Bishop finishes fifth in women’s 800 m at world track and field championships

LONDON — Canada’s Melissa Bishop finished fifth in the women’s 800 metres at the world track and field championships.

The 29-year-old from Eganville, Ont., ran one minute 57.68 seconds.

Caster Semenya of South Africa won gold in 1:55.16 while Francine Niyonsaba was second and Ajee Wilson third.

Bishop raced to silver at the 2015 world championships in Beijing, but finished a heartbreaking fourth at last summer’s Rio Olympics.

It’s Canada’s first world championships without a medal since Edmonton in 2001.

Earlier Sunday, Evan Dunfee from Richmond, B.C., finished 15th in the 50-kilometre race walk. Dunfee, who was fourth in the distance at last summer’s Rio Olympics, sat in fourth spot through 35 kilometres before fading to finish in three hours 47 minutes 36 seconds. Ben Thorne of Kitimat, B.C., a bronze medallist from the 2015 world championships in Beijing, finished 51st in the 20K event in 1:26.56.

Two years after capturing an historic eight medals at the world championships in Beijing, the Canadian team has been struck by major injuries and illness.

ItstartedwhenstarsprinterAndreDeGrasse tore his hamstring just days before he was to compete, and continued when Olympic and world champion high jumper Derek Drouin withdrew with an Achilles injury.

Canadian Eric Gillis dropped out of the marathon at the 30-kilometre mark complaining of a stomach bug, and his illness was the tip of the iceberg. The bug, believed to be norovirus, swept through the hotel that housed the Canadians, among other national teams.

Among the most affected was Damian Warner. The world silver and bronze medallist finished a disappointing fifth in the decathlon, coming barely a day after he was released from quarantine.