At the iconic Heroes' Square, the women's marathon witnessed an Ethiopian 1-2 finish that had fans on the edge of their seats.

Amane Beriso Shankule, the rising star in the world of marathon running, showcased her superior stamina and strategy, clinching gold with a time of 2:24:23. Hot on her heels was the formidable Gotytom Gebreslase, the defending champion, who missed out on retaining her title by a mere 11 seconds, finishing at 2:24:34.

Women's Marathon - Saturday, August 26

POS	ATHLETE	NAT	RESULT
1	Amane Beriso SHANKULE	ETH	2:24:23 SB
2	Gotytom GEBRESLASE	ETH	2:24:34 SB
3	Fatima Ezzahra GARDADI	MAR	2:25:17
4	Lonah Chemtai SALPETER	ISR	2:25:38 SB
5	Yalemzerf YEHUALAW	ETH	2:26:13
6	Rosemary WANJIRU	KEN	2:26:42
7	Selly Chepyego KAPTICH	KEN	2:27:09
8	Nazret WELDU	ERI	2:27:23 SB
9	Lindsay FLANAGAN	USA	2:27:47
10	Dolshi TESFU	ERI	2:28:54
11	Melat Yisak KEJETA	GER	2:29:04
12	Giovanna EPIS	ITA	2:29:10
13	Mizuki MATSUDA	JPN	2:29:15
14	Rebecca CHEPTEGEI	UGA	2:29:34 SB
15	Natasha WODAK	CAN	2:30:09 SB
16	Lisa WEIGHTMAN	AUS	2:30:50
17	Keira D'AMATO	USA	2:31:35 SB
18	Mercyline CHELANGAT	UGA	2:31:40
19	Rika KASEDA	JPN	2:31:53 SB
20	Sayaka SATO	JPN	2:31:57 SB
21	Doreen CHESANG	UGA	2:32:11
22	Alisa VAINIO	FIN	2:32:14
23	Ümmü KIRAZ	TUR	2:33:23 PB
24	Nóra SZABÓ	HUN	2:33:28
25	Rkia EL MOUKIM	MAR	2:33:54

Men's 4x100   

Noah Lyles brings the baton home in first and bags the gold medal for United States who set a world lead 37.38. Olympic champions Italy take silver while it's heartache for the GB line-up who miss out on bronze to Jamaica by 0.04 seconds.

My comments:   US won easily, they had so much talent but they still almost blew it twice on exchanges in the final.  

Women's 4 x 100

World Athletics Championships 2023: Sha'Carri Richardson leads USA to 4x100m relay gold over Jamaica's superstars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson. Sha'Carri Richardson anchored Team USA to 4x100m gold and a new championship record at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest (Saturday 26 August).

My comments:   First three runners gave Richardson a nice lead on final leg and Jackson really did not close an inch on her.  Easy win for the US

Dear George:

While the American ladies should be proud of their accomplishments, they should also remember that Fraser-Pryce is 36 and Jackson is 29.  Both of the Jamaicans have been on podiums for a long time.

Take care,

Tom Coyne