Jamaica stamp their class

Athletics: World Championships: Bolt stars in 4x100 relay win to complete his Mission Berlin

Bolt, champion in 100 and 200M, won his third gold medal of the 12th World Championships in athletics, starring in Jamaica’s triumph in the 4x100M relay at the Olympic Stadium.

On a night when Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk smashed the world record in women’s hammer throw with an effort of 77.96 metres, Jamaica, anchored by Asafa Powell, were in a different class in the relay final.

Their main rivals the United States had been disqualified for a lane infringement in the semifinals and the Jamaicans – Steve Mullings, Michael Frater, Bolt and Powell -- wiped out the opposition in a time of 37.31s.

The Jamaican celebrations had begun earlier in the night when their women won the 4x100 relay gold. United States again missed out here, failing to reach the final after third-leg runner Muna Lee stumbled and suffered a hamstring injury in the semifinals. On the penultimate day of the competition, there were upsets and surprises as well, with Olympic long jump champion Irving Saladino stumbling badly and Ethiopians getting the Kenyan kick in the women’s 5000M.

Saladino fouled his first three jumps in the final to crash out even as his American rival Dwight Phillips leapt to the gold with 8.54 metres in a mediocre contest.

Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar was looking to avenge her defeat in the 10000 metres but she was again outpaced on this day, with Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot producing a devastating burst near the finish to take the gold in 14:57.97.

Another Kenyan, Sylvia Kibet, sneaked in to push Defar to the third spot. How much the Ethiopians might have missed Tirunesh Dibaba!

Merritt tops list

On Friday, LaShawn Merritt laid to rest all arguments on who the best 400M runner on the planet was, comprehensively defeating fellow American Jeremy Wariner in the one-lap race.

Merritt had dislodged Wariner from the Olympic perch last August in Beijing and on Friday, he snatched away the world title as well from his compatriot, clocking a world leading 44.06 seconds against Wariner’s 44.60.

“It was all about putting the race from my head onto the track. I have run this race a million times in my head. I had already won the race in my heart,” said Merritt.

Third title for Felix

Allyson Felix avenged her Beijing defeat to Veronica Campbell-Brown, outclassing her Jamaican rival in the women’s 200 metres to complete a hat-trick of world titles.
Felix, the fastest this year, underscored her supremacy in 22.02 seconds, with her Jamaican rival unable to match her pace down the straight. Campbell-Brown settled for the silver in 22.35 seconds.

There was a shock result in women’s discus with Australia’s Dani Samuels winning her country’s first gold medal here in a personal best of 65.44 metres.

Kenyans dominate

Kenyans dominated the men’s marathon on Saturday, taking the first two spots as well as the marathon World Cup. Abel Kirui led the Kenyan assault in a championship record of two hours, six minutes and 54 seconds. Emmanuel Kipchirchir  Mutai (2::07:48) claimed the silver, pushing Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia to the third spot.

Kenyans were ahead from the start and the only Ethiopian in with a chance to catch them, Bangalore 10K winner Deriba Merga, dropped out nearing the 40KM mark. Ethiopians were second in the World Cup and Japan third.

DH News Service

Results:

Men: 400M: LaShawn Merritt (United States) 44.06 seconds, 1; Jeremy Wariner (USA) 44.60, 2; Renny Quow (Trinidad) 45.02, 3. High jump: Yaroslav Rybakov (Russia) 2.32 metres, 1; Kyriakos Ioannou (Cyprus) 2.32, 2; Sylwester Bednarek (Poland) and Raul Spank (Germany) 2.32, 3.

4x100M relay: Jamaica 37.31 seconds 1; Trinidad and Tobago 37.62, 2; Great Britain 38.02, 3. Long jump: Dwight Phillips (USA) 8.54 metres, 1; Godfrey Mokoena (South Africa) 8:47, 2; Mitchell Watt (Australia) 8.37, 3. Marathon: Abel Kirui (Kenya) 2::06:54, 1; Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai (Kenya) 2::07:48, 2; Tsegay Kebede (Ethiopia) 2::08:35, 3.
Women: 200M: Allyson Felix (USA) 22.02 seconds, 1; Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 22.35, 2; Debbie Ferguson-Mckenzie (Bahamas) 22.41, 3. 5000M: Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) 14:57.97, 1; Sylvia Kibet (Kenya) 14:58.33, 2; Meseret Defar (Ethiopia) 14:58.41, 3.

Discus throw:  Dani Samuels (Australia) 65.44 metres, 1; Yarrelis Barrios (Cuba) 65.31, 2; Nicoleta Grasu (Romania) 65.20, 3.

4x100M relay: Jamaica 42.06 seconds 1; Bahamas 42.29, 2; Germany 42.87, 3.