LANGFORD COMES UP JUST SHORT IN BID FOR FAIRY-TALE PODIUM FINISH

HE WAS meant to get battered, expected to be fried. But last night, Kyle Langford, the brilliant son of a chip shop owner, gatecrashed the 800metres final and so nearly won a medal. It was a stunning run, surging from eighth at the final bend up to fourth at the line. For a brief moment it appeared he might just have done it, but he was just 0.04sec off Kipyegon Bett, who was third behind Adam Kszczot of Poland and Pierre-Ambroise Bosse of France, the new champion. So close to a medal and a fairytale, this 21-year-old only took up athletics six years ago and was priced as high as 50-1 to even reach the final. But what a run he has had this week, from his semi-final on Sunday, when he beat the fastest 800m runner in the world this year, Emmanuel Korir, to now, when his new personal best of 1min 45.25sec so nearly stunned the sport. Langford promised afterwards that he would win gold in Tokyo 2020. ‘I know in my heart I thought I could get a medal so it is gutting not doing it. I was so close,’ he said. ‘I probably left my kick for the line a bit too late but this is where you learn and improve. Come Tokyo, I won’t be making that mistake. I promise I will be getting that gold.’ Dina Asher-Smith had earlier charged into the 200m semi-final with a season’s best of 22.73sec to win her heat. She was joined by Bianca Williams, whose time of 23.39sec qualified her as a fastest loser. British team captain Eilidh Doyle’s 55.33sec was just enough to squeeze into the 400m hurdles final after finishing third in her heat. A 100-1 long shot for the gold, the Scot insisted: ‘The hurdles have been wide open this year. I can put myself in contention.’