Day 3 was quite humid and hot. It affected the events for the entire day! Here are my deep thoughts:
- Men’s marathon, in the heat, humidity and rolling hills, this championship race requires the patience of a saint! There was a large pack throughout, with it coming down to European road champ, Lliass Aquani, ITA, Amanal Petros, GER, and Alphonse Felix Simbu, TAN, and Haimro Alame, ISR. Petros, Simbu and Aquani broke away, after 41k, and Aquani fell off just before Simbu and Petros hit the track! Alphonse Felix Simbu, TAN, gave his country its first gold in the WC marathon with a 2:09.48, just .03 difference from Amanal Petros, GER, also in 2:09.48! Lliass Aquani, ITA, held on for bronze in 2:09:53. American performances were 9th with Clayton Young, 2:10.43, 28th, Reed Fischer, 2:15.17 and 40th, C.J. Albertson, US, 2:19.25. The skills to be successful in the championship marathon are much different than a big city marathon.
- Men’s Pole Vault-World record number 14 by Mondo Duplantis. Seven men over 5.90 meters, a first, and two men over six meters. Mondo vaulted 9 times, with six first time clearances and the 6.30 meters (20’8.03″). Mondo continues to improve as the overall quality of the field continues to impress. Emmanouil Karais, GRE, 6.00m, Kurtis Marschall, AUS, 5.95m PB, Sam Kendricks, US, 5.95m SB. Mondo now has broken WR fourteen times, as Emmanouil, Kurtis and Sam Kendricks continue to push.
- Women’s hammer throw, Camryn Rogers, Canada, continues to dominate. The Olympic champion, Cam Rogers blasted the World leader with an 80.51m massive throw! China continues to impress in the technical events, with Ji Zhao, CHN, took silver in 77.80m PB. Jiale Zhang, CHN, took bronze in 77.10m. US performances were DeAnna Price in 5th, 75.10m, Janae Kassanavoid, US, 70.35m in 10th.
- Men’s steeplechase. And kids, our lesson from the Men’s steeple? Well, never give Geordie Beamish room to sprint! Moving from 11th to first, Kiwi World Indoor Champ at 1,500m, just added an outdoor title, with his stunning win in the steeple in a pedestrian 8:33.88. Soufianne El Bakkali, MAR, was run down by the Kiwi, with the Moroccan, weeping afterwards, silver in 8:33.95. Bronze medal was won by won by Edmund Serem, KEN, 8:34.56. Lamecha Girma faded to sixth. The steeplechase pace was slower than the women for the first two kilometers, and leaving it to a last kilometer to a fast finish, and Mr. Beamish achieved his dream!
- Women’s 100 meter hurdles: The women’s 100m hurdles is the most competitive event in women’s track and field. If you have an off day, if you misstep, you are toast. Masai Russell, the Olympic champion, had a bad day. Ditaji Kambundji, Switzerland, just ran her race, and did not look back, looked flawless, hurdling well and sprinting to the finish, in 12.24 NR! Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, WR holder in the 100 meter hurdles, took silver in 12.29 and Grace Stark, US, took the bronze in 12.34. Masai Russell was right. At the US presser, Masai noted that the time would come when a women running 12.40 would not medal, perhaps even 12.30. How prescient!
