Sports

EUGENE, Oregon  — Alison Dos Santos ended Karsten Warholm’s reign as hurdles king at the world championships on Tuesday while Britain’s Jake Wightman won his country’s first 1500m gold in 39 years on a day of upsets.

Warholm may have been behind one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history when he smashed the 29-year-old world record to win the 400m hurdles at the Tokyo Games in a time of 45.94sec.

But the 26-year-old came to Eugene on the back of a hamstring injury which ultimately put paid to his medal attempt here.

Instead, Dos Santos ran the third fastest time of all time and a championship record of 46.29sec to win gold ahead of Americans Rai Benjamin and Trevor Bassitt.

“It’s pretty awesome to win the world title on this track. I didn’t care about the time because this is the first time I win a world title,” said Dos Santos.

Warholm led coming into the home straight but seized up badly and eventually came in seventh (48.42), breaking a winning streak of 22 races, including 18 finals, dating back to September 2018.

“It was a very tough race,” Warholm said. “I had an injury but to me it’s always your fight and giving your all and leaving it all on the track.

“I felt I did that. I hope looking back I’ll feel proud of that even though I prefer to take a medal.”

Whilst everyone knew Warholm was coming back from injury, serious hopes were pinned on Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men’s 1500m.

But Wightman had not read the script, playing the Norwegian at his own game by kicking with 200 metres to run and holding his form through to the line.

Wightman sealed victory in 3min 29.23sec, Ingebrigtsen taking silver in 3:29.47, with Spaniard Mohamed Katir claiming bronze (3:29.90).

Family affair

In a bizarre twist, Wightman’s father Geoff is in Eugene doing the in-stadium commentary.

Geoff, also his son’s coach, was reduced to a cracked voice as he announced to Hayward Field: “That’s my son and he’s world champion.”

“For him to be part of my journey to get to this point, and actually part of the actual race itself is so unique,” Wightman said of his father. 

“I talked to him and he’s very happy. I’m glad he showed some emotion.”

Following on from Norway’s Olympic gold medallists in failing to nail a world title was 2019 champion Daniel Stahl, the Swede eventually finishing fourth in the discus.

Australian Eleanor Patterson won high jump gold in the fourth final of the night with 2.02m on countback from Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Italian Elena Vallortigara taking bronze.

“I’m honestly speechless right now,” Patterson said afterwards. “I’m already starting to get sore cheeks from smiling.”

Kerley out of 200m

Day five of action at the world champs also saw newly-crowned 100m champion Fred Kerley fail to advance from the semifinals of the 200m.

Kerley set off smoothly from the blocks but was left grimacing as he hit the home straight at Eugene’s Hayward Field, eventually finishing sixth in 20.68 seconds.

Kerley later said he had cramped up in the later stages of the race, but insisted he would be fit to race in the relays.

“Bit of cramp, but it’s all good,” Kerley said. “I’m not in pain, I’ll be good.”

While Kerley was left digesting a disappointing early exit, there were no such worries for defending 200m world champion Noah Lyles, who romped home in his semi-final with a blistering 19.62sec.

The main threat to Lyles’ hopes of retaining his 200m world title may well come from teenage team-mate and emerging rival Erriyon Knighton. The 18-year-old prodigy blazed home to win his semi-final in 19.77sec.

In the women’s 200m, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce kept her bid for a sprint double on track as she sailed into the final.

Fresh from winning a record fifth world 100m title, Fraser-Pryce timed a season’s best of 21.83 seconds in the third of three semi-finals.

Joining the 35-year-old, a world 200m champion in 2013, in Thursday’s final will be her two teammates who helped snatch an unprecedented cleansweep of the 100m podium for Jamaica on Sunday, Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah.

Alongside the trio of Jamaicans in the final will be Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the reigning world 200m champion who was fourth in the 100m, Americans Abby Steiner and Tamara Clark, Niger’s Aminatou Seyni and Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji.

EUGENE, Oregon — Untouchable Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas led a raft of familiar faces to glory when she claimed her third straight triple jump title at the World Athletics Championships on Monday.

Day four of action at Hayward Field in Oregon saw experience count as multiple gold medallists from the Tokyo Olympics followed up on their efforts in the Japanese capital with more podium-topping.

“This is my third consecutive world [outdoor] title, it still hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Rojas, who had been hoping to better her world record but was frustrated by wind affecting her run-up.

“I wanted a longer jump, but I am happy to return to this beautiful stadium, to see the crowd,” Rojas added.

Rojas was among three female two-time Olympic champions to strike gold in Eugene.

Belgium’s Nafi Thiam earlier claimed a last-gasp victory in the heptathlon over Dutch rival Anouk Vetter, while imperious Faith Kipyegon of Kenya won her second 1500m title.

Not to be left out, there were two male champions from the Tokyo Games who triumphed.

Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar won a thriller of a high jump competition for his third world title.

“Winning for the third time has never been done before,” he said. “For me that’s a great stat.

“I always say to myself, ‘How do you want to be remembered?’ I want to do great things, I want to be the high jumper that does stuff that sticks in history.

“I’ve done that today so I’m really happy about it.”

There was more gold for the Arab world in the shape of Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, the Olympic champion producing a tactical masterclass as he brought an end to Kenya’s 15-year dominance of the 3000m steeplechase.

The evening session kicked off, however, with all eyes on the track as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, fresh from winning a record fifth world 100m title on Sunday, went in round one of the 200m.

“Oh man, it was hard!” said Fraser-Pryce, who coasted into Tuesday’s semifinals. “It was a late night and I needed to come back and try to qualify as easy as I can to preserve my strength for tomorrow.

“I am feeling OK so far. Just have to go home and get some recovery done and see how it goes tomorrow. I need to eat some food, get a massage, some compression, and just rest, get some sleep.”

Joining the 35-year-old, a world 200m champion in 2013, in Tuesday’s semifinals will be her two teammates who helped snatch an unprecedented cleansweep of the 100m podium for Jamaica on Sunday.

Shericka Jackson, who has the quickest time this season of 21.55sec, and four-time Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, a world silver medallist over 200m in 2015, are still both seeking their first individual world titles.

New Kerley strikeforce

The Jamaican women’s cleansweep came sharp on the heels of that by the US men.

And newly crowned world 100m champion Fred Kerley led a fresh strikeforce of US sprinters into the semifinals of the men’s 200m, also on Tuesday.

Kerley won his heat in 20.17 seconds to raise the prospect of another US cleansweep, after the sprint all-rounder led Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell home in the blue riband event.

In the absence of that duo, it was the turn of the Americans who finished second, third and fourth in the 200m at last year’s Tokyo Olympics — Kenneth Bednarek, world champion Noah Lyles and 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton — to take to the track.

A hyped-up Lyles celebrated his 25th birthday on Monday by setting the fastest qualifying time of 19.98 seconds, the sole sprinter to go sub-20.

Lyles, who complained of feeling isolated at the Tokyo Games held in strict COVID-19 regulations, said Eugene was much “more fun”.

“It feels like you’re running for something, you’re excited and energetic. At the end of the day I’m a performer. I like to go out there and have fun and get people excited,” he said.

Canada’s reigning Olympic champion Andre de Grasse, who failed to make the 100m final, was a non-starter in his heat.

The Canadian struggled in the 100m, having only just returned from a second dose of COVID-19, but is holding out hope of being involved in the 4x100m relay.

TOKYO — Japan’s two-time Olympic figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu said he felt “no sadness” after retiring from competition aged 27 on Tuesday, bringing the curtain down on one of the sport’s most glittering careers.

The soft-spoken “Ice Prince” became the first man to win back-to-back Olympic titles in 66 years and is a national icon who is followed around the world by adoring fans.

But he said the time was right to bow out after finishing fourth at this year’s Beijing Games — where he struggled with injury — saying he was “not needed any more” in competitive skating.

“As far as competitions and results go, I think I have been able to take all the things I wanted to take,” Hanyu, dressed in a dark suit and bowing deeply as he took to the stage, told a packed press conference in Tokyo.

“I think I have grown in such a way that I don’t seek that kind of evaluation anymore,” he added.

Hanyu said he intends to keep his legion of “Fanyu” supporters happy by skating in exhibition shows, and made clear his discomfort with the idea of being considered retired.

He will no longer compete on the stage that made him one of figure skating’s all-time greats, however, adding that he would “never miss the tension of competition”.

“I’ll no longer be compared with other skaters as a competitor,” he said.

“I have no sadness. I want to continue to do my best.”

With his graceful skating style and delicate, boyish looks, Hanyu is an icon for his fans, who shower the ice with Winnie the Pooh toys after his routines.

He won his first Olympic singles title at the 2014 Sochi Games and overcame injury to retain his crown four years later in Pyeongchang.

He also won the world championships in 2014 and 2017 but he has been dogged by injury in recent years, including an ankle ligament problem that he had to overcome to win his second Olympic gold.

He was dethroned as Olympic champion in February in Beijing by rival Nathan Chen of the United States, tumbling during his routine and missing the podium.

‘Heavy burden’

Hanyu said he had considered retiring after the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018 but finally made up his mind after returning from Beijing.

“I thought about a lot of things at that time, and I thought I wasn’t needed anymore on this stage,” he said.

Hanyu will concentrate on skating in ice shows, where he will attempt to land the fabled quadruple axel jump that eluded him throughout his competitive career.

He said he would “work harder” so he could one day “land it successfully in front of everyone”.

Although his plans for the future are still “vague”, he said he wanted to “figure out ways to show people my skating in a way that’s more befitting of today’s age”.

“Ice shows tend to be considered something elegant and fun, but I want to remain more of an athlete,” he said.

“I want people to see me as I continue to fight.”

Hanyu is a national hero in Japan, where he became the youngest recipient of his country’s prestigious People’s Honour Award in 2018, and his every move is headline news.

But he still remains something of an enigma despite the huge attention, rarely granting interviews and having no social media presence.

He said he wanted to “continue learning”, adding that “being Yuzuru Hanyu is a heavy burden”.

AMMAN — Jordan’s national basketball team plays Iran on Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the FIBA Asia Cup, currently under way in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Jordan scored a dramatic half court buzzer-beater three pointer to beat Chinese Taipei 97-96 and move to the quarters. After they led for most of the game to as much as 11 points, Chinese Taipei were up by 9 points with just under one minute left at 91-82 and 95-91 with 9 second left. However, Jordan did not give up as, Freddy Ibrahim had his best day scoring 9 of his 19 points, including the game-winning buzzer-beater to eliminate Chinese Taipei and move to quarter-finals against Asian giants Iran, which beat Japan 88-76, overpowered Kazakhstan 96-60 and beat Syria 80-67.

Ibrahim’s shot will certainly go down in Jordan’s basketball memory, but should not certainly overshadow the gigantic effort from Dar Tucker, who scored 36 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Teammate Ahmad Al Dweiri had an impressive game with 20 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks.

“We didn’t give up. We were down by eight in the final minute, but we didn’t give up.” — Wisam Al Sous, Jordan head coach was quoted by FIBA Asia. “We believed in ourselves and players gave it their all. We beat our opponents at what they did best — a three pointer,” Sous, a star of the 2010 World Cup qualifying squad, added after the coach came under heavy fire from observers and fans for the team’s performance in World Cup qualifiers last month. 

In Round 1, Group A matches, Jordan lost 78-60 to titleholders Australia, before beating hosts Indonesia 74-65 and Saudi Arabia 74-64. The event, rescheduled from last year, saw China beat Indonesia 108-58 to move to the quarters against Lebanon. New Zealand beat Syria 97-58 on Tuesday advancing to play Korea in the quarters while Japan rolled over the Philippines 102-81 progressing to play titleholders Australia.

Teams eliminated so far, were Indonesia and Saudi Arabia Group A, Chinese Taipei and Bahrain from Group B, Kazakhstan from Group C and India from Group D.

It is Jordan’s 16th time at the FIBA Asia Cup with the Kingdoms best performance at the event, previously called FIBA Asia Championship, placing third in 2009 and runner-up in 2011 when it reached the final for the first time in the country’s history, but lost the chance of qualifying to the 2012 Olympic Games after losing the final 70-69 to China. Jordan then played the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) but lost to Puerto Rico and Greece and was eliminated.

Last month, Jordan played Window 3 of Asian qualifiers for FIBA’s 2023 World Cup, losing 89-70 to Lebanon in an under par performance before they beat Indonesia 77-52. After national sides played home and away games across three windows, Jordan finished second after Lebanon in Group C after they beat Saudi 68-61 and lost 72-64 in Window 1. In Window 2, Jordan beat Lebanon 74-63 and Indonesia 94-64.

Twelve teams advanced to Round 2, which will also have three windows running up to February 2023. Jordan will now play Round 2, joining New Zealand, Lebanon, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and India in Group E, while Group F includes Australia, Kazakhstan, China, Iran, Japan and Bahrain. The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 will take place from August 25 to September 10, 2023 with seven nations from Asia and Oceania qualifying for the 32 country field. As event hosts, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines automatically qualify. 

Jordan reached the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2010 and 2019, becoming the first and only Jordanian team to actually reach a World Cup in a team sport alongside the junior men’s team in 1995.

The tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where the top two teams from each of the Americas and Europe, and the top team from each of Africa, Asia and Oceania, will qualify alongside the tournament’s host France.

ST ANDREWS, Scotland — Rory McIlroy was left to wonder when he will end his wait to claim an elusive fifth major title after seeing the British Open slip from his grasp in a dramatic final round at St Andrews on Sunday.

The Northern Irishman had been in a share of the lead overnight alongside Norway’s Viktor Hovland and reached the turn in his fourth round in front on his own by a margin of two strokes.

A first major since 2014 seemed a certainty at that point and he went on to post a bogey-free 70 to finish on 18 under par for the week.

However, it was ultimately in vain as Cameron Smith surged away with a 64 to take the Claret Jug on 20-under.

“At the end of the day, it’s not life or death. I’ll have other chances to win the Open Championship and other chances to win majors,” McIlroy insisted.

“It’s one that I feel like I let slip away, but there will be other opportunities.”

While Smith went on a remarkable run of five straight birdies from the 10th on Sunday, McIlroy saw a series of birdie putts come up agonisingly short or just miss.

He ended up having to settle for third place after also seeing Cameron Young climb above him to finish as the runner-up and take half a million dollars more in prize money.

“I’ll rue a few missed putts that slid by. But it’s been a good week overall,” McIlroy insisted.

“I can’t be too despondent because of how this year has gone. I’m playing some of the best golf I’ve played in a long time. So it’s just a matter of keeping knocking on the door, and eventually one will open.”

The 33-year-old had arrived in St Andrews as the favourite, in part because of his status but also because of his superb form this year.

McIlroy was the runner-up behind Scottie Scheffler in the Masters in April, came eighth at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in May, and then tied fifth at last month’s US Open.

He also won the Canadian Open just before heading to Brookline.

There is a strong case to say that McIlroy has been the most consistent player anywhere this year, even if he fell just short in the majors.

‘Keep believing’

“I’ve just got to keep putting myself in position, keep putting myself in there. And whenever you put yourself in that shining light, you’re going to have to deal with setbacks and deal with failures,” he said after coming off the Old Course on Sunday.

“Today is one of those times. But I just have to dust myself off and come again and keep working hard and keep believing.”

He appeared unstoppable in the early years of his career, when he romped to victory in the US Open in 2011, cruised to victory in the PGA Championship the following year and then won the British Open at Hoylake in 2014 before adding another PGA title a few weeks later.

Incredibly, his major drought since then is going to extend into a ninth year, although he has now had nine top-five finishes in majors in the intervening period.

“I’ve been close and I keep knocking on the door. I can’t get too down on myself because the game is there. It’s just a matter of staying patient,” he said.

There is sure to be an adrenaline comedown after this week, and with the major season now over for 2022, McIlroy plans a short break before the FedEx Cup playoffs next month, starting with the St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee.

“I’ve got three weeks off. I’m not going to play again until the first playoff event in Memphis,” he said.

“I’ve got a bit of time to rest and recover and try to take the positives, learn from the negatives, and move on.

“It’s one of the best seasons I’ve had in a long time. I want to finish the season off well.

“There’s still some golf to play. Major season is over unfortunately, but I still feel like there’s a little bit to play for.”

EUGENE, Oregon — To maintain a track career at the top of one’s game demands raw ability, good coaching and a drive that supersedes all.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has that in spades and on Sunday once again demonstrated her steely desire and sprinting prowess as she bagged a record fifth world women’s 100m title.

“The secret behind my success is that I am a competitor, I love to compete and I believe God has given me a gift,” said the 35-year-old.

At Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, she raced home in her trademark dyed flowing locks in a championship record of 10.67 seconds.

Teammate Shericka Jackson took silver in a personal best of 10.73sec, with four-time Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah claiming bronze (10.81).

What stands out is Fraser-Pryce’s winning time: that is to say that at the age of 35, she bagged a fifth gold in a faster time than when she was won in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2019.

No matter how you look at it, that is an astonishing accomplishment.

“I somehow feel special,” she said. “I always want to compete and show the work that I have been doing.

“I’m hard-working, keen, driven and always hungry to do more.

“It’s special, it’s my fifth world title in the 100m, and doing it at 35, yes I said 35!

“A lot of times people talk about my age or being a mother, but I think of it as part of the journey in life.

“And instead of thinking of it as something that will negatively affect me, I look at it as a positive experience.”

With her sights now firmly set on the women’s 200m, Fraser-Pryce fired out a warning shot to rivals as she eyed a sprint double.

“I definitely believe I can run faster and once I have that belief I’m not going to stop until I do it,” the Jamaican said.

‘Trusted myself’

“I’ve always just trusted myself and my coach and believed in my abilities and once I’m healthy I’m always going to compete.”

Fraser-Pryce said predictions of the Jamaican sweep had been well founded.

“It was definitely something on the cards!” she said. “I’m glad I was the one who finished first in the sweep and I’m glad the other ladies came through and we were able to celebrate the 1-2-3.”

It was the first time a nation had swept the medals in the women’s 100m at the worlds.

“This is the third 1-2-3 that I’ve been a part of and I’m so excited. Today I was able to come away with the win.

“I feel blessed to have this talent and to continue to do it at 35, having a baby, still going, and hopefully inspiring women that they can make their own journey.”

One of the first athletes to congratulate Fraser-Pryce was American Allyson Felix, who bowed out of competition with a 19th world medal, a bronze, in the 4x400 mixed relay in Eugene.

“35 years old! A mother! 10.67! 5th world title! Yessss @realshellyannfp it’s your night!!!” tweeted Felix, a leading advocate for female athletes’ rights.

Fraser-Pryce reacted by saying she was “just hoping that I’ll add to inspiration like Allyson to show women that you can have success after 30, you’re not limited by anything.

“And I know especially for shoe companies, they like to think that when women reach a certain age, they want to discard them, but I’m grateful that I’m showing women that it can be done.”

There will now be a more subdued celebration for Fraser-Pryce with her family, who shy away from the razzmatazz of the blue riband event of track and field.

“My husband and my son were in the stands, but funnily enough they don’t really like the spotlight so they sit all the way up the top to not have anyone see them.”

EUGENE, Oregon — American Fred Kerley led a US cleansweep as he stormed to victory in the men’s 100m at the World Championships in Oregon on Saturday.

Kerley, in lane four, trailed Marvin Bracy for 95 metres of the tight race, but managed to outdip his teammate for victory in 9.86 seconds at Eugene’s Hayward Field.

Bracy took silver in 9.88sec, Trayvon Bromell claiming bronze in the same time for a third-ever 100m world championship cleansweep for the United States after 1983 and 1991.

The fourth of the strong US quartet, Christian Coleman, the reigning world champion from Doha in 2019 who was banned from the Tokyo Olympics for missing three doping tests, finished sixth (10.01) despite an electric start.

“We said we were going to do it and we did! USA, baby!” Olympic silver medallist Kerley said to roars of approval and applause from a partisan home crowd.

“I didn’t know until I looked up and saw the clock with my name ‘Fred Kerley’ on it,” added Kerley, whose path to gold was made easier by the withdrawal of Italy’s Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs earlier Saturday.

“It means a lot and I’ve done something not many 400m runners have done,” Kerley said, adding: “I know today opened up many doors for me. The future is bright for me.”

The last US cleansweep featured Carl Lewis, Leroy Burrell and Dennis Mitchell, something not lost on the modest Kerley or silver medallist Bracy.

“It’s amazing to be among the great, they did it in 1991, we did in 2022,” Bracy said.

“This is history, to be part of something that has only happened three times ever just means the world to me.”

Bracy, meanwhile, paid tribute to Kerley’s remarkable versatility. The 27-year-old started his career as a 400m specialist before switching down to the shorter 100m.

“The guy’s special, he’s a rare talent to be able to do all three events, his range is limitless. He might do 800m next year, we don’t know!

“He’s a special cat, amongst an elite group of people like the [Usain] Bolts the Wayde van Niekerks.”

Kerley has now set his sights on the 200m starting on Monday, and is also not ruling out runs in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

“If the coach allows me!” Kerley told reporters.

Late-charging Kerley

It was far from plain sailing for the in-form Kerley, who set out his stall with a heat-winning 9.79sec on Friday, as all the sprinters got off to a good start.

Bracy and Coleman looked like they might deprive Kerley of a gold many had predicted he would win.

But they hadn’t counted on his savage finishing skills, the former 400m runner showing all his strength at the line. Bromell also left it late to sneak onto the podium from lane eight.

As the crowd realised it was a US cleansweep, chants of “U-S-A” rang out and flags brandished.

Jamaica’s Oblique Seville finished fourth in 9.97sec, just ahead of South African Akani Simbine, who was clocked at 10.01 like Coleman in sixth.

Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown and Canada’s Aaron Brown were seventh and eighth, in 10.06 and 10.07sec respectively.

Failing to advance from the semifinals to the final were Canada’s Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse, also a two-time 100m bronze medallist, and 2011 world champion Yohan Blake of Jamaica.

The build-up to the final was rocked by the decision of Olympic champion Jacobs to withdraw just hours before the semifinals with tightness in his right thigh.

Italian team doctor Andrea Billi said that evaluation of the contraction had found a “clinical picture that can put muscle integrity at risk and lead to injury”.

Jacobs, who pulled off one of the shocks of the Tokyo Olympics last year when he stormed to victory in the 100m in 9.80sec, was crowned world indoor 60m champion in Belgrade in March but has struggled with injury since.

“I am a fighter and this is why I decided to be in Eugene,” he tweeted, saying it had been a “painful choice, I am forced to stop”.