Key events
The bar goes up to 2.36, Woo to take first go, and he can’t haul himself over. Can Kerr? He gets the crowd going, breathes, and sets off…
Stefela gets up well … but the bar comes down and he buries his face in the mat. He didn’t come for bronze, but that’s what he’s got. He gets up, flips, and he’s happier now, congratulating Kerr and Woo, who’ll now contest the gold.
Doroshchuk fails and finishes fourth; check to Chechia and Stefela.
…and he’s over too!
Woo gets it going again, smiling all over his face … AND HE’S OVER! He slaps his own face in delight, and the others have one go at clearing 2.34, or this is over. Here comes Hamish…
Doroshchuk and Stefela both miss on their second go; if no one clears any further height, Woo wins on countback from Stefela from Kerr.
Now we’re back to Woo, who gets the crowd and himself going, but again, nowhere near. What can Hamish come up with Up with what can Hamish come? Er, not much, he was much closer first go.
…and he too isn’t close.
Doroshchuk gets nowhere near 2.34, leaping through the bar, and now Stefela will have a shy…
Now Kerr, the Olympic champ, also over at that height, goes for 2.34 … and gets really close, but catches the bar with his elbow.
Righto, time to focus on the men’s high jump final. Woo has just gone over 2.31 – Stefela of Chechia, Kerr of Australia and Doroshchuk of Ukraine are already sorted.
Looking at the race again, Tinch didn’t hit the front until maybe the fifth hurdle, but you knew he’d power through from well before that. He was ready for this.
‘“I love you Mum!” Tinch calls into the camera, and rightly so; she reminded him to make the most of his talent when he’d pretty much quit athletics, and imagine how proud she’ll be now.
Muratake exploded out of the blocks, but he couldn’t control his speed; he was out of it by the third flight. Tinch, on the other hand, was more considered, but by the same stage the race was effectively his. He’s not the quickest between the barriers, but he was excellent getting over them, and didn’t he enjoy the moment. Well done, old mate.
Cordell Tinch of USA wins the men’s 110m hurdles in 12.99
Bennett and Mason, both of Jamaica, take silver and bronze respectively.
Muratake is away brilliantly but hits the first two barriers and Tinch is coming through!
They take their marks. There’ll be some serious nerves down there, given how nasty and quick this event is.
Our hurdlers are on the track, and this race feels pretty open. Imagine the noise of Muratake of Japan, drawn in lane five, comes through; Mason of Jamaica is also a threat.
Ethan Katzberg of Canada wins the hammer
Merlin Hummel of Germany takes silver and Bence Halasz of Hungary bronze.
We’re five minutes away from the men’s 110m hurdles final. Cordell Tinch looked pretty good in the semis, and he’s the favourite.
As it goes, he almost didn’t become an athlete – he went to college on a football scholarship, decided he preferred running, and left it at that. But then he returned home to protect his mental health, and following the pandemic, got a job selling phones, only for his mum and a mate to convince him to move colleges, give track his all, and here we are.
Faith Kipyegon is something else. There was literally nothing that anyone could do to stop her, however that race went: had someone gone off like Paula Ivan, she’d have chased them down; in the event, she led from the front, kicked, and devastated the field.
Faith Kipyegon of Kenya wins the women’s 1500m in 3:52.15, her fourth world title in a row!
It’s just incredible how much better Kipyegon is than everyone else. Her teammate Ewoi came through for second with Hull, who tied to chase and challenge for gold, taking bronze for Australia.
Kipyegon still leads, a couple of yards between her and Hull now. Those two are clear now, but Faith has gone and this is poetry! It’s amazing, again, from the greatest of all time!
With 600 to go, Kipyegon turns it up gradually, but as they take the bell, expect her to stomp on the gas…
We’re coming up to halfway with Kipyegon leading from Hull from Chepchirchir. Who’ll kick first?
Kipyegon leads from Hull of Australia, and the pace isn’t too quick. I don’t think we’re seeing a world record today.
The gun goes, and off goes the women’s 1500m final. Kipyegon goes straight to the front.
“A thousand wows at how effortless Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone makes the 400m look,” writes Ben Cooke. “Shades of the great Allyson Felix’s athletic elegance; a sprinting swan gliding towards greatness. Fingers-crossed Tokyo’s fast track leads to something special in Friday’s final.”
I was thinking Flo-Jo and Rudisha but yup, I’ll absolutely allow Felix.
Back to Faith, though, is she going to try for a world record? It’s in her, you’d think, and she’s so dominant she can actually justify going for it with a medal at stake – what a flex that’d be.
Hudson-Smith lies prostate on the track, James alongside him. This was’t what he’d have hoped for, but he didn’t look in the best shape – the speed endurance just wasn’t there. He was in touch coming off the bend, while Ndori had loads left.
There’s no time to reflect because it’s time for the women’s 1500m final.
Ndori, also of Botswana powers through as Hudson-Smith tires, and Nkajima of Japan takes second! Richards and Patterson qualify as fastest losers, both form heat two; Hudson-Smith finishes sixth.
Hudson-Smith gets moving immediately, but James, 2012 Olympic champ, flies out of the blocks. Hudsson-Smith is in touch as they come off the curve….
Hudson-Smith really tied up in the heat, having run a decent race prior to the final 100. He’ll know how he feels now, but in lane two, having qualified as a fastest loser, he’s got a lot of work to do chasing the men in front. McRae of USA is probably the favourite; he goes in six.
Charlie Dobson, by the way, was seventh; he and Reardon stick about to see how Hudson-Smith gets on in what is probably the weakest of the semis.
There’s something happening in Botswana athletics. Kebinatshipi wasn’t expected to do what he did here – he’s only 21 – but he led at the top of the home straight and just kept going. Amazing performance, and I can’t wait to see what he’s got for us in the final.
Goodness me, Kebinatshipi wins in 43.61! That’s the fastest time in the world this year and looks chill at the end! He’s got faster in him I reckon, and McDonald of Jamaica is second; Richards of T&T is third, with, Patterson a distant fourth.
Patterson is away pretty well and he starts putting it in around the bend, but Kebinatshipi leads by miles! Patterson is getting run out of this!
Doroshchuk of Ukraine and Harrison of USA also get over 2.28 in the men’s high jump, the competition intensifying. But it’s now time for the second men’s 400m semi, Jacory Patterson the favourite after a fine run in his heat; Charlie Dobson goes for GB.
Nene is a lovely mover, so smooth and compact in style. He looks ready for this.
Eppie of Botswana is second; Reardon finishes eighth.
As the stagger unwinds, Nene looks over his shoulder – he’s miles clear.
Away they go, Nene away sharply and looking so relaxed.
Down go our 400m men again…
Oooh, and then Kerr, the Olympic champ, nails it first go.
This time they get away only to be called back, for no obvious reason. Up goes the tension, another green card is shown, then it’s back down … but Woo wants to take a jump first and he fails at 2.28.
Back to the men’s 400, Christopher Bailey of USA is another who might challenge, but Nene is favourite; again, though, they’re stood up and a green card brandished.
“It’s definitely a confidence builder,” Sydney tells BBC. “Just gotta go out in the final and execute.”
Having watched the semis, a race I thought might be one of the best of the meet, now looks like her against the clock.
Right, the men will be with us shortly. Zakithi Nene of South Africa, the fastest in the world this year, goes in heat one, likewise GB’s Sam Reardon; Matt Hudson-Smith is in three.
Oh, and McLaughlin-Levrone also broke – annihilated really – Sanya Richards-Ross’ US record of 48.70, and she’s going to monster it again in the final, I’m certain. By the look of her, she’s barely trying, and is Marita Koch’s record of 47.60, set in 1985, under threat? I really, really hope so.
McLaughlin-Levrone wins in 48.29, the fastest time in the world this year and joint-fastest ever, with Anning of GB taking second, great performance. Pryce of Jamaica is third; she and Jaeger qualify for the final as fastest losers, but seriously, Sydney is just amazing. I can’t see how anyone can beat her, at anything.
McLaughlin-Levrone leads, obviously, and she’s miles clear, floating over the track.
It’s Sydney time. I love her commitment to testing herself, and i love that Femke Bol, her big hurdles rival, was gutted they’d not be competing against each other.
Katzberg then lets go a monster but at an angle; will it stay within the sector? Just, and he’s back into the lead at 84.70, a lifetime best and championship record. Decent response to losing the lead, all things considered.
Hummel of Germany hurls the hammer 82.77 and he takes the lead, leading Katzberg of Canada, the world and Olympic champ, and Halasz of Hungary.
Naser wins in 49.47, looking awesome. Whittaker of USA and Klaver of the Netherlands, both of whom woud’ve hoped for better, are third and fourth, the former now sat with Jaeger waiting to see if their ties are enough to qualify for the final as fastest losers.
It’s a steady start, then Naser starts eating ground, and she’s well ahead around the top bend, the rest racing for second. Gomez of Puerto Rico is alone in second.
