Day four of the IAAF World Athletics Championships concluded with three gold medals for Africa in the middle and long distances.
But there was disappointment in the sprints as Nigeria’s duo of Blessing Okagbare and Divine Oduduru had days to forget.
Women’s 200m Heats
Nigeria’s Okagbare, who was initially disqualified from partaking in the race before being reinstated upon successful appeal, finished fourth in her heat event before eventually getting disqualified for lane infringement.
Gambia’s Gina Bass (22.25) meanwhile finished 3rd in Heat 5 and qualified to the semi finals.
But the day belonged to Niger’s Aminatou Seyni, who stole in from behind to claim Heat 5 and progress to the semi finals.
Men’s 200m semi finals
Oduduru qualified made it to the semi finals as one of the fastest losers having finished in 4th position in the heats. His performance in the semis was even worse as he came across in 8th position, missing out on a place in Tuesday’s final.
Men’s 5000m
Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris (12:58.85) successfully defended his world title, finishing in a season’s best time ahead of countryman Selemon Barega (12:59.70) who came through in second position to complete and Ethiopia 1 and 2.
Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed picked up the bronze medal.
Women’s 3000m steeplechase
Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech executed a superb dominant race to claim the world title in a new championship record time of 8:57.84sec.
Chepkoech led from start to finish with the chasing pack a good 30 meters behind.
The USA’s Emma Coburn (9:02:.35sec) picked silver in a personal best time while Geta Felicita Krause (9:03:30sec) ran a German national record to claim the bronze.
Women’s 800m
Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi set a new national record to upstage favorite Ajee Wilson to claim the women’s 800m title, crossing the finish line in 1:58.14sec.
A first championship without double champion Caster Semenya, favorite Ajee Wilson (1:58.84sec) could only settle for bronze as countrywoman Raevyn Rodgers (1:58.18sec) took the silver with a SB run.
Elsewhere..
Norway’s Karsten Warholm defended his 400m hurdles world title by holding off close rival Rai Benjamin in a thrilling final in Doha.
Benjamin had a slight lead at 250m before Warholm, 23, hit the front and held his form to win in 47.42 seconds.
USA’s Benjamin claimed silver in 47.66 and Abderrahman Samba clinched bronze for hosts Qatar’s first medal here.
Day 5
Four gold medals to be won in all, notably in the men’s pole-vault and then in an eye-catching 200m final at 19:40 GMT. There’s also a men’s 800m final and a women’s javelin final to conclude the four medal events.
