Key events
Aha, here’s Sean Ingle’s report of the men’s 100m final.
What, then, of tomorrow? Early doors, 11.30pm BST, we’ve the men’s marathon then, in the evening session, which is when our coverage begins, it’s Mondotime and the final of the men’s pole vault, along with the semis and final of the women’s 100m hurdles, the final of the women’s hammer, the semis of the men’s 1500m, and the finals of the men’s 3000m steeplechase. I can only imagine how miserable that is in any circumstance, never mind in the humidity of Tokyo in September.
Oh, and there’s more”:
Also going on, all sorts:
That was alright wasn’t it? Gosh, those two finals coming boom boom, one after the other; I’m exhausted. I really feel like we’ve seen something here, too, the start of something.
In Paris, the finals were great, but because it was great to see Julien Alfred win gold for St Lucia and because the men’s race was so close. It didn’t, though, have the gravitas of the highest level sprinting has to offer, nor bring with it the awe it demands we experience. Tonight, though, we’ve seen the future, and it looks great. From here, things are only getting wilder.
“It was not easy,” Jefferson-Wooden tells BBC; “it looked that way but it was not”. Imagine that being so of you, turning the 100m final into a procession; amazing amazing.
She worked hard, she continues, and stayed grounded in who she is, trusting her faith and her ability. She felt herself get out but didn’t know she was ahead, blacking out and telling herself to get to the line. She saw a time on the board, realised it wasn’t hers but the world record, then saw her 10.61, that she’d won, and she’s every bit as elated as you’d expect her to be.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was devastated she had to pull out of the Olympic final, so is happy to have competed and excited for the 4x100m. The reception she got on the line felt good and she’s given a lot to the sport so wants to go out on her own terms; I daresay she’s the chance of a medal in the relay and what an athlete she is; what a woman she is. We’re privileged to be living in her time.
Dina Asher-Smith, who finished eighth in the women’s 100m final, is proud she made the final and reckons herself in serious 200m shape, so she’s looking forward to that. I’m not sure she’ll quick enough to challenge for the podium, but I’m excited to see her try.
I don’t know, things in sport change so quickly, especially in sprinting, with bodies so finely honed to do a particular thing, but Jefferson-Wooden and Seville winning gold doesn’t just feel like the fastest on the day taking the race but the start of a new era. Jefferson-Wooden destroyed the field – so much so she seemed to shove her closest rival backwards – and looks capable of running times no one else can get near. Seville, meanwhile, will only improve with the confidence he’ll take forward, and with Lyles now 28, it looks like Jamaica will once again set the agenda in men’s sprinting.
I’m so happy for Seville – it’s always great to see someone fulfil their talent, all the more so when there’ve been questions about their mentality. Not any more, and you kn ow what? I think he’s now going to explore heights beyond Lyes and perhaps beyond Thompson too because he has the most speed of the three; it was just a matter of putting it together, and now he has, expect him to keep doing it.
Lyles, draped in the stars and stripes, looks pretty happy with his bronze. He’ll know the kind of shape he was in and will, I’m sure, consider third a decent return. Bednarek, by the way, was 0.03 behind him in fourth; that’ll sting Kenny, because those two are not mates.
Ah man, that was a brilliant run from Seville! Previously renowned as an athlete capable of the best but unlikely to deliver it when it counts, looking at the race again, he didn’t hit the front until a fair way into the race, maybe 80m, but from about 60m it looked like he was moving fastest, and there was nothing the others could do to hold him off. He had loads left at the end, and I can’t wait to see how he grows from here!
Oblique Seville wins the men’s 100m for Jamaica in 9.77
A monstrous run and Oblique is now direct! Thompson of Jamaica takes silver, Lyles of USA bronze!
This time it’s Thompson away and here comes Seville!
Tebogo is away so early he’s almost in the women’s race … at least i think it’s him … and this time, there’s a red card. He’ll be back for his favoured 200m, but in the meantime, tension ratchets up yet further. Down they go again, and here comes the silence…
Lyles call it on, Thompson gestures, and down they go. My fingers are trembling, silence reigns, and here it comes!
But much as we’d like to spend the next few days rhapsodising her, the en are out for their 100m final, Noah Lyles noising it up. But outside him it goes Thompson, Bednarek, Seville, and that is some daunting gear even for a man as confident as the Olympic champ.
To turn up under all that pressure, having won every race this season, with the Olympic champ outside her, to absolutely destroy her with one of the fastest times ever? That is wondrous behaviour! Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is a superstar!
The winning time of 10.61 is the fastest we’ve ever seen in the world championships, and that is amazing from Jefferson-Wooden – she won going away and at 24, there’s so much more to come. Alfred just couldn’t handle the pressure of seeing her streak clear, and I want to see her run again, immediately.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of USA wins the women’s 100m in 10.61
Tia Clayton of Jamaica takes silver and Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia the bronze! What a run that was from the American!
Alfred starts well enough but Jefferson-Wooden is miles ahead!
I’ll say it again: Richardson has a chance, but I just dnn’t think she’s confident enough to put it all together. Jefferson-Wooden hasn’t lost over 100m this year, but every race she’s run was in preparation for this one…
This feels like a straight ruckus between Alfred and Jefferson-Wooden; the former looks more confident, the latter slighter and more nervous. Jefferson-Wooden is the favourite but I fancy Alfred’s experience and speed endurance to carry the day.
Hunter Woodhall, Davis-Woodhall’s husband and a Paralympic gold medallist, is there with her; I hope we get to see their celebration. But we cut to the track, because the women’s 100m final is upon us!
Tara Davis-Woodhall wins gold for USA in the women’s long jump with 7.13
Malaika Mihambo of Germany takes silver and Natalias Linares of Colombia bronze.
Back with the women’s long jump, Linares, of Colombia, who sits third on 6.92, takes her final jump … and can’t improve on it. But she prances in joy because she’s a bronze medal, and now here comes Mihambo, who has one go to get at Davis-Woodhall’s mark of 7.13 … and she cannot!
That was brilliant from Gressier, who’s been there or thereabouts for a while without ever getting it done; without really making us think he might ever get it done. But he stayed away from the front for 9,900m, then stomped on the gas in the home straight and had the most in reserve! That’s a massive, life-changing, life-affirming win for him, and I hoe we get an interview because he is buzzing!
Jimmy Gressier of France wins the men’s 10,000m in 28:55.77
Kejelcha of Kenya takes silver, Almgren of Sweden bronze.
Kejelcha goes, Almgren is there, but from behind Gresier sprints away for France, and has he timed it to perfection? I think he has!
It’s getting physical, barega leading from Algren as they take the bell, but Kejelcha is also involved, likewise Fisher and Young! Who’s got the kick?!
Three laps to go and it’s Almgren from Fisher, but Geressier is also there, Barega is involved, and i’ve not a clue which if them has most left.
Almgren injects a little bitta pace, nothing too dynamic but enough to perhaps get rid of a few … nope! They’re bunched again, and with a mile to go there are maybe 15 men with a chance of winning. I’d not be surprised to see fallers because there are lots of moving arms and legs, with a gold medal at stake.
Fisher now takes it on, fade looking fresh, with Almgren of Sweden behind; no one wants to take this on, Kasai now moving to second and Almgren also picking up; seven laps to go.
We go mad for the sprints, but you can’t beat a longer race, with so many possibilities and eventualities. This is boiling now, Fisher of USA also inserting himself into proceedings, and we’ve no clue how this might develop from here.
With 5300 or so gone, Kurgat leads from Kiplangat, the two Kenyans looking to control the race from here. Behind them, Kibet moves up to third, but there are about 15 runners who’ll feel they can win.
Wessel, the German who suffered from a buffeting in the women’s 1500m semi, has been added to the final. That seems fair enough to me, but have a look! Davis-Woodhall, who stared down Mihambo before her jump, pushes her lead up to 7.13! She’s moving beautifully and you can see she’s seriously confident, loving the competition.
Back to the women’s long jump, Davis-Woodhall of USA still leads with 7.08 but Mihambo of Germany is second with 6.95 and here she comes again … 6.99 this time. With two rounds to go, she’s getting closer.
Kejelcha of Ethiopia comes around the outside to settle among the leaders, grabbing water as he goes, while Kasai and Suzuki, the home favourites, hit the front, presumably working to a plan. Kibrab of Norway is third.
But gradually, Chelimo of Uganda closes, so do the rest of the field, and they’re stretched out but all close together.
Joshua Cheptegei, the world and Olympic champ, isn’t competing, instead concentrating on road racing; without him, the pace is seriously sedate, Barega of Ethiopian moving to the front and stretching into a lead, now 15, no one going with him.
‘I didn’t think there was any chance Hatton could beat Kostya Tzsyu to win the world championship,” writers Gregory Phillips. “He was way too powerful and accurate, Hatton’s defence too leaky. I’d have bet the house on it. Not sure I’ve ever been more delighted to be wrong, and more blown away by an athlete’s discipline and willpower.
A terrible loss, my heart goes out to his loved ones.”
That fight was during the most miserable period of my life; I’ll always be grateful to Hatton for giving me a bit of joy when I needed it most.
Off we go, the temperature and humidity now at dangerous levels.
No mercy! The men’s 10,000m final is about to get going, and this could be a belter. They won’t like the heat, but it might just be a leveller, because the time probably won’t be quick.
She tells BBC she wants to thank God “to be honest”, was keen to make the final and it’s amazing to be at the top. “I’m capable of doing anything,” she finishes, and she’s right, she is. Good luck to the rest of the field.
Faith looked pretty nifty there, as expected. It’s very hard to see how anyone takes the final away from here because she can lead from the front or hold on and kick. But more than that, she’s got aura: no one wants to take her on, so she controls races and they unfold as she plans.
It’s a quicker pace now, Chepchircir of Kenya in front and Hull of Australia there too; they take first and second, in that order, with Hiltz of USA, Kazmierska of Poland, Debues-Stafford of Canada and Zenoni of Italy the other qualifiers.
There’s a bump that affects Wessel, the German; she takes time to right herself but trails by 10m at the bell. Chepchirchir leads from Hull, from Hiltz.
It feels almost banal to move from the Hitman to live sport and back again, but such is the world. Our second semi in the women’s 1500 is away, the field thronged in a slow-moving blob; those who fancy their kick won’t mind, but surely someone will soon stretch it out?
Ricky Hatton, though, what an absolute superstar. Through force of talent, mentality, charisma and honesty, he revolutionised British boxing, and I can’t believe he’s gone. A tragic, devastating loss.
Kipyegon leads from Ewoi, the two Kenyans finishing first and second; Hailu recovers to come third, with Johnson of USA, Perez of Spain and Madeleine of France making up the six qualifiers; Hall oF Australia was run out of it.
Kipyegon still leads, from Hall from Johnson, and they take the bell looking strong.
