25-year-old Kenyan Beatrice Chebet defeats defending champion Gudaf Tsegay in World Championships 10,000m debut.
Beatrice Chebet added the World 10,000 metres crown to her Olympic gold and World record over the distance, winning the event in 30:37.61 seconds at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday.
Making her World Championships 10,000m debut, the 25-year-old Kenyan tracked defending champion Gudaf Tsegay at the bell -- joined by Agnes Ngetich and Nadia Battocletti. She waited until the final bend to unleash her devastating kick and her rivals had no response.
Battocletti followed her over the line, securing silver in an Italian record of 30:38.23s, while Tsegay got bronze in 30:39.65s.
World record-holder Ryan Crouser won his third World shot put title despite competing for the first time in a year.
The three-time Olympic champion was out of action all season following an elbow injury, but he made a comeback by throwing 22.34 metres, winning gold by 37cm.
Mexico's Uziel Munoz had the throw of his life in the final round to launch himself into the silver medal position with a national record of 21.97m.
Italy's Leonardo Fabbri got bronze as New Zealand's Tom Walsh narrowly missed out on a medal on countback – both athletes throwing 21.94m and Fabbri clinching a medal thanks to his superior second-best mark.
The United States successfully defended the mixed 4x400m title and equalled their championship record from two years ago, clocking 3:08.80s.
They avoided a repeat of the dramatic finish from 2023 by winning comfortably ahead of the rest of the field, but Femke Bol once again finished strongly to anchor The Netherlands to silver.
Bol, who famously fell in the closing stages in Budapest two years ago, crossed the finish line in 3:09.96 to secure silver ahead of Belgium (3:10.61).
Canada's Evan Dunfee was the first to cross the finish line at the Japan National stadium, winning the men's 35km race walk in 2:28:22 seconds during the morning session.
Despite suffering cramp in the closing stages, the former World record-holder held on to win his first global title by half a minute, adding a World gold to his Olympic bronze from the Japanese capital four years ago and his World bronze from Doha in 2019.
Brazil's Caio Bonfim secured silver in 2:28:55 and Japan’s Hayato Katsuki opened the host nation’s medal campaign to great celebration, clocking 2:29:16 for bronze.
A short while later, Spain's Maria Perez became the second champion in Tokyo, retaining her 35km race walk title in 2:39:01 seconds and securing a dominant victory.
She broke away in the second half of the race and eventually won by three minutes. Italy's Antonella Palmisano, who won the Olympic 20km race walk title in the Japanese capital four years ago, got silver this time in 2:42:24. Ecuador's Paula Torres claimed bronze in a national record of 2:42:44.
It is the first part of what Perez hopes will be another golden double after her World title wins in the 20km race walk and 35km race walk in Budapest two years ago.
- World Athletics
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