by Alfonz JuckThe World Championships is now over and there is much to write about, analysise and kibbitz over. That’s the fun part of our sport! You can speak about it around the world with global fans. With over 140 countries at the World Indoors, I have to say, each and every time I come to these events, I am most inspired! It reminds me of why I love the sport.
Yomif Kejelcha wins the slowest 3000m in WIC history, photo by PhotoRun.net
Samuel Tefara, a teenager, won the slowest 1,500m in WIC history, photo by PhotoRun.net
BIRMINGHAM NEWS
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): New world indoor 60m champion Christian Coleman has been labelled as the man to take over the mantle of Usain Bolt, but the American wants to leave his own legacy. He told espn.co.uk: “I don’t want to be the next Usain Bolt. I want to be Christian Coleman, and a few years from now, maybe people will say ‘Who will be the next Christian Coleman?'”
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): After her pole vault win in a championship record 4.95m, Sandi Morris could look on the bright side of her injuries from hitting the pole as she came down. Quoted by athleticsweekly.com, she said: “It means that I’m lining the jump up perfectly and my pole was just underneath me. “I guess it’s a good thing I have to worry about it – it means I’m doing some things right!”
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Andrew Pozzi spoke after his 60m hurdles gold about the anxiety of the wait for the result. The Brit, who outdipped Jarret Eaton 7.46 to 7.47, told BBC Sport: “My heart stopped at the end there. I knew the fifth hurdle I was behind. I can’t describe how much I wanted it. I was throwing my body at the line. To be voted co-captain for the championships is the biggest honour of my life. Every member of the team has been perfect.”
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Brittney Reese, who won silver in the long jump, is hoping for a quiet summer as she prepares a campaign to win a fifth world outdoor title in 2019. She told IAAF she will probably compete in a “couple” of Diamond Leagues, plus the US Championships. “I’m thinking ‘shut it down’ because if I want to continue on this path of winning medals, I have to take care of my body and my mindset,” she said. “I want to come back to the IAAF World Championships in 2019 (in Doha) and be mentally and physically strong and for that, I need to rest my body.”
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Another American who could be taking it easier on the track this summer is Will Claye, the winner of the triple jump yesterday. Claye, who has just released a music single, told letsrun.com: “I don’t know if I’m doing outdoors. I’m getting ready to release an album, a music album. So I think that might be my focus for the rest of this year. We’ll see.”
SPLITS: Fastest splits in men´s 4×400 m were 44.85 by US Fred Kerley who started the US team in the final and Kevin Borlee 44.86 when anchoring Belgium. Also Jakub Krzewina anchored Poland in 45.00 and Jereem Richards clocked 45.02 as 2nd runner of Trinidad and Tobago. In women final the fastest Courtney Okolo as anchor for USA 50.18 with Georganne Moline 50.87 and Poland´s Patrycja Wyciskiewicz 50.97. From the dq Jamaican team also to note Janieve Russell 50.51 and Stephanie Ann McPherson 50.37.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Slowest ever winning times by Ethiopians 8:14 and 3:58 over 3000 m and 1500 m in the history of World Indoors.
