Rudisha takes 800m title in bout of surprises in Beijing
A shortened Day Four of the World Athletics Championships in Beijing saw David Rudisha elevated to the mantle of 800m champion once more, as a couple of surprise winners were crowned elsewhere.
Olympic champion and world record holder Rudisha put in a controlled performance to claim his second 800m world crown to add to his London 2012 success.
1:45.84 was Rudisha’s winning time as European champion Adam Kszczot claimed silver for Poland in 1:46.08 and new sensation Amel Tuka of Bosnia-Herzegovina grabbed the bronze.
That was Kenya’s second gold medal of the night after a sensational triumph for 23-year-old Nicholas Bett in the 400m hurdles, the shortest distance ever at which the East African nation have claimed gold.
Even more remarkable was that Bett won from lane nine in a world lead and Kenyan record 47.79 seconds.
Two more national records fell in the medals with Denis Kudryavtsev of Russia clocking 48.05 in second with Jeffrey Gibson third for the Bahamas in 48.17, in the event where Ireland’s Thomas Barr is reigning World Universities champion.
World record holder Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia was never really troubled in winning her first outdoor world title, having almost a second to spare over Kenyan Faith Kipyegan in the 1500m.
Dibaba’s winning time was the slowest ever for a World Championship 1500m final, clocking 4:08.09, covering the final 800m in 1:59.
Bronze went to the Netherlands and Sifan Hassan.
Reigning Olympic and European champion Sandra Perkovic of Croatia – who occasionally receives injury treatment in Carlow – surprisingly lost her world crown to Cuba’s Denia Caballero.
It had been an erratic night for the Croat, with her first five throws yielding two 65-metre efforts and three fouls.
A much-improved final attempt of 67.39 saw her leap into the medals, but needed an extra two metres to dislodge Caballero, who won with an early throw of 69.28.
Nadine Müller of Germany won the bronze.
Britain’s Greg Rutherford completed the Grand Slam of major international long jump titles, adding his first ever world gold to his current Commonwealth, European and Olympic reigns.
He went out to 8.41m at the Bird’s Nest, beating out training partner Fabrice Lapierre of Australia in second by 17 centimetres. A trio of Chinese athletes followed, separated by eight centimetres, led by Wang Jianin ahead of Gao Xinglong and Li Jinzhe.
Usain Bolt (20.28) and Justin Gatlin (20.19) won their 200m first-round heats with ease, as Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev clocked the fastest time, a new national record 20.01.
Ireland had no athletes in action today, but tonight, Ciara Mageean starts her 800m campaign at 3:25am, while Ben Reynolds is in the first round heats of the men’s 110m hurdles at 4:20am.
