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KENYA’S Faith Kipyegon won a historic third world 1 500m gold on Tuesday and although Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim missed out on a fourth crown, he became the first man to win five medals in the event.
Kipyegon produced an imperious front-running performance to add to her 2017 and 2022 titles, her face creasing in joy as realisation of her feat struck home.
Sifan Hassan never landed a punch and once again, as at the Tokyo Olympics, had to make do with bronze. For Kipyegon (29) it crowned an annus mirabilis having already broken three world records.
“I told myself, ‘You are the strongest and just keep going’,” said Kipyegon.
“I was chasing history today and I was chasing this title. I have done it.”
Barshim tried to rouse the crowd at the National Athletics Centre as he went for his third and final attempt at 2.36m as the women’s 1500m final reached its final stages.
But just as the women’s race was a bit flat due to Kipyegon’s sublime brilliance so Barshim’s challenge for a fourth successive world crown ended as a damp squib, the Qatari bowing out at 2.33m.
He took bronze while victory instead went to the man with whom he shared Olympic gold in Tokyo, Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi (2.36m).
“I consider this bronze as history,” Barshim told AFP.
“In any competition, our ambition is gold and victory, but this is sport.” – SuperSport
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter