Athletics. McLaughlin’s world record, Norman’s coronation, Lavillenie in the final… what to remember from the night of the Worlds

Laughlin, thirst for titles…and records

The American Sydney McLaughlin, reigning Olympic champion, was crowned world champion in the 400m hurdles by pulverizing the world record already in her possession, in 50’68”.

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The 22-year-old is the fourth time McLaughlin has broken the 400m hurdles world record in just over a year. She subtracted more than seven tenths at the end of this world final (previous record at 51’41”). The American sprinter won ahead of the Dutch Femke Bol (52’27”) and another American, Dalilah Muhammad (53’13”).

Norman washes away his disappointment in Tokyo

Fourth at the Tokyo Games last year, American Michael Norman won the 400m at the Worlds. He won his first international individual medal on home soil.

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In 44’29”, Norman beat Grenadian Kirani James 44’48” and Briton Matthew Hudson-Smith 44’66”. The South African Wayde Van Niekerk, who shares with Norman and Fred Kerley the specificity of having already run both a 100m in less than 10”, a 200m in less than 20” and a 400m in less than 44′ ‘, only finished 5th in this final, with a time of 44”97.

First world title for Miller-Uibo

Among the women, it was Shaunae Miller-Uibo who won the title of world champion on the lap. After silver in the lap in 2015 and 2019 and bronze in the 200m in 2017, the Bahamian has finally won world gold.

In 49”11, the best world time of the year, Miller-Uibo beat the Dominican Marileidy Paulino (49”60) and the sprinter from Barbados Sada Williams (49”75). Paulino (25), already second behind Miller-Uibo at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, took silver again, a week after his victory in Eugene with the Dominican Republic’s mixed 4x400m relay.

Barber keeps javelin gold

Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber retained the world gold in the javelin throw ahead of American Kara Winger and Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi.
Barber, 30 and an Olympic bronze medalist a year ago in Tokyo, won with a best throw of 66.91m. Winger threw her javelin at 64.05m and Kitaguchi at 63.27m.

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The reigning Olympic champion, the Chinese Liu Shiying, finished at the foot of the world podium (63.25). Arriving in Eugene with the best performance in the world of the season (65.73 m), the American Maggie Malone had not made the qualifying cut.

Lavillenie, the only French survivor on the pole vault

Renaud Lavillenie is the only one of the three French pole vaulters entered to qualify for the final on Friday, where the big Swedish favorite Armand Duplantis went through the qualifications in complete serenity. Lavillenie fought to cross 5.65 m, his entry bar, on the third and last try, before going 5.75 m on the second.

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His younger brother Valentin, injured in the left leg a month ago at the French Championships in Caen, did not cross any bar (three failures at 5.50 m). And the French champion Thibaut Collet failed three times at 5.75m, ultimately the height at which qualification for the final was decided.

The French men’s 4x100m in the final

The French men’s 4×100 m relay qualified for the final. Composed of Méba-Mickaël Zézé, Pablo Mateo, Ryan Zézé and Jimmy Vicaut, the blue relay (38”09) won the second series ahead of Canada (38”10). Only the United States, with a quartet made up of Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Elijah Hall and Marvin Bracy, were faster in 37.87.

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“We’ve wanted to run so fast for a very long time and win a race, it’s good for confidence,” commented Méba-Mickaël Zézé. We hope to do the same thing again (in the final). We transcend more. » Final scheduled for Saturday evening (04:50 in the night from Saturday to Sunday French time).

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