Kenyan mother Lilian Odira shocked the favourites to win the women's 800 metres at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships on Sunday, while Botswana seized 4x400m men's relay gold from the US. Odira set a championship record of 1 minute 54.
Kenyan mother Lilian Odira shocked the favourites to win the women's 800 metres at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships on Sunday, while Botswana seized 4x400m men's relay gold from the US.
Odira set a championship record of 1 minute 54.62 seconds to take gold ahead of Georgia Hunter Bell.
British compatriot Keely Hodgkinson, the Olympic champion who has battled fitness issues, had tried to take the initiative early in the race but tired just before the line to end up with bronze.
Mary Moraa, the defending champion, had to watch as fellow Kenyan Odira stormed through late on for her first major title just a year after returning from maternity leave. Moraa finished seventh. Her cousin Sarah Moraa, the African champion, was fourth.
In the men's 5,000m, US Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker won gold having been disqualified from the 1,500m earlier in the championships for jostling.
Hocker prevailed in 12:58.30 despite a season's best from Belgian Isaac Kimeli, with France's Jimmy Gressier third.
Defending double world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway is only just back from injury and finished 10th.
In a very wet men's 4x400m relay final, Botswana reeled in Olympic and defending world champions the United States to take gold.
Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi pulled off a major coup for the first ever gold for the southern African nation in the discipline.
US quartet Vernon Norwood, Jacory Patterson, Khaleb McRae, Rai Benjamin received a second chance in an early Sunday heat re-run after they had been adjudged to be impeded in their original exit on Saturday.
But despite the good fortune, they still failed to rack up a fourth straight world title. South Africa were third.
In the women's 4x400m relay final, the US team reasserted their traditional authority to win easily in a championship record 3:16.61 from Jamaica and the Netherlands.
The US now have 14 golds atop the medal tables, with Kenya second on seven.
The heavy rain in the Tokyo evening led to a delay in the men's discus final and slightly upset the women's high jump final.
The final day of the worlds started with more drama.
Norway's Sander Skotheim, the clear favourite in the decathlon, was disqualified from the 110m hurdles.
The nine-day event concludes later with the 4x100m track relays.
Category: General Sports
