During one week we have been enjoying some great athletes and sports in the 2015 IIAF World Championships in Beijing, China. Now the time has come to summarize the championships. Kenya won the medal race with 7 gold medals, 6 silver and 3 bronze. Usain Bo.. uhm.. Jamaica, got in second place with 7 golds, 2 silvers and 3 bronze. Canada won 2 golds, 3 silvers and 3 bronze. No medals for Sweden this year, as we are into a generation swtich. Beforehand, much of the up talk was about the duel between Jamaican world record holder at 100 and 200 metres, Usain Bolt, and American sprinter and world leader Justin Gatlin. In a sport which has been plagued by numerous doping suspensions, Bolt was seen as the saviour in an all-to-dirty start-up field. He came, and he sure saved us!
Usain Bolt 3-0 Justin Gatlin
To make a long story short: Current world record holder in 100 and 200 metres, Usain Bolt, have had a year filled with injuries and took a late decision that he should participate in the 2015 World Championships. In the events before the championships we had to watch finals in 100 metres with many athletes that had a history of doping suspensions which many thought was upsetting and gave the sport a bad reputation. When Bolt said he was to participate in Beijing, many of us saw him as the sports saviour. The question was: could he match the world leader with his current form?
In the 100 metres final, Bolt gave us an answer. He reached the final without convincing, trembling in the semi final while Gatlin had an easy ride. However, in the final, both runners got a good start and this time it was Gatlin who did the trembling, with 5 metres to go. Bolt won 1/100 of a second, before Gatlin, winner time 9:79.
Both Bolt and Gatlin got a smooth ride to the final in 200 metres. However, if we talked about rounds before the championship, Bolt won on knock out this time. After the first half, the runners were side by side into the curve. Out of the curve there were only one man left: Usain Bolt. He won laughing, winner time a modest 19:55. This can be compared to his world record from 2009: 19,19. However, after the race, Bolt said he was aiming to go under 19 in the 2016 Olympic games in Brazil. We are looking forward to follow the sprinters during this year between the championships.
The third race in which Bolt and Gatlin met was the 4×100 metres relay. Jamaica and USA were favourites. USA had no less than four participants from the 100 metres final and Jamaica had two. After the race was over, USA had been disqualified for failing the final handover and once again, Usain Bolt crossed the finish line with a gold medal. China won the silver and Canada the bronze medal.
Mohamed “Mo” Farah x 2
In the 2012 London Olympics, Mo Farah won the gold at home in 5000 and 10 000 metres. Before the 2015 Beijing Championships, he was plagued by doping rumors that surrounded his coach. The question was: would he be able to focus enough to go for two new gold medals? The answers came late in both races. In 10 000 metres, he trembled with one lap to go. But he did a late surge, ensuring the win. As did he in 5000 metres. With two laps to go, a Kenyan runner took his chance, going for the gold, gaining a few meters advantage on Farah. However, with 200 metres to go of the 5000 metres final, Farah brought that little extra that only he can do, which decides these types of races. He passed the Kenyan, winning another gold. We are looking forward to follow Mo Farah in the 2016 Olympics of course, but especially in the IAAF World Championships in London 2017. Will he be able to win two new medals at home? Time will tell!
Other highlights
- Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic was back after injury. She got a silver medal in these championships and were clearly touched afterwards.
- The gold medal in the men’s high jump went to Canada’s Derek Drouin. It took a jump off between three jumpers to divide the medals.
- Katharina Molitor won the gold medal in javelin throw with the last throw of the competition. She pushed China’s leading Lyu Huihui down to a silver spot.
- Swedish 22-year old pole vaulter, Angelica Bengtsson, placed fourth with a new nation record (4m70cm)
Now we are looking forward to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil and the 2017 World Championships in London!
