Sports

EUGENE, Oregon — Armand Duplantis wrapped up the World Athletics Championships in Eugene in stunning fashion on Sunday, setting a new world record in the pole vault as the curtain came down on the 10-day global track and field extravaganza.

The gripping finale could not have been any better scripted for the first world championships ever to be held on American soil — apart from the fact maybe that the US-born and raised Duplantis was wearing the yellow and blue of Sweden and not representing the Stars and Stripes.

As the furious hullaboo of the frenzied 4x400m relays won by the US men and women died down, all eyes turned on Duplantis.

And the 22-year-old Swede did not disappoint, sailing with ease over 6.21 metres at the second time of asking.

The packed, raucous crowd at Hayward Field went wild as Duplantis sprinted to see his father and coach Greg and plant a kiss on girlfriend Desire Inglander.

“It is great, I cannot complain!” said Duplantis, whose new mark bettered by 1cm his previous best set when winning gold at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March.

It was his fifth world record, and third this year.

“Actually, I did not think about the record that much today,” he said.

“Usually, it is always somewhere in the back of my mind but today, I was really focused on the win and I really wanted to win the gold so badly. It was the medal I was missing.

“I love jumping in Eugene and it was amazing here. I cannot figure the next heights right now. I am going to have a bit time off with my family and my friends.”

Record for Amusan

Unheralded Nigerian Tobi Amusan had earlier stolen the show with two electric runs on her way to gold in the 100m hurdles.

In the very first event of a loaded evening of track, people had barely had chance to sit down with their sodas and popcorn before Amusan rocketed to a new world record of 12.12 seconds in the semifinals.

When she retook to the track later in the session, the Nigerian stormed to victory in 12.06sec, although a tailwind speed of 2.5 metres per second meant it wouldn’t go down in the freshly-inked record books.

“The goal was to come out and to win this gold. I just did it,” said Amusan, who finished ahead of Jamaica’s Britany Anderson and Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico.

“I believe in my abilities but I was not expecting a world record at these championships.”

American Athing Mu lived up to her hype by adding the world 800m title to her Olympic crown.

Mu, still only 20 years of age, was forced to dig deep to hold off British rival Keeley Hodgkinson in a thrilling battle down the final straight before taking gold in a world-leading 1min 56.30sec.

“I’m just glad I made it to the line to finish the race, and thankfully I won gold. I just physically wasn’t where I would like to be,” Mu said.

Another gold medallist from last year’s Tokyo Olympics, Malaika Mihambo, won Germany a long-awaited medal as she retained her world long jump title.

But Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei floundered in a 5000m race won convincingly by Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who bounced back from the disappointment of silver in the 1500m.

“I didn’t want a sprint finish,” Ingebrigtsen said. “I wanted to prove that I’m a better runner than the rest of the guys.

“It was a great race. I ran it, I needed it. I felt really good today, but 5km is really tough.”

In the absence through injury of Olympic champion Damian Warner of Canada, France’s Kevin Mayer seized the moment to claim a second world decathlon gold.

Mayer accrued 8,816 points after 10 disciplines over two days to follow up on previous world gold in 2017 in London.

Consolidating their place atop the medals table with a world championship record of 33 (13 gold, nine silver, 11 bronze), the United States claimed emphatic victories in both 4x400m relay finals, much to the delight of the partisan crowd.

Strength in depth saw record-breaking 400m hurdles gold medallist Sydney McLaughlin anchor the women and individual 400m winner Michael Norman take a leg for the men’s quartet.

The women’s victory meant the now-retired Allyson Felix bagged a 20th world medal as she was a squad member who ran in Saturday’s heats.

Hashem Abbaas goes for a layup as Jordan lost its 3rd place match to New Zealand 75-83 at the FIBA Asia Cup on Sunday in Jakarta, Indonesia. Australia beat Lebanon 75-73 to win the 2022 Asia Cup title.

LE CASTELLET, France — World champion Max Verstappen took full advantage of Charles Leclerc crashing out of the lead to extend his advantage in this year’s title race with a crushing victory ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s sun-baked French Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Dutchman drove with flawless control in the searing heat to guide his Red Bull home 10.587 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ Hamilton, in his 300th race, with George Russell, in the second Mercedes, beating Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull, for third.

It was Verstappen’s seventh win this season and the 27th of his career and a blow to Leclerc’s challenge in the opening race of the second half of the season.

After 12 of the 22 races, Verstappen leads Leclerc by 63 points in the drivers’ standings.

“We had good pace, but it was hard to follow here with the tyres overheating so we stayed calm,” said Verstappen.

“You never know how it is going to go... It was unlucky for Charles and I’m glad he is ok.”

Perez finished fourth ahead of a rampant Carlos Sainz, who drove from the back of the grid to finish fifth for Ferrari ahead of Fernando Alonso of Alpine and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Esteban Ocon was eighth in the second Alpine ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.

Hamilton was delighted to be second.

“It was a tough race as my drinks bottle didn’t work so it was a great result for us, especially considering we’re so far off the pace,” he said. “Great reliability from the team and George did an amazing job.”

On an afternoon of searing heat, with a track temperature of 52 degrees and the air 34 at the start, Leclerc made a clean start to lead into the first corner ahead of Verstappen, with Hamilton leaping clear of Perez into third.

Leclerc led by a second after the opening lap, which saw Yuki Tsunoda spin and recover while Sainz, from the back of the grid, began his charge.

Verstappen’s superior straight-line speed powered him close behind Leclerc’s Ferrari at the end of the Mistral Straight, but the leader held firm, his car squirming for grip in the heat.

Having resisted Verstappen’s early attacks, Leclerc held a lead of nine-tenths by lap 13.

Sainz, praised for his progress by Ferrari, reached 10th on lap 14.

At the front Leclerc increased his pace to draw 1.7 seconds clear by lap 15, when the track temperature was recorded at 55 degrees.

“We are planning Plan B,” Ferrari told Leclerc, refocusing on tyre wear and strategy.

Verstappen came in on lap 17 for a stop in 2.4 seconds, rejoining seventh. As he came back, Ferrari warned Leclerc his tyres were over-heating, but he held a 10-second lead ahead of Hamilton with Perez third, three seconds adrift.

Verstappen passed Norris swiftly for sixth, but Leclerc stayed out and then, on lap 18 crashed at Le Beausset, going heavily into the tyre barrier.

He climbed out, apparently unhurt despite the estimated 175kph impact.

The distressed Leclerc shouted that he had a throttle problem. It was his third exit from the lead this season, just as he looked capable of scoring Ferrari’s third consecutive victory. 

A safety car was deployed, Hamilton pitted and Verstappen took the lead.

Leclerc emerged later to admit the crash had been his fault.

“It was a mistake, my mistake,” he said. “I was pushing too much and I lost the rear.”

Verstappen made a smooth restart to lead from Hamilton and Perez as Sainz climbed to fifth. The Spaniard was then handed a five-second penalty for an unsafe release from his pit stop.

By lap 34, Vertappen led Hamilton by 6.499 seconds with Perez third, 1.475 adrift, but blisters emerging on various tyres, notably Sainz’s front right after he had passed Russell for fourth.

With 15 laps remaining, it posed problems for the Italian team’s pit wall crew and others as the swirling wind increased.

Frustrated in fourth, Sainz asked Ferrari for fresh tyres who told him to go for Plan D, then to stay out and finally, in mid-overtaking of Perez to pit.

“Not now,” shouted the Spaniard who muscled through to third and then, on lap 43, pitted for tyres and to serve his penalty.

It seemed Ferrari, bafflingly, had thrown away a solid chance of third as Sainz rejoined ninth, while Russell and Perez battled for the final podium spot.

Jordan’s Amin Abu Hawwas goes for a layup as his team lost to Lebanon 86-85 in a hard fought semifinal match at the FIBA Asia Cup on Saturday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In the other semifinal of the day, Australia beat New Zealand 85-76.

The Kingdom will play New Zealand for third place on Sunday, before the final between Australia and Lebanon.

LE CASTELLET, France — Charles Leclerc will seek to complete Ferrari’s first hat-trick since 2019 by fending off world champion Max Verstappen and a likely threat from reinvigorated Lewis Hamilton at this weekend’s French Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Leclerc, who battled to victory in Austria last time out after teammate Carlos Sainz triumphed in Britain, is likely to enjoy strong support from a big holiday crowd sweltering in the merciless sunshine of south-eastern France.

But he will need to overcome several challenges if he is to further trim Red Bull star Verstappen’s 38-point advantage at the half-way mark in this 22-race season, not least from Sainz, who is keen to add to his maiden Silverstone success.

Ferrari team chief Mattia Binotto has made clear he will not issue team orders to support Leclerc — not yet, at least — and with potent attacks expected from Sergio Perez, in the second Red Bull, and George Russell, in the second Mercedes, a tight, combative and dramatic race is in prospect.

“We have closed the gap in terms of speed,” said Binotto, of Ferrari’s pursuit of Red Bull. 

“I think they still have a slight advantage, but very little, or negligible.”

Given the forecast high temperatures of close to 40ºC, Ferrari’s recent frailties could be exposed again as aerodynamics chief Diego Tondi suggested in a team preview.

“The high temperatures mean that ensuring the power unit and the tyres perform at their best is a real challenge — and it’s up to those working on the aerodynamics to take the appropriate countermeasures,” he said.

Ferrari’s hopes of an imposing one-two in Austria were wrecked by a late engine failure for Sainz while Leclerc’s title challenge has suffered after four likely wins escaped him due to car failures or strategy errors.

Well aware of the need for consistency, Binotto said he will avoid orders to favour either driver, but will prioritise the team’s overall points haul at each race.

“The fastest car on track is the one to be prioritised,” he said. 

“By doing so, certainly at this time of the championship, it’s the best thing. Later maybe one driver has an opportunity for full priority, but not right now — I’m happy to see them fighting.”

Verstappen won last year’s race from pole position, passing Hamilton in the closing laps of a strategic race decided by tyre wear, and the Dutchman will want to win to foil Ferrari and retain the initiative.

Between them Ferrari and Red Bull have won all 11 races this year, but they know that Hamilton, lining up for his 300th F1 start on a circuit where he won in 2019 and 2020, is returning to form and that his revised Mercedes performs well on smooth circuits with fast corners.

The seven-time world champion has had three consecutive third places and has rebuilt his confidence. 

“I truly believe we can get a race win this year,” he said, looking to extend his unique record of winning a race in every season of his career since 2007. 

Curiously, Hamilton will give up his seat for the Dutch Formula E champion Nyck de Vries in Friday’s opening free practice as part of a mandatory scheme in which every team has to use an inexperienced driver at least twice per season.

“We scored three podiums in the first seven races and we have four in the last four,” said team chief Toto Wolff, who confirmed Mercedes will run more updates in France.

“I’m pleased with the momentum — it reflects the mammoth effort of the team.”

EUGENE, Oregon — Kenyan-born Norah Jeruto won world gold for Kazakhstan in the women’s 3000m steeplechase on Wednesday while China’s Feng Bin threw a massive personal best to claim the discus title.

While day five of action at Hayward Field featured only two finals, South African heavyweights Caster Semenya and Wayde van Niekerk were trackside along with 400m hurdles stars Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad in a series of high-calibre heats and semi-finals.

Jeruto clocked the third fastest time in history and a championship record of 8min 53.02sec for the steeplechase victory in Eugene, with Ethiopian Werkuha Getachew claiming silver in a national record of 8:54.61.

A second Ethiopian, Mekides Abebe, made the most of a mistake by Kenyan-born Bahraini Winfred Mutile Yavi on the final water barrier, to snatch bronze (8:56.08).

The discus was all but over after the first round as Feng threw 69.12m on her opening visit to the ring, improving by more than three metres her previous best of 66.00m set in Beijing in April.

Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic, a two-time Olympic champion and also twice a world gold medallist, claimed silver with 68.45m. American Valarie Allman, who won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games, took bronze with 68.30m.

Semenya’s first appearance in a world championships in five years saw the controversy-mired South African fail to qualify for the women’s 5000m finals.

‘Cooking’ Caster

In roasting mid-afternoon temperatures, the two-time Olympic gold medallist finished 13th in the first of two rounds in 15:46.12, more than 45sec off the 15th and final qualifying place.

“Cooking!” said Semenya, who was forced to switch from her favoured 800m (in which she is also a former three-time champion) to the longer event due to gender eligibility rules that required her to take testosterone-reducing drugs to compete in races between 400m to a mile post-race.

“It was hot, I could not keep up with the pace, I tried to stick as much as I can, but you know, it is a part of the game.”

“I think it is great to be able to run here,” she added. “Just being able to finish the 5k, for me it is a blessing. I am learning and I am willing to learn even more.”

Her time was far off the heat-winning 14:52.64 set by Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay, fresh from her silver in the 1500m.

Semenya’s teammate Wayde van Niekerk qualified for the final of the men’s 400m after finishing second in his semi-final in 44.75sec.

Van Niekerk set the world record of 43.03sec when winning Olympic gold in Rio, but then sustained a nasty knee injury that saw him sit out track for three years.

“It is the challenge of doing this 400m and not having as many races in my legs as I would love to have by now,” he acknowledged.

“But I made it through and I felt comfortable for the majority of the race. So it is about recovering now and getting ready for the final.”

Van Niekerk added: “It is a learning process in every race. I am listening to my body and executing that way.”

“It has been a challenging three years and now, I just want to come out and do my best. I need to be back with every step I take to be able to challenge my record.”

US one-lap medal hope Michael Norman topped qualifying times for what should be an ultra-competitive final on Friday.

Elsewhere, Sydney McLaughlin underscored her status as favourite to add a world gold to her Olympic 400m hurdles crown as she motored into a final showdown with USA teammate and defending champion Dalilah Muhammad.

“It’s going to be a great race, I know that for sure,” said McLaughlin.

Finally, there was bad news for the US men’s 4x100m relay team as newly-crowned 100m champion Fred Kerley was ruled out of action.

Kerley was diagnosed with a “slight injury to his quad” in the semi-finals of the 200m, from which he failed to advance.

Jordan beat Iran 91-76 on Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the Asia Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Kingdom will play Lebanon, which beat China 72-69, in its semifinal on Saturday. Australia plays Japan, and South Korea take on New Zealand on Thursday in their quaters