2023-08-24 21:32:43
The Dutch Femke Bol, unfortunate heroine of the start of the World Athletics Championships, consoled herself by dominating the 400m hurdles Thursday in Budapest, her first international title.
This time, Bol only touched the track with her powerful stride, without collapsing on it a few meters from the finish as she had done in the final of the mixed 4x400m relay last Saturday. Unfortunate, she had led to the disqualification of her team while she was in the fight for the title.
“It was not easy to forget what happened, she confessed, but my team surrounded me.”
Thursday, in a still hot climate, Bol (23) left no chance for competition in the 400m hurdles, her great specialty, in which she is the second best performer in history.
The logic of the season, which she dominated from start to finish with a huge lead over the competition, was respected. Bol crossed the line in 51 sec 70, 8th best time in history, more than a second ahead of American Shamier Little (52.80) and Jamaican Rushell Clayton (52.81).
“I knew the 400m hurdles would be a chance to shine, I was confident, I felt strong. Overall, I can say it’s been a very good season,” she appreciates.
New relay
The Dutchwoman, Olympic bronze medalist in 2021 and vice-world champion in 2022, is indeed the boss in the absence of the American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Olympic champion in 2021 and world champion in 2022. The world record holder had decided to concentrate on the 400m this summer, before forfeiting for Budapest.
To definitively forget the hitch of the mixed relay, Bol will be the trump card of the women’s 4×400 m relay in the Netherlands, in the heats on Saturday and then possibly in the final on Sunday.
The rest of the evening was almost exclusively Jamaican. In a few hours, the Caribbeans won five medals including two titles, enough to move up to 3rd place in the medal table (eight in total including two titles).
Jamaica’s Danielle Williams celebrates winning the women’s 100m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, August 24, 2023
AFP
Hurdler Danielle Williams (30) surged to claim a second 100m hurdles world title after 2015 as her young compatriot Antonio Watson (21) created a huge surprise by dominating the 400m, he who trains with Usain Bolt’s former mentor Glen Mills.
Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou in the long jump final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, August 24, 2023
AFP
The athletes in yellow and green can harbor a little regret, having been deprived of the title in the length at the last try by the Greek Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou. Wayne Pinnock had to settle for silver, ahead of his compatriot Tajay Gayle.
“I will come on foot”
In all the stories of the evening, good and bad, the Jamaicans also saw their third jumper Carey McLeod crash spectacularly in the sandbox after slipping on the take-off board on 3rd down.
Decreased, he was then unable to properly defend his chances, finishing 4th.
Sprinter Andrew Hudson had the misfortune to be present in an accident between two carts, like world 100m champion Noah Lyles.
Two vehicles used to transport the athletes from the warm-up stadium collided at low speed a few minutes before the 200m semi-finals.
American Noah Lyles and Jamaican Andrew Hudson react after the men’s 200m semi-final at the World Championships in Athletics in Budapest, August 24, 2023
AFP
Hudson received broken glass in the eye, partly removed by the medical teams before letting him run his half, finished in 5th place, far from Lyles (19.75).
“I have to get checked again, I see blurry in this eye, said Hudson. It’s a shame because I felt very good in the playoffs on Wednesday. I ran anyway but it was not ideal , my body had become cold. Next time I will come on foot.”
After complaining, he was drafted and will play the final on Friday in the unenviable lane 1.
A priori not affected in the accident, Noah Lyles will aim there for the first double 100-200 m since Usain Bolt in 2015.
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