Charlton resets own record at world indoors
GLASGOW: Devynne Charlton bettered her own 60-meter (m) hurdles world record, Mondo Duplantis once again ruled supreme in the pole vault and there were second golds for Femke Bol and Alexander Doom ON THE THIRD AND fiNAL DAY OF THE WORLD INDOOR championships on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
In another scintillating night of track and field at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena, US sprint star Noah Lyles also played a cameo, running the third leg of the US men’s 4x400-m relay ultimately thwarted in their bid for gold by Doom’s Belgium.
Charlton credited a mental reset as she stole the show with a blistering 7.65 seconds to win the hurdles.
“This mean a whole lot because I have set myself goals,” said the Bahamian, who improved by three-hundredths the previous best she set at last month’s Millrose Games in New York.
Also showing mental application was Duplantis, who had two nervy failures at 5.85 m before overcoming his demons for a dominant win with a best of 6.05 m.
The US-born Swede went close in three efforts at what would have been 1 cm beyond his own world record of 6.23 m, but it was not to be.
“I had my back against the wall quite a few times today,” Duplantis said.
“I try not to overthink it and learn from the mistake I made on the first two and put it all together. I was able to pull it out of the bag today.”
While Duplantis will be one of the main pin-ups for this summer’s Paris Olympics, there is no doubt that joining him will be Bol.
The two-time world 400-m hurdles champion bettered her own indoor 400 m record when winning gold on Saturday and again provided a crucial anchor run to steer the Dutch team to gold in the 4x400-m relay.
“I feel so tired, but the championships are like this,” said Bol.
“These girls give me so much energy to run and especially if they give me the baton (when we’re) in first place. It is such a great team, you cannot let them down.”
There was also a second gold for the unlikely figure of relative unknown Doom.
The Belgian produced a stunning anchor leg to scupper Lyles’ bid for an elusive gold after the American was pushed into silver by teammate Christian Coleman in the 60 m on Friday.
Doom, who outsprinted Norway’s Karsten Warholm for the 400-m crown on Saturday, produced a last-gasp push for the line as Belgium trumped the Americans by six-hundredths.
“The guys put me in the perfect position,” said Doom. “I knew there was something possible at the end.”
Lyles, who is targeting an Olympic sprint treble, said he felt “like I got the job done . ... I’m very positive about Paris.”
In a high-octane session of backto-back track action, American Bryce Hoppel pulled out the stops to snatch gold in the men’s 800 m in 1:44.92 from Sweden’s Andreas Kramer, with Belgium’s Eliott Crestan taking bronze.
Jemma Reekie’s hopes of women’s 800 m glory on her home track were dashed but the Scot still came away with a silver behind Ethiopian winner Tsige Duguma (2:01.90). Benin’s Noelie Yarigo rounded out the podium.
New Zealander Geordie Beamish then barrelled down the outside of the home straight to pass four athletes for an exceptional gold in the men’s 1500 m, in a personal best of 3:36.54.
Americans Cole Hocker and Hobbs Kessler claimed the lesser medals in that event, as did Nikki Hiltz and Emily Mackay in the women’s 1500 m won by Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu in 4:01.46.
Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer edged Norway’s Sander Skotheim by just 11 points for gold in the men’s heptathlon.
Ehammer timed 6.73 seconds in the 60 m, managed bests of 8.03 m, 14.39 and 1.95 in the long jump, shot put and high jump, before clocking 7.62 seconds in the 60-m hurdles, clearing 5.20 m in the pole vault and timing 2:46.03 for the 1000 m.
That gave him 6,418 points to Skotheim’s 6,407, Estonia’s Johannes Erm rounding out the podium (6,340).
In the absence of all-conquering Venezuelan and defending champion Yulimar Rojas, American Tara DavisWoodhall took long jump gold with a best of 7.07 m ahead of teammate Monae’ Nichols (6.85 m) and Spain’s Fatima Diame (6.78).