by Alfonz Juck
TOKYO 2025 DAY 9
QUOTES OF THE DAY
“We are satisfied with the medal. We are grateful we did it and stayed healthy. The ladies really gave their best. This is a team effort. I have had an amazing career and today’s medal is the icing on the cake. My son will be excited. Today is a full circle moment for me. I was a reserve at my first world championships in Japan (Osaka) in 2007. I couldn’t have it any other way. I am grateful for the medals, the stadiums and the crowds where I have competed throughout my career. I have some plans and I want to focus on advocacy and support women and athletes. I want to continue to make an impact,” Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce after last race of her career, her medals at Worlds 17: 10-6-1.
“I had to run the most strategic leg because of the weather. I knew I had to go strong but still I wanted to save my energy for the last 100 metres. At the last 80m I pushed and started running faster. I am happy to be crossing the finish line first. I am really grateful to have come home with two gold medals. I wanted to come here and motivate my teammates and walk away with gold. And we did it,” Collen Kebinatshipi 4×400 m.
“I wanted to end the world championships on my terms, especially after how I prepared all year for this. I felt I was robbed in the 1500m (with being disqualified). I knew I had the opportunity today, that I had the legs to take this field. I had a lot of bodies ahead of me but I felt very strong, enough to pass them one by one. The 1500m is still my specialty but for the next world championships I want to run the 5k again. I make music on my computer and play some guitar and piano. Now I want to eat a lot of Japanese food. I just want to eat and drink,” Cole Hocker.
RESULT OF THE DAY
3:16.61 Championships record by US women in 4×400 m, 70.47 Daniel Stahl discus in wet conditions as last throw and last action of the whole event, and a SB.
SURPRISE OF THE DAY
Lilian Odira 800 m win in CR time (both CR by Kratochvilova from Helsinki 1983 now gone, the 800 m was the oldest standing). WR holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh in rain tied for 3rd. Botswana beat USA in 4×400 m.
MEDALS (from 46 to 53 countries)
USA 16-5-5, KEN 7-2-2, CAN 3-1-1, NED 2-2-2, BOT, NZL, ESP, SWE 2-0-1, POR 2-0-0, JAM 1-6-3, ITA 1-3-3, GER 1-3-1, BRA 1-2-0, TTO 1-1-0, AUS 1-0-3, CUB 1-0-2
Athletes: Jefferson-Wooden 3-0-0, Lyles 2-0-1, Chebet, M. Perez, Kebinatshipi, Irby-Jackson, McLaughline-Levrone 2-0-0, F. Bol 1-1-1.
In total 17 athletes won more than one medal.
Noah Lyles wins his 10th World Championships medal (8-1-1). Only LaShawn Merritt (11) and Usain Bolt (14) have won more medals on the men’s side.
TITLE RETAINERS
Yes (14): Crouser, M. Perez (2x), Duplantis, Rogers, US 4x4mx, Kipyegon, Katzberg, Moon, Bol, Lyles (200), Stahl, US 4x1m, US 4x1w
No (30): Tsegay, Tausaga, Richardson, Lyles (100), V. Kiplagat, El Bakkali, D. Williams, Tamberi, Holloway, Yavi, Tentoglou, J. Kerr, Chopra, Rojas, Watson, Paulino, Zango, Warholm, S. Jackson, Ch. Jackson, Kitaguchi, Johnson-Thompson, Kipyegon (5000), Arop, Mahuchikh, M. Moraa, Ingebrigtsen, Le Page, US 4x4m, NED 4x4w
NC (5): A. Martin (2x), Beriso, Spanovic, Cheptegei
TOP MARKS
WR (1): 630 Duplantis
CR (9): 630 Duplantis, 4x4mx 3:08.80 USA, 10.61 Jefferson-Wooden, 84.70 Katzberg, 8:51.59 Cherotich, 47.78 McLaughlin-Levrone, 1:41.86 Wanyonyi, 3:16.61 US 4x4w, 1:54.62 Odira
WL (21): 630 Duplantis, 4x4mx 3:08.80. USA, 10.61 Jefferson-Wooden, 713 Davis-Woodhall, 80.51 Rogers, 84.70 Katzberg, 236 Kerr, 48.29 McLaughlin-Levrone, 490 Moon, 47.78 McLaughlin-Levrone, 43.53 Kebinatshipi, 14.94 Perez-Hernandez (2x), 17.91 Pichardo, 21.68 Jefferson-Wooden, 51.54 Bol, 1:25:54 Perez, 41.60 USA, 3:22.53 USA, 37.29 USA, 1:54.62 Odira, USA 3:16.61
AR: 1 Africa (RSA, 4×4 mx), 2 Oceania (Kerr, Hull/800), 4 NACAC (Katzberg, Rogers, McLaughlin-Levrone, A. Gonzalez), 1 South America (Woodruff)
AGENTS (individual gold medals)
Paul Doyle/DMG 4, Jos Hermens/GSC 4, Stephen Haas 3, Miguel Mostaza 3, Mark Wetmore 2, Federico Rosa 2, Daniel Wessfeldt 2, Gianni Demadonna, John Nubani, Riad Ouled, Norman Peart, Adam Phillips, Derek Froude, Florian Clivaz, Sean Whipp, Robert Wagner, Karen Locke, Mario Bassani, Tero Heiska, Jorge Aguilera, Sekou Clarke, Silvia Saliti, Caroline Feith, Valentina Fedjuschina, Monica Pont, Hans Uurike, Malcolm Anderson, Ray Flynn. Remaining Dunfee, Bonfim, Neugebauer officialy no agent.
STATS (by Ken Nakamura and World Athletics)
HJ: Nicola Olyslagers Oceanian double in the high jump after Hamish Kerr won gold in the men’s high jump.
DT: In a heavily delayed final due to the conditions, Daniel Ståhl’s winning throw of 70.47m was the third longest winning throw in World Championships history. Alex Rose wins Samoa’s first ever medal in World Championships history with bronze.
4×400 M: Botswana becomes the first African winners of the men’s 4x400m in World Championships history.
4×400 W: The United States won their 11th women’s 4x400m title in 20 editions of the World Championships.
Decathlon: Leo Neugebauer becomes the third German winner of the decathlon title at the World Championships after Torsten Voss (GDR) in 1987 and Niklas Kaul in 2019. His winning margin of 20 points over Ayden Owens-Delerme was the smallest in the decathlon in World Championships history.
4×100 W: The United States win their third women’s 4x100m title in a row and their 10th in 20 editions of the World Championships. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) becomes just the second woman after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) in 2013 to complete the sprint treble at the World Championships.
4×100 M: The United States win their 10th men’s 4x100m title in 20 editions of the World Championships but only their third since 2007. The United States’ time of 37.29 was the third fastest winning time in the men’s 4x100m in World Championships history. It was also a Japanese all-comers’ record and stadium record, surpassing the United States’ 37.50 from Tokyo in 1991, a world record at the time.
TOKYO NEWS (with help from World Athletics info)
TOKYO (JPN): Last day expected planned visit to Japan National Stadium by the Emperor, Empress, and Princess Aiko during today’s evening session. The Emperor, Empress and Princess Aiko were expected to take their seats in the Imperial Family Seating around 20:15. Field competitions will be paused to allow for an introduction, lasting approximately one minute.
TOKYO (JPN): Spectator figures for day 9, morning session: 23 575 and evening session: 58 723. Final figure announced was 619 288 for all 9 days.
TOKYO (JPN): The Closing Ceremony featured World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, City of Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Beijing Vice Mayor Mu Peng, who received the official handover from Tokyo to Beijing, which will host the next edition of the World Athletics Championships in 2027. Also participating in the ceremony were Japanese and Chinese athletes.
TOKYO (JPN): Top splits in the 4×400 m. In women race, 1st leg Isabella Whittaker 50.12, 2nd Lynna Irby-Jackson 48.71, 3rd Ailyah Butler 49.96 and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ran the fastest split with 47.82 on anchor, among men 1st leg Vernon Norwood 44.60, 2nd leg Letsile Tebogo 44.05, 3rd leg Wayde van Niekerk 43.26 and anchor Zakithi Nene 43.93.
TOKYO (JPN): Decathlon favourite Sander Skotheim who won gold medals indoor at Worlds and Europeans, was disqualified in the first event of 2nd day, 110 m hurdles for knocking off a hurdle in an illegal way.
TOKYO (JPN): South African 4x100m team failed to qualify for the final in their solo re-run as they clocked 38.64 and needed was 38.34. In the team Maswanganyi, Dambile, Nkoana and Simbine.
TOKYO (JPN): USA won the additional qualification 4×400 m race in 2:58.48 (Bailey, D. Smith, Deadmon, McKiver) and qualified for the final as 9th team. Kenya was second in 3:00.39 (Mutinda, Kapirante, Mulongo, Kipkorir).
TOKYO (JPN): Emmanuel Wanyonyi became second (after Rudisha) man to win both World Championships and World Junior Championships and also third (after Rudisha and Korir) to win both World Championships and Olympic Games. “Yes the record survived, but it will not be for long,” said David Rudisha. He spent the 800 m final with WA President Sebastian Coe and both their records (World and British) remained unbeaten.
TOKYO (JPN): World Athletics announced the results of the Athletes’ Commission elections, which took place during the World Championships. Six newly elected members for 2025-29 period are Swedish runner Andreas Almgren (1428 votes), Slovenian high jumper Lia Apostolovski (1201), Dominica´s triple jumper Thea LaFond (1293) and former Italian 400 m Gia Trevisan (1456). Re-elected were Dutch 400 m runner Lisanne de Witte (1566) and Ukrainian hurdler Anna Ryzhykova (1244). Members elected in 2023 who are currently in the commission are Dame Valerie Adams, Renaud Lavillenie, Aisha Praught-Leer, Diego Garcia Carrera, Jasmine Todd and Adam Gemili. But four current members are outgoing: Ivet Lalova-Collio, Lea Sprunger, Matthew Hughes and Toshikazu Yamanishi. The full World Athletics Athletes’ Commission will be listed on the World Athletics website shortly. This year’s elections featured a record vote participation of 95.5%.
TOKYO (JPN): Some interesting facts about broadcasting. Used were 14 wireless camera systems inside JNS, 15 cameras on outside races courses, 15 RHBs with Broadcast Compound space, spread out across 66 unilateral cabin units, 20 replay servers, 25 unilateral cameras, 34 Dedicated Mixed Zone positions, 35km cabling within JNS/Broadcast Compound. In total 44 commentary positions were booked, 78 host broadcast cameras in JNS, 210 microphones in JNS, 280 HB crew onsite, from 26 countries.
TOKYO (JPN): Angelina Topic won only Serbia’s fifth medal at the World Championships with joint bronze in the high jump some 34 years after her coach and father Dragutin made the men’s high jump final in Tokyo.
TOKYO (JPN): For the first time in history, three women break the 1:55-barrier in the same race. Training partners Georgia Hunter-Bell and Keely Hodgkinson won silver and bronze in 1:54.90 and 1:54.91.
TOKYO (JPN): This is the first World Championships since Paris in 2003 that Great Britain have failed to win a gold medal.
TOKYO (JPN): This is the first since Tokyo in 1991 that Ethiopia leave a World Championships without a gold medal.
TOKYO (JPN): The Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) Heritage Exhibition Tokyo 25 closed its doors at 10pm local time today having welcomed a record figure of over 200K visitors since it was opened on Sunday 6 July. Following Tuesday’s MOWA Donation Ceremony at the exhibition, many of the artefacts donated to the museum on that occasion have been displayed in the exhibition. Grabbing much attention has been the Munich 1972 Olympic singlet of Japan’s Kenji Kimihara. The singlet has been displayed opposite the tracksuit of Tokyo 1964 Olympic 10,000m champion Billy Mills, who attended the ceremony at which Kimihara made his donation to World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. The other artefact drawing the crowds has been Nicola Olyslagers’ diary from 2022 which is beautifully illustrated. Canadian Camryn Rogers who successfully defended her hammer title at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 on Monday (15), has donated the glove which swung her to glory. The next MOWA exhibition will be held at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 in Torun, Poland, for a month before the championships which take place from 20-22 March 2026.
