Natalia Rodriguez of Spain was disqualified for tripping favorite Gelete Burka in a hectic finish to the women’s 1,500 meters Sunday at the world championships, giving defending champion Maryam Jamal of Bahrain the gold medal.
Rodriguez was first to cross the finish line but the race referee scratched her from the results for pushing aside Burka with 200 meters to go. An appeal by Spain was rejected.
The disqualification moves Lisa Dobriskey of Britain to silver and Shannon Rowbury of the United States to bronze.
Rodriguez had finished in a season’s best 4 minutes, 3.36 seconds, beating Jamal by .38.
