Dina Asher-Smith wins 200m gold
DOHA, October 03, 2019- Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain stormed to gold in the 200m at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha on Wednesday.
Asher-Smith, running in lane seven at the Khalifa International Stadium track, had a clear advantage over her rivals at the straight, and the 23-year-old European champion just sprinted away to glory in 21.88, in a new personal best.
American Brittany Brown won silver in 22.22 while Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland finished strongly to take bronze, also in 22.22.
But the race was all about Asher-Smith, who won her first Olympic or world title after settling for silver in the 100m, behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
In women's 5000m, defending champion Kenya's Hellen Obiri entered the final in 14:52.13. Karissa Schweizer of the US also moved into the final with a personal best of 14:52.41, but Obiri would be the overwhelming favourite in Saturday's final.
In the men's 400m, where there was no world champion Wayde Van Niekerk, Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas, Fred Kerley of the US and Kirani James of Granada all moved into the final, but Michael Norman of the US, one of the favourites, finished a disappointing seventh (45.94) in third semifinal heat.
“I had a great warm-up, felt good, but did not balance the things for a while. It was a very rocky season. My body has given me a sign. It is kind of devastating to come out here, work for 330 days and make it to the final. It has been a bit up and down for a while. I am very disappointed," said Norman, who was the man in form.
Dalilah Muhammad of the US, meanwhile, was in a class of her own as she strolled into the final of the women's 400 hurdles with a time of 53.91.
Compatriot Sydney McLaughlin, the world U20 record holder, is also in top form and won her semifinal in 53.81 to make Friday's final an eagerly-awaited clash.
Earlier, in the women's 1500m, Sifan Hassan, who won gold in the 10000m, marched into the semifnal. Hassan, who was coached by Alberto Salazar at the Nike-backed Oregon Project, had earlier said she was shocked with the American's doping ban.
“I am shocked to receive the news of today's ruling, especially during this time in which I am fully preparing for my next race in the world championships in Doha. I like to state that this investigation is focused on the period before I joined the Oregon Project and therefore has no relation to me," said Hassan in a statement.
Khalid Rashed Al Marri, Executive Director of the Qatar Athletics Federation said that Qatar's Abdulrahman Saeed will participate in Men's 1500m heads on Thursday.
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