Coverage of the 17th IAAF World Championships #Doha2019 is brought to you by #Puma:
DOHA, Qatar – It was a magical feeling on the second day (28 September) of the IAAF World Championships inside the Khalifa Stadium when Tajay Gayle created history becoming the first Jamaican man to win a men’s long jump world title.
Gayle’s winning effort of 8.69 (+0.5 m/s) was not only a national record; it also moved him to 10th on the all-time list.
Gayle who started the final in 12th position after an indifferent showing in qualification yesterday put pressure on the field when he cut the sand at 8.46m (-0.3 m/s) in the first round. This attempt would have been good enough for gold as silver medallist Jeff Henderson of the United States could go no further than 8.39m (-0.1 m/s).
However, Gayle did not finish with his heroics, and despite fouling his next two attempts, produced a jump for the ages landing at 8.69m (0.5 m/s) to kill the competition stone dead.
Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarria, the favourite coming into the event, and the man touted to break the world record, looked unsettled throughout and could only muster 8.34m (0.1 m/s) to collect bronze ahead of defending champion Luvo Manonga (8.28m) of South Africa.
“I can’t really explain how I’m feeling right now. It’s the happiest day of my life, and everything worked out fine and went according to plan,” said an elated Gayle.
“I’m grateful to my support staff and the people back home supporting me.”
Yohan Blake, 9.97 for fifth, missed out on a medal in the men’s 100m, which went to Christian Coleman, who cemented his status as the world’s fastest man. He outclassed a quality field to claim his first outdoor world title in a personal best and world-leading 9.76 (+0.6 m/s).
Coleman, sandwiched between Justin Gatlin to his left and Akani Simbine to his right, left the blocks like an express elevator and motored away from the field to score the biggest win of his career. Defending champion Justin Gatlin (9.89) proved the best of the rest clinching silver ahead of a fast finishing Andre DeGrasse who clocked 9.90 a new personal best.
The women’s 100m final, based on the evidence seen in the semi-finals, promises a lot of fireworks tomorrow night. Leading the charge was Jamaica’s three-time world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce who looked supreme after winning her heat in 10.80 seconds (-0.2 m/s).
Pryce’s time was the fastest ever first-round clocking for any World Championships. “I think it was a good run as you know it’s my first championships in two years,” said Fraser-Pryce.
“I am really excited to be able to come back.
“Right now, I am taking it round by round and trying to execute as best as possible because technique is not by best thing, so I have to try to get it right each round and I am excited to be able to progress.
Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson cruised to 11.14 (-0.4 m/s) to win heat three while Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith produced the third sub-11 second clocking of the evening winning heat four in 10.96 (-0.1 m/s).
Kelly-Ann Baptiste (TTO), 11.21, Jonielle Smith (JAM), 11.20 and Tynia Gaither (BAH), 11.24 are the other qualifiers from the Caribbean.
A dangerous-looking Marie-Josee Ta Lou followed up in heat two clocking a fast 10.85 (-0.3 m/s) equalling her personal best. “My coach told me to get out of the blocks and just run to 60m and relax,” said a gleeful Marie-Josee Talou. “The next round I am going to be on fire.”
Natoya Goule remained on course for a medal after finishing fourth in her women’s 800m semi-final heat. Goule ran 2:00.33 to book her place.
American Ajee Wilson with 2:00.31 is the favourite for the event.
In the men’s discus throw, Chad Wright, 60.60m and Traves Smikle, 62.93m, missed out of the final, but Jamaica will have Fedrick Dacres, one of the event’s favourite in the gold medal round.
Dacres with 65.44m will enter the final on Monday as the second-best qualifier. Daniel Stahl of Swedeen with 67.88m leads the event.
Kemar Mowatt, 49.32, failed to qualify for the men’s 400m hurdles final. BVI’s Kyron McMasters, who was disqualified but won his appeal, is the only Caribbean man in the final with 48.60.
Jamaica with Nathon Allen, Janieve Russell, Roneisha MacGregor and Javon Francis advanced to the mixed relay final with 3:12.73NR. The USA won the heat in 3:12.42, registered as a world record.
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