On a Day Highlighting Female Athletics, Rojas, Kipyegon, and Thiam Shine at World Championships
Oregon, USA
In a spotlight on women’s athletics, three legendary female stars delivered remarkable performances at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene on Monday. Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, and Belgium’s Nafi Thiam all asserted their global dominance with gold medal-winning displays, while Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim secured his third consecutive world title.
Rojas Defends Triple Jump Title in Style
Rojas, the Olympic champion and world record holder in the triple jump, showed no signs of pressure in defending her world title. With her trademark effervescent style, the 26-year-old soared to gold with a 15.47m effort, the second-longest jump in World Championships history. Though she fell just shy of her world record on her final attempt, Rojas celebrated emphatically, dancing with the Venezuelan flag.
Kipyegon Cements Status as Greatest 1500m Runner
In the women’s 1500m, Kipyegon cemented her status as the greatest 1500m runner of all time, powering to her fourth global 1500m title in a breathtaking, lung-bursting performance. The Kenyan star held off a blistering early pace set by Ethiopian rival Gudaf Tsegay, kicking clear in the final lap to cross the line in 3:52.96, the 10th fastest time in history.
Thiam Wins Heptathlon in Thrilling Fashion
The women’s heptathlon came down to the wire, with Thiam narrowly holding off a spirited challenge from the Netherlands’ Anouk Vetter. The Belgian star produced an inspired 800m finale, clocking a personal best of 2:13.00 to secure the gold with 6,947 points, ahead of Vetter’s 6,867 and American Anna Hall‘s bronze.
Barshim and El Bakkali Maintain Dominance
In the men’s events, Barshim continued his dominance in the high jump, winning his third consecutive world title with a world-leading clearance of 2.37m. The Qatari jumper was the only athlete to surpass 2.35m, with Sanghyeok Woo of South Korea and Andriy Protsenko of Ukraine rounding out the podium.
The reigning Olympic champion in the 3000m steeplechase, Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, also maintained his supremacy, storming to victory in 8:25.13 with a blistering final lap. Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma and Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto claimed silver and bronze, respectively.
These captivating performances from the sport’s all-time greats underscored the depth and talent on display at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
🔗 Source
