Norway’s Karsten Warholm retained his 400m hurdles World Championship crown with a barnstorming victory in Doha Monday as Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene completed a superb high jump hat-trick.
After an opening three days of competition marked by swathes of empty seats, Warholm delighted the biggest crowd of the championships so far with a battling victory at the Khalifa Stadium.
Warholm took gold in 47.42seconds, with his rival Rai Benjamin of the United States claiming silver in 47.66sec. Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba took bronze in 48.03.
Daniel Stahl of Sweden won the men’s discus with a best mark of 67.59 metres.
Warholm’s win came just moments after high jump Lasitskene won a third consecutive world championship title to set alongside her wins in 2015 and 2017.
The 26-year-old, who is one of only 30 Russian athletes allowed to compete in Doha under the authorised neutral athlete banner, took gold ahead of Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
There was also success for another defending champion in the 5,000m, where Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris retained his 2017 crown in a time of 12 minutes 58.85 seconds.
Also on the track Monday saw African runners claim victories in the women’s 800m and women’s 3,000m steeplechase.
Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi took advantage of the absence of defending champion Caster Semenya to win the 800m, while the 3,000m steeplechase meanwhile saw redemption for Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech, who won gold two years after a blunder cost her a medal in London.
Salazar banned
Meanwhile, coach Alberto Salazar, who has guided star Olympic athletes such as Mo Farah and Galen Rupp, has been slapped with a four-year ban after being found guilty of doping violations.
The decision to ban the 61-year-old comes after a four-year investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and prolonged battle behind closed doors.
Sable betters record
Avinash Sable bettered his National record by more than three seconds in the men’s 3000m steeple chase heats but it was not enough to carry him to the final. He clocked 8:25.23s (old 8:28.94s) to finished seventh in his heats and 20th overall.
The results: Men: 5000m: 1. Muktar Edris (Eth) 12min 58.85sec, 2. Selemon Barega (Eth) 12:59.70, 3. Mohammed Ahmed (Can 13:01.11; 400m hurdles: 1. Karsten Warholm (Nor) 47.42, 2. Rai Benjamin (USA) 47.66, 3. Abderrahman Samba (Qat) 48.03; Discus: 1. Daniel Stahl (Swe) 67.59m, 2. Fedrick Dacres (Jam) 66.94, 3. Lukas Weisshaidinger (Aut) 66.82.
Women: 800m: 1. Halima Nakaayi (Uga) 1:58.04s, 2. Raevyn Rogers (USA) 1:58.18, 3. Ajee Wilson (USA) 1:58.84; 3000m steeplechase: 1. Beatrice Chepkoech (Ken) 8:57.84, 2. Emma Coburn (USA) 9:02.35, 3. Gesa Felicitas Krause (Ger) 9:03.30; High jump: 1. Mariya Lasitskene (Ana) 2.04m, 2. Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 2.04, 3. Vashti Cunningham (USA) 2.00 .
