The world’s best track and field athletes are in Doha, Qatar, for the 2019 IAAF World Championships. The biennial event is the most prestigious meet the sport has outside of the Olympic Games. This year’s edition takes place over 10 days, from September 27 to October 6.
Check back here for all the latest results from the key events each day.
How to Watch Full Results Schedule
- October 5
- October 4
- October 3
- October 2
- October 1
- September 30
- September 29
- September 28
- September 27
Sunday, October 6
U.S. Sweeps 4x400-Meter Relays
In the final events of the IAAF World Championships, the 4x400-meter relays, the U.S. combined the best of its 400 and 400-meter hurdle runners and produced two dominant victories.
In the women’s race, Phyllis Francis, who was fifth in the women’s open 400 meters on Thursday, established a lead early on. She handed off to Sydney McLaughlin, who earned silver in the 400-meter hurdles on Friday. By then the U.S. had an insurmountable gap on the field. McLaughlin handed off to Dalilah Muhammad, who set a world record in the 400-meter hurdles on Friday, and Muhammad opened up even further before giving the baton to Wadeline Jonathas (who was fourth in Thursday’s 400 meters) for the anchor leg.
The time was 3:18.92, nearly 3 full seconds ahead of second-place Poland in 3:21.89. Jamaica was third in 3:23.02.
The men’s squad was not quite as dominant, but the result was the same: a gold medal. Fred Kerley, who won bronze in the 400 meters on Friday, led off. He gave the baton to Michael Cherry, who had already won a gold medal in the mixed 4x400-meter relay. Wilbert London ran the third leg, and he withstood a brief challenge as Jamaica’s third runner pulled even at the 200-meter mark. London held his ground and handed off to Rai Benjamin for the anchor leg. Benjamin, already a silver medalist at these championships in the 400-meter hurdles, brought the team across the line in 2:56.69. Jamaica took silver in 2:57.90, and Belgium won bronze in 2:58.78.
Women’s 100-Meter Hurdles - Finals
Nia Ali and Kendra Harrison of the U.S. finished first and second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Ali’s time, 12.34, was a personal best. Harrison ran a season best of 12.46 and earned silver by 0.01 seconds over Danielle Williams of Jamaica.
After the race, Ali, 30, took a victory lap with her two young children. She’s the latest in a series of mothers—like 400-meter runner Allyson Felix and 100-meter world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica—to return from childbirth and reach the sport’s highest levels.
Men’s 10,000 Meters - Finals
Joshua Cheptegei, 23, of Uganda, who was second in the world championships 10,000 behind Mo Farah two years ago, got his gold medal in 2019 thanks to a last-lap sprint.
Cheptegei’s winning time, 26.48.36, was the fastest in the world this year. Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, who trains with the Nike Oregon Project and earlier this year set the indoor mile world record of 3:47.01, could not quite summon that miler’s speed after 24 hard laps of the track. He was second in 26:49.34. Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya won bronze in 26:50.32.
Mo Ahmed of Canada, who trains with the Bowerman Track Club and had already won a bronze medal at these championships in the 5,000 meters, was with the lead group but fell back in the final two laps to finish sixth. His time, 26:59.35, was a Canadian record. His training partner, American Lopez Lomong, was seventh in 27:04.72, a personal best by 25 seconds.
Lomong, 34, continues to inspire with his life story. He escaped civil war in Sudan as a child, and in recent years has worked on humanitarian projects to help Sudan and Kenya. After he nearly gave up running because of injuries, he has found a second wind in the 10,000 meters. Other Americans in the race included Shadrack Kipchirchir, who was 10th in 27:24.74, and Leonard Korir, 13th in 28:05.73.
Men’s 1500 Meters - Finals
Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya, who has been dominant in the 1500 meters for most of the past two years, took the lead from the opening steps of the race. By 200 meters, he had opened up a gap on the field, and he split 55.01 seconds for the opening 400 meters, ahead of world record pace.
Only his countryman, Ronald Kwemoi, tried to keep with 23-year-old Cheruiyot, but after two and a half laps, Kwemoi faded back to the field. Cheruiyot’s lead was two and a half seconds after 1200 meters. Although the chase pack closed the gap slightly, Cheruiyot was never challenged and won in 3:29.26. Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria won silver in 3:31.38, and Marcin Lewandowski of Poland was the bronze medalist in 3:31.46, a national record.
The Americans in the final, Olympic gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz and Craig Engels, who won the U.S. championships in July, never threatened for a medal down the stretch. Centrowitz finished eighth in 3:32.81, and Engels was 10th in 3:34.24.
Saturday, October 5
Men’s Marathon: Lelisa Desisa Earns First World Championship Gold
For the first time in his career, Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia earned world championship gold. In a perfectly timed sprint to the finish, the two-time Boston champion and 2018 New York City Marathon champion broke the tape in a winning time of 2:10:40.
The performance marked his first world championship gold in the marathon after finishing seventh in 2015 and earning a silver medal in 2013.
“This is not for me, it’s for 100 million Ethiopians and they are very happy,” Desisa told Runner’s World. “We got only one gold medal in Ethiopia so far and I am the second man this world championship. It’s a special medal for me, but also for my country.”
His Ethiopian teammate Mosinet Geremew followed for silver in 2:10:44 and Amos Kipruto of Kenya closed for bronze in 2:10:51. Callum Hawkins of Great Britain finished fourth overall.
With 90-degree temperatures and 40 percent humidity, the men’s marathon field enjoyed slightly cooler temperatures compared to the women’s marathon contested one week earlier.
The race started with early leader Derlys Ayala of Paraguay setting a fast pace. He left his competition far behind in the early miles of the race. The marathoner who recently ran a personal best of 2:10:27 at the Buenos Aires Marathon on September 22, led the field through 5K in 15:06, one minute ahead of the rest of the field. He continued on with a 10K split of 30:40, maintaining his 60-second lead.
Between 15K and 20K, the chase pack–Zersenay Tadese, Desisa, Geoffrey Kirui, Geremew, Stephen Mokoka, and Kipruto–started to close the gap on Ayala. By 20K, Ayala only led by six seconds with a split of 1:02:38. Around the 21K mark, Tadese led the group past Ayala into a half marathon split of 1:05:56. Shortly after, Ayala dropped out of the competition, exhausted from the fast, solo effort in the 90-degree heat.
Despite a surge from Tadese after the halfway point, Kirui eventually took over up front around 25K. The Kenyan competitor led the top pack of seven through a split of 1:17:38.
Around 27K, Tadese shot to the front again, but a pack of six men remained one step behind him. Kirui, Kipruto, Geremew, Mokoko, and Desisa trailed behind the leader from Ethiopia. At this point in the race, several notable runners dropped out, including Mule Wasihun of Ethiopia, Solomon Mutai of Uganda, and Polat Arikan of Turkey. Two-time Paris Marathon champion Paul Lonyangata of Kenya also walked off the course.
After 30K, which Tadese led in 1:33.13, the top group started to shrink. Tadese fell off the pace slightly and Kirui dropped back, leaving Mokoka to lead a group of four up front.
In the last 10K of the race, the top group was down to Kipruto, Desisa, Geremew, Mokoka, and Tadese, who fought his way back into contention.
With a half lap to go, Tadese fell back once again from the top group. At this point in the race, the podium spots were up to Desisa, Geremew, Mokoka, and Kipruto. At the same time, Hawkins fought his way up towards the top group on the last lap and closed a significant gap to catch the four competitors.
After clawing his way up to the top group, Hawkins led the pack through the 40K mark in 2:04:24. With the addition of Hawkins who injected a faster pace, Mokoko dropped off the lead pack.
“When I was reeling them in, I knew that was my pace and if it came to a sprint finish, I didn’t think I’d have it,” Hawkins said. “I only got rid of one, not three.”
At 41K, Desisa started to push ahead with Kipruto and Geremew on his shoulders, but Hawkins couldn’t match the move.
Shortly after, Desisa and Geremew pulled away from Kipruto to lead an Ethiopian 1-2 sweep. With 200 meters to go, Desisa sprinted ahead to earn world championship gold.
“It’s a proud day for Ethiopia to bring gold and silver,” Desisa said. “It’s not easy.”
Desisa, who prepared for Doha by training in the heat in Addis, Ethiopia, is scheduled to compete at the 2019 New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 3.
“After one week (of recovery) I will try and if I’m okay, then I will go there,” Desisa said of his attempt to defend his New York City Marathon title.
Of the American competitors, the first athlete to cross the finish line was Ahmed Osman who finished 23rd overall in 2:16:22. Elkanah Kibet finished 38th in 2:19:33 and Andrew Epperson finished 46th in 2:23:11.
Team USA Wins 4x100-Meter Relay, Sets American Record
Team USA put together an unbeatable combination of runners to win gold and break the American record in the men’s 4x100-meter relay.
Led off by 100-meter champion Christian Coleman who handed off to three-time world champion Justin Gatlin, the team gained momentum over the competition on the backstretch. Gatlin passed the baton to Michael Rodgers, who handed off to anchor leg Noah Lyles. The 200-meter world champion brought the relay into the finish line in 37.10, an American record by less than a second.
Behind the Americans, Great Britain earned silver in 37.36 and Japan took bronze in 37.36. In the process, Great Britain and Japan both broke their respective national records.
Sifan Hassan Makes History With 1500-Meter Gold
Sifan Hassan accomplished an unprecedented double when she won the women’s 1500-meter final in a championship record time of 3:51.95. The Dutch runner won the middle distance final just one week after winning the 10,000-meter final at the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar. Read more about Hassan’s record victory here.
Behind Hassan, Faith Kipyegon came back from maternity leave to run a Kenyan national record of 3:54.22. Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia ran a personal best of 3:54.38, and Shelby Houlihan broke the American record on her way to finishing fourth overall in 3:54.99. The Bowerman Track Club standout shattered the previous American record of 3:56.29 set by Shannon Rowbury in 2015.
The rest of the American competitors were unable to hold the lead pack’s pace. 2011 world champion Jenny Simpson finished eighth in 3:58.42, while Nikki Hiltz finished 12th in her first world championship final.
Jamaica Triumphs in Women’s 4x100-Meter Relay
After finishing third at the 2017 world championships, Jamaica returned to secure the gold in Doha. The team of Natalliah Whyte, 100-meter world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jonielle Smith, and anchor Shericka Jackson secured a winning time of 41.44.
Behind Jamaica, runner-up Great Britain earned silver in 41.85. The British team included 200-meter world champion Dina Asher-Smith on the backstretch, who contributed to the finishing time of 41.85.
Team USA, which was comprised of Dezerea Bryant, Teahna Daniels, Morolake Akinosun, and Kiara Parker, took bronze with an overall time of 42.10.
Hellen Obiri Defends Her 5,000-Meter World Championship Title
Leading for the majority of the race, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri successfully defended her 5,000-meter world championship title. In a winning time of 14:26.72, Obiri broke the championship record and earned her fourth world championship gold medal.
While Obiri broke the field with a 58-second last lap, Kenyan teammate Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi and Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany earned spots on the podium with second and third-place finishes, respectively. Kipkemboi finished in a personal best of 14:27.49 while Klosterhalfen finished one second behind her in 14:28.43.
The fast race launched 11 of the 15 competitors to personal best performances, including Karissa Schweizer and Elle Purrie. Schweizer ran her second personal best of the meet, finishing ninth in 14:45.18. Only four U.S. athletes—Shelby Houlihan, Shannon Rowbury, Molly Huddle, and Shalane Flanagan—have run faster 5,000-meter times than Schweizer did in Doha. Purrier placed 11th in 14:58.17, breaking the 15-minute barrier for the first time.
Women’s 4x400-meter relay (heats)
In the first round of the relay, the team of Jessica Beard, Allyson Felix, Kendall Ellis, and Courtney Okolo put Team USA at the top of the world rankings. Anchored by Okolo, who received a sizable lead from her teammates, the Americans won heat two in 3:22.96, two seconds ahead of runner-up Great Britain.
Felix ran the 4x400-meter relay just six days after winning gold as part of the Team USA mixed-gender relay. In the process, she earned her 12th gold medal at the world championships, which broke Usain Bolt’s record for the most gold medals of any athlete at the world championships.
In the first heat, Jamaica won in a time of 3:23.64 to safely advance to the final. Behind the Jamaicans, Poland and Canada automatically advanced with second and third-place finishes, respectively. The final will be run at 2:15 p.m. EST on Sunday, October 6.
Women’s 100-meter hurdles (heats)
The biggest surprise to come out of the first round of the hurdles was 2016 Olympic champion Brianna McNeal being disqualified for a false start. The American hurdler was about to run heat two when she was disqualified for jumping the gun. Luminosa Bogliolo went on to win the heat in 12.80.
Olympic silver medalist Nia Ali of the U.S. safely advanced to the semifinal when she won heat one in 12.59. Fellow Team USA standout and world record-holder Keni Harrison did the same when she won heat four in 12.55.
The fastest time of the day was run by Tobi Amusan of Nigeria who clocked a personal best of 12.48—the fourth-fastest time run in the world this year—to win the last section.
Friday, October 4
Men’s 400-Meter Final: Steven Gardiner Wins Gold for Bahamas, Breaks National Record
Two years after earning silver in London, Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas finally earned gold at the world championship, and he did it with a national record.
In 43.48 seconds, Gardiner sprinted to victory as the sixth fastest 400-meter runner in history. Behind Gardiner, Anthony José Zambrano of Columbia found another gear out of lane eight to finish second in 44.15. American and Diamond League champion Fred Kerley, who ran the second-fastest time in the world prior to Doha, faded to third in 44.17.
The performance marks Kerley’s first individual world championship medal. He has a silver medal as a member of the 4x400-meter relay at the 2018 world indoor championships and a silver medal from the 4x400 at the 2017 world championships in London.
Men’s Steeplechase Final: Conseslus Kipruto Defends World Championship Title
In a finish that was almost too close to call, the defending world and Olympic champion continued his reign over the steeplechase. Coming back from a series of injuries, Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya out-leaned Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia for the victory in a winning time of 8:01.35, just 0.01 seconds faster than his east African rival. The mark was the second-fastest winning time ever run at a world championship.
Behind the sprint between Kipruto and Girma, Soufiane El Bakkali finished third in 8:03.76.
From the gun, Ethiopian teammates Girma, Getnet Wale, and Chala Beyo established the quick early pace in an attempt to out-run Kipruto, who remained on their heels. The Ethiopians exchanged leads throughout the race, even jumping to the front immediately once Kipruto attempted to lead with two laps remaining. By the bell lap, the top group of Kipruto, Girma, El Bakkali, Wale, and Djilali Bedrani of France were all in contention. With a swift move to the front at 200 meters, Girma attempted to run away from the field, but Kipruto chased him down and ultimately caught and passed him with a lean at the line.
Kipruto’s performance marks his second world championship gold medal and fifth global medal of his career.
Of the American competitors, Hillary Bor finished the highest with an eighth-place showing. Stanley Kebenei finished 10th, and Andrew Bayer closed for 12th overall.
Muhammad Triumphs in the 400-Meter Hurdles
Dalilah Muhammad accomplished the ultimate championship performance in the women’s 400-meter hurdles final. The American standout broke her own world record and earned her first world championship gold medal in a winning time of 52.16.
Closing hard, fellow American competitor Sydney McLaughlin finished behind her in a personal best of 52.23. Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton also ran a personal best on her way to a third-place finish in 53.74.
Muhammad’s record-breaking victory ends a historic season on the track. She broke the previous 16-year-old world record while winning the USATF Outdoor Championships in July. Prior to Doha, Muhammad earned gold at the 2016 Olympic Games and silver at the 2013 and 2017 IAAF world championships. Today’s performance marks Muhammad’s first ever world championship gold.
Men’s 1500 meters (semifinal)
In the first heat of the men’s 1500-meter semifinal, Timothy Cheruiyot took control of the race. The Kenyan standout led from the gun all the way into the finish line with a winning time of 3:36.53. Less than a second behind the 2017 silver medalist, 2012 Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi, Neil Gourley of Great Britain, American Craig Engels, and Kalle Berglund of Sweden sprinted for a blanket finish across the line to take the remaining five automatic spots into the final.
The second heat was slightly faster and kept the crowd on its toes with a sprint to the finish on the homestretch. The late charge was led by Marcin Lewandowski of Poland, who won the heat in 3:36.50. After leading the majority of the race, Kenyan Ronald Kwemoi finished second in 3:36.53. Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway closed for third, Josh Kerr of Great Britain finished fourth, Youssouf Hiss Bachir finished fifth, and 2016 Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz finished sixth and advanced to the final based on time.
Of the U.S. competitors, Engels and Centrowitz earned a place in the final. Ben Blankenship was the first runner out of contention based on his time in the first heat.
The final will be run at 12:40 p.m. EST on Sunday, October 6.
Women’s 4x100-meter relay (first round)
The Americans dominated the first of two heats for the women’s 4x100-meter relay. The squad of Dezerea Bryant, Teahna Daniels, Morolake Akinosun, and Kiara Parker combined to run 42.46, well ahead of runner-up Trinidad and Tobago and third-place finishers Switzerland. All three teams automatically advanced to the final.
The Jamaicans followed up Team USA’s win with a heat two victory in 42.11, the fastest time of the day. Led off by Natalliah Whyte, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Jonielle Smith, and finished by Natasha Morrison, the Jamaicans ran a season’s best mark ahead of runner-up Great Britain and China, who finished third. The teams who qualified for the final based on time were Germany and Italy
The final will be run at 3:05 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 5.
Thursday, October 3
Women’s 1500 meters (semifinals)
All of the top contenders advanced to what should be a fascinating final on Saturday.
The first of the two heats was absolutely loaded, with mile record-holder Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, reigning world and Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, and U.S. champion Shelby Houlihan among those vying for only five automatic qualifying spots.
The race started at a crawl, with the first two laps covered at 5:00 mile pace. When the racing began, Hassan covered the last lap in 58 seconds, moving from last to first to win in 4:14.69. Houlihan and Kipyegon also sprinted well, placing second and fourth, respectively. Hassan, who won the 10,000 on Saturday, is now one race removed from taking an unprecedented 1500/10K double.
The second heat was fast from the start, with the first lap covered at sub-4:20 mile pace. The women knew that the two time qualifiers for the final would come from it, so finishing in the top seven was the goal.
American stalwart Jenny Simpson won in 4:00.99. Her teammate Nikki Hiltz continued her breakthrough season, nabbing the final qualifying spot with a personal best of 4:01.52 in seventh place. Great Britain’s Laura Muir showed no signs of the calf injury that kept her away from racing since July. She placed third in 4:01.05, and should be considered a medal contender on Saturday.
Salwa Eid Naser Flies to First World Title in 400 Meters
Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain led one of the deepest women’s 400s in history to win in 48.14. Reigning Olympic champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas took silver in 48.37, while Sherika Jackson of Jamaica was third in 49.47.
In all, the first five women set personal bests, including Americans Wadeline Jonathas, who was fourth in 49.60, and Phyllis Francis, fifth in 49.61. Francis ran faster in today’s race than she did when she won the world title two years ago.
Eid Naser, the silver medalist in 2017, took off with her usual aggression and was never challenged. She is now the third fastest woman in history over 400 meters.
Men’s 1500 meters (heats)
The depth of men’s 1500-meter running was on display in this first of three rounds. The slowest of the 24 men to advance to Friday’s semifinals had to run the equivalent of a 3:55 mile.
The first of the three heats featured a blanket finish, with only half a second separating the first nine runners. Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz of the U.S. and 19-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway showed their usual tactical savvy, with Ingebrigtsen winning in 3:37.67 and Centrowitz third in 3:37.69. Ethiopian Samuel Tefera, the indoor world record-holder, led until the final meters, but placed seventh in the mass finish. He advanced only as a time qualifier.
Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya, fastest in the world this year, easily won the second heat in 3:36.82. American Ben Blankenship placed third in 3:37.13. Filip Ingebrigtsen pushed Tedesse Lemi of Ethiopia at the start of the final lap—causing Lemi to fall and finish well behind the field—yet the Norwegian was not disqualified. He will join his brother Jakob in the semis.
The third heat was the fastest, and up front was a bit of a flashback. It was won by Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti, the 2014 world indoor champ, in 3:36.16, just ahead of Taoufik Makhloufi, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist. U.S. champion Craig Engels placed fifth in 3:36.35. The semifinals will begin at 1:10 p.m. EST on Friday, October 4.
Wednesday, October 2
Men’s 110-Meter Hurdle Final: Grant Holloway Wins Gold for Team USA
Grant Holloway had the race of his career when he sprinted to his first world championship title in the men’s 110-meter hurdles. With a look of shock on his face, the eight-time NCAA champion reached the finish line first in a winning time of 13.10 seconds.
Holloway’s title follows a long season of racing that started on January 19, first at the NCAA level for the University of Florida, and then as a professional at the USATF Outdoor Championships where he finished second. Holloway’s victory in Doha marks the 21-year-old’s first medal at a global championship.
Behind Holloway, 2015 world champion and neutral athlete Sergey Shubenkov earned silver in 13.15 and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde of France took bronze in 13.18.
For the majority of the race, the win looked like it would come down to a lean between Holloway and defending world champion Omar McLeod, but the Jamaican sprinter hit the last hurdle and collapsed on the track. He was later disqualified from the competition for impeding Spanish competitor Orlando Ortega.
Women’s 200 Meter Final: Dina Asher-Smith Wins Gold, Breaks National Record for Great Britain
From the gun, Dina Asher-Smith, 23, led the chase for the 200-meter crown. The sprinter from Great Britain powered down the homestretch with a big lead and kept the momentum going all the way into the finish line with a winning time of 21.88, a national record.
The championship performance in the 200 meters followed a breakthrough run in the 100-meter final where she ran a personal best and national record time of 10.83.
Behind Asher-Smith, Brittany Brown of the U.S. earned silver with a personal best of 22.22. Munjina Kambundji of Switzerland grabbed the final podium spot with a third-place finish in 22.51. American Anglerne Annelus finished fourth in 22.59 seconds.
Women’s 400-meter hurdles (semifinal)
World record-holder Dalilah Muhammad and fellow American competitor Sydney McLaughlin both made sub-54 seconds look easy.
Muhammad, the U.S. champion and 2016 Olympic champion, kicked off the semfinal round with a victory in 53.91 to win the first heat and automatically advance to the final. Behind her, Sage Watson who competed for the University of Arizona, set a Canadian national record of 54.32 to advance.
In the third heat, McLaughlin glided over the hurdles to run the fastest time of the day in 53.81. At just 20 years old, the 2018 NCAA champion and collegiate record-holder has become one of the favorites to win gold.
Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton threw down a quick surge in the last 50 meters to take heat two in 54.17. Zuzana Hejnova՛of the Czech Republic finished a close second in 54.41. Olympic bronze medalist Ashley Spencer led on the homestretch but faded over the final hurdle to third in 54.42. She advanced to the final based on time.
The final will be run at 1:30 p.m. EST on Friday, October 4.
Men’s 400 meters (semifinal)
The biggest surprise of the men’s 400-meter semifinal was Michael Norman finishing last in the final heat. The American standout, who was a gold medal contender, looked strong heading into the 200-meter mark, but appeared to struggle around the final turn. He crossed the finish line in 45.94 while heat winner Machel Cedeno of Trinidad and Tobago won the race in 44.41. Behind Cedeno, Anthony Jose Zambrano finished second in a Columbian national record of 44.55 and automatically advanced.
Easing into the finish line, U.S. champion Fred Kerley safely secured his position into the final with a winning time of 44.25 out of heat one. Behind him, former NCAA star Emmanuel Korir of Kenya finished second in a season’s best time of 44.37. Both runners automatically advanced to the final.
Heat two was led by two world championship medalists, with 2017 silver medalist Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas winning in a season’s best of 44.13 and 2011 world champion Kirani James of Grenada closing for second in a season’s best of 44.23. American Vernon Norwood finished fourth and did not advance.
The two runners who advanced on time were Jamaicans Demish Gaye and Akeem Bloomfield.
The final will be run at 2:40 p.m. EST on Friday, October 4.
Men’s 110-Meter Hurdles (semifinal)
Jamaican Omar McLeod led the way in the second round of the men’s 110 hurdles. The 2017 world champion and 2016 Olympic champion sprinted to the line first in 13.08 to win heat two in the fastest time of the day. In heat one, American and eight-time NCAA champion Grant Holloway comfortably earned the victory in 13.10. Finally, Orlando Ortega of Spain led heat three in 13.16 seconds.
Devon Allen of the U.S. earned a qualifying spot based on time with his fourth-place finish in heat two.
The final will be run at 3 p.m. EST tonight.
Women’s 5,000 meters (semifinal)
On her way to qualifying for the women’s 5,000-meter final, American Karissa Schweizer scored a big personal best with a runner-up finish in the first heat. Hellen Obiri, 2017 world champion, won the race in 14:52.13, just four days after finishing fifth in the 10,000-meter final. Behind her, Schweizer closed in 14:52.41, which improved on her previous PR by nine seconds and earned her a place in her first ever world championship final.
In order to automatically qualify for the final out of the first heat, the top five competitors had to run 15:02 or faster, and four of the top seven finishers walked away with personal bests. American standout Elle Purrier crossed the line ninth overall and was able to advance as the last qualifier with her time of 15:08.82.
The second heat started conservatively but ended with a surge when Konstanze Klosterhalfen took control of the pace with three laps remaining. The German, who trains with the Nike Oregon Project, finished with Tsehay Gemechu of Ethiopia and Margaret Kipkemboi of Kenya across the finish line in 15:01. Lilian Rengeruk of Kenya and Laura Weightman of Great Britain earned the last automatic qualifying spots out of heat two, while Fantu Worku of Ethiopia earned a place in the final based on time. American Rachel Schneider finished eighth and will not advance.
The final will be run at 2:25 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 5.
Women’s 1500 Meters (heats)
Just four days after winning the women’s 10,000-meter final, Sifan Hassan returned to the track to comfortably win the first heat of the 1500-meter rounds. The mile world record-holder, who trains with the Nike Oregon Project, started in the back of the pack but worked her way up to the front with 700 meters to go.
From the 200-meter mark, Hassan led the field all the way into the finish line, which she crossed in 4:03.88. Faith Kipyegon, the 2017 world champion, finished second in 4:03.93 and American Nikki Hiltz earned an automatic spot in the semifinal when she finished third in 4:04.
U.S. champion Shelby Houlihan conserved her energy until the homestretch of heat No. 2, where she surged ahead to finish in the top six for an automatic qualifying spot. The race was won by Rababe Arafi of Morocco in 4:08.32, and Houlihan finished fourth in 4:08.51.
Jenny Simpson, the 2017 silver medalist in this event, took control of the third heat with a victory in 4:07.27, which launched all three American competitors into the semifinal round.
The semifinal will be run at 3 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 3.
Tuesday, October 1
Noah Lyles Wins First World Championship Gold in 200 Meters
In his first ever senior world championship, Noah Lyles kept his winning streak alive with gold in the men’s 200 meters. The American sprinter ran 19.83 to earn his first world championship gold medal of his career. Read more about Lyles’ win here.
Unlike most of the previous races this season that he dominated, Lyles was challenged on the homestretch by silver medalist Andre de Grasse of Canada and Alex Quiñónez of Ecuador who secured the bronze medal. De Grasse finished in 19.95 and Quiñónez closed for a final time of 19.98.
Donavan Brazier Breaks American 800-Meter Record, Wins First U.S. Gold
Donavan Brazier secured the first 800-meter world championship gold medal for the United States. In the process, Brazier broke the 34-year-old American record and the championship record with a winning time of 1:42.34. (Read more about Brazier’s record-breaking performance here.)
Behind Brazier, Amel Tuka of Bosnia sprinted to silver in a season’s best of 1:43.47 and Ferguson Rotich of Kenya earned bronze in a time of 1:43.82. American Bryce Hoppel of the United States attempted to secure the final podium spot with a last-minute kick but finished fourth in a personal best of 1:44.25.
Women’s 400 meters (semifinals)
In what appeared to be an effortless victory, 2016 Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas won the second heat in 49.66 and solidified her status as the favorite to win gold in the final. The world leader finished well ahead of American Wadeline Jonathas, who ran a personal best of 50.07 while surging past Shericka Jackson of Jamaica in the final meters of the second heat. Miller-Uibo’s time was the fastest of the three heats.
In the first heat of the semifinals, 2017 world silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain won easily in 49.79. Behind her, 2017 world champion Phyllis Francis of the U.S. finished second in a season’s best of 50.22 to earn the last automatic qualifying spot into the final.
The third heat saw two competitors fall out of contention. Galefele Moroko of Botswana pulled up early while American champion Shakima Wimbley pulled up just before the homestretch. Meanwhile, Stephenie Ann McPherson of Jamaica comfortably won the last heat in 50.70.
Of the four American competitors, Jonathas and Francis will represent the U.S. in the final, which will be run at 3:50 p.m. EST on Thursday, October 3.
Men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase (semifinals)
The last heat of the men’s steeplechase semifinals saw multiple competitors fall early on in the competition, but the podium contenders remained unscathed. While waving to the crowd on the final lap, defending Olympic and world champion Conseslus Kipruto eased into the finish line in a winning time of 8:19.20, ahead of Kenyan teammate and runner-up Benjamin Kigen and American standout Hilary Bor, who finished third in 8:20.67 for the last automatic qualifying spot into the final.
Ethiopia made a statement in the previous heats with two victories. Getnent Wale kicked off the semifinal round with a winning time of 8:12, which left the race up to a last-minute surge in the last 150 meters of the first heat. American Stanley Kebenei lost touch with the top five finishers on the final stretch and finished sixth in 8:19.02.
In heat two, Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia won in 8:16; he beat Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco and Abraham Kibiwot, who kicked past American Andy Bayer in the last 30 meters. Bayer finished fourth in 8:18.66.
Both Kebenei and Bayer will join Bor in advancing to the final as two of the six fastest performers outside of the top three in each semifinal heat. The final will be run at 1:45 p.m. EST on Friday, October 4.
Women’s 400-meter hurdles (heats)
Defending world champion Kori Carter had a difficult run in the first round of the women’s 400-meter hurdles. In the second heat, the American standout pulled up around the 200-meter mark and dropped out of the race. At the 2017 world championships in London, Carter upset 2016 Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad to win gold.
Since the 2017 world championships, Muhammad has made history as the world record-holder in the event. She broke the 16-year-old record at the 2019 USATF Outdoor Championships, where she won the race in 52.20 seconds. In the first rounds of heats on Tuesday, Muhammad won her heat easily in 54.87 and advanced to the semifinals.
Her competitor, fellow American hurdler Sydney McLaughlin also solidified her position in the semifinals with a winning time of 54.45 in heat one, the fastest time of the day. Olympic bronze medalist Ashley Spencer qualified after placing fourth in heat four. The semifinals will be run at 2:05 p.m. EST on Wednesday, October 6.
Men’s 400 meters (heats)
2012 Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada made his return to the championship stage with the fastest mark in the first round heats of the men’s 400 meters. His qualifying time of 44.94 led the first heat on Tuesday. The Granadian’s performance was his second race of the 2019 season after reportedly contracting graves disease in 2017, which sidelined him for the majority of the past two seasons.
The American sprinters eased into the next round with U.S. silver medallist Michael Norman leading the way in heat four with a time of 45.00, the second-fastest time overall. Fred Kerley, Vernon Norwood, and Nathan Strother also earned qualifying marks to advance to the semifinals, which will be run at 12:35 p.m. EST on Wednesday, October 6.
Monday, September 30
Warholm Repeats, American Rai Benjamin Gets Silver in 400-Meter Hurdles
Karsten Warholm of Norway took the race out hard and wasn’t really challenged to repeat as world champion in 47.42, while American Rai Benjamin was second in 47.66. Abderrahman Samba of Qatar gave the home crowd something to cheer about by taking the bronze in 48.03.
Warholm was the surprise winner in London two years ago. His post-race shock at the time launched a thousand memes.
After his strong start, Warholm started to strain before the final hurdle. Benjamin was able to close the gap briefly, but the American also started to tie up in the final stretch, and Warholm held it together to the line.
U.S. Goes 2-3, But Wilson Comes Up Short in 800 Meters
American Ajee’ Wilson gave winning the world title her best shot, but came up 40 meters short. After leading from the start, Wilson was overtaken by Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda, who won in a national record of 1:58.04. Wilson’s training partner Raevyn Rogers squeezed past Wilson to take the silver in 1:58.18, while Wilson repeated her bronze medal performance of two years ago in 1:58.84.
The third American in the field, Ce’Aira Brown, was eighth in 2:02.97.
With defending champion Caster Semenya not racing because of the IAAF’s new rules on testosterone in female athletes, Wilson was the consensus favorite heading into worlds. She looked great through the qualifying rounds, as did Rogers.
Wilson took it out fast, passing the 200-meter mark in under 27 seconds. Winnie Nanyondo of Uganda and Natoya Goule of Jamaica pressed from behind. The time at the bell was 57.96. Rogers was, uncharacteristically, next to last entering the final lap.
Wilson tried to make another move with about 250 meters to go, and opened the slightest of gaps, but couldn’t make it stick. When Nakaayi pulled alongside for the real sprinting on the homestretch, Wilson couldn’t match her. Rogers closed the best of the field, overtaking Wilson in the final seconds and almost catching Nakaayi.
Chepkoech Dominates, Emma Coburn Earns Silver in 3,000-Meter Steeplechase
World record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya simply ran away from the field from the start and was never challenged en route to setting a championship record of 8:57.84.
Defending champion Emma Coburn emerged from the chase pack on the penultimate lap and took the silver medal in 9:02.35. Gesa Krause won the bronze medal in a German record of 9:03.30. American Courtney Frerichs, the defending silver medalist, finished sixth in 9:11.27.
More than most other distance events, the steeplechase lends itself to frontrunning by the fastest competitors. It’s easier to navigate the barriers and water jumps when there aren’t other runners around. Chepkoech’s world record of 8:44.32 is 14 seconds faster than the next personal best in today’s field, so her go-from-the-gun made perfect sense.
“I learned a lesson in Zurich that I can’t go out with her, so my best hope would be that the chase pack would be running fast enough that second kilometer to get more contact,” Coburn said after the race. “During that second kilometer my eyes no longer looked up at Beatrice, and I just maintained my focus within the pack I was in and gauge my effort from when I wanted to kick.
“I do think she’s beatable, everybody is beatable, but she ran a race tonight that... I don’t think she was beatable.”
Chepkoech tore through the first kilometer at world record pace, 2:52.95. Barring disaster, the race for first was essentially over. Chepkoech slowed after that to roughly the same pace as the chase pack. But the gap remained too significant for too long. At two kilometers, she led by eight seconds, and was still up by seven seconds with a lap to go.
Coburn took over sole possession of second with 600 meters to go. She was able to make up two seconds on Chepkoech over the last lap but was never a threat to overtake her.
Edris of Ethiopia Repeats as World Champ in the 5,000 Meters
Just as he did two years ago, Ethiopian Muktar Edris sprinted to win a dramatic 5,000-meter final. Edris overtook compatriot Selemon Barega in the final 70 meters to finish in 12:58.85, while Barega took second in 12:59.70. Moh Ahmed of Canada, who led at the bell, held on for the bronze medal in 13:01.11.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, 19, made a bid for the win with 300 meters to go, but was passed by Edris and Barega at the top of the homestretch and faded to fifth in 13:02.93.
American Paul Chelimo ran off the shoulder of several leaders throughout the race, and was still in it with 200 meters to go, but couldn’t match the others when the real sprinting started. He finished seventh in 13:04.60, a best for the season. The other American in the 15-man field, Hassan Mead, was 11th in 13:27.05.
“It tears me apart when I put it all out there. I ran a season’s best, but didn’t come out successful,” Chelimo said. “You know what, there’s next year. I go back and I’ll start. I could rest, but I’m not going to. I’m thinking about next year.”
At the 2017 world championships, Edris outsprinted Mo Farah to end Farah’s long streak in global meets, gaining automatic entry to this year’s championship. He took the lead on the first lap of today’s race, but dropped behind in the chase pack while Barega and the other Ethiopian in the field, Telahun Bekele, took turns up front.
Barega and Bekele pushed the pace in the second kilometer. Ingebrigtsen and his brothers, Henrik and Filip, ran together behind the lead pack. When the Ethiopians didn’t keep the pace going, the Norwegian brothers worked together to pull Jakob into position to contend for the win.
Ahmed, who trains with the Bowerman Track Club in Oregon and recently paced his teammates to a sub-13:00 5K, took the lead with three laps to go. The rest of the race was run at sub-4:00 mile pace. Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Ahmed tangled legs a few times on the penultimate lap. It looked like Barega, the fourth fastest in history despite also being 19, would outdo Ingebrigtsen. Instead, it was Edris who surprised Barega, the rest of the field, and perhaps himself.
Men’s 200 meters (semifinals)
American Noah Lyles showed why he’s the overwhelming favorite for the world title. He made running under 20 seconds look much easier than it should, taking his heat in 19.86. Alex Quiñónez of Ecuador also went sub-20 in that heat, finishing second in 19.95.
Canada’s Andre De Grasse won his heat in 20.08, two days after winning the 100-meter bronze medal on Saturday. Defending champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey qualified for the final, but was second in his heat in a performance that won’t intimidate his competitors. The man who beat him, Adam Gemeli of Great Britain, should be a medal contender. The final will be run at 3:40 p.m. EST on Tuesday, October 1.
Men’s 110-meter hurdles (heats)
The big news in this opening round was that U.S. champion Daniel Roberts was disqualified despite finishing first in the third heat. Roberts started hitting hurdles early, and in trying to recover knocked over a hurdle in the lane to his left.
Olympic silver medalist Orlando Ortega of Spain had the fastest time of the day, 13.15. Omar McLeod of Jamaica, the reigning world and Olympic champion, easily won his heat in 13.17. Multiple-time NCAA champion Grant Holloway took his heat in 13.22. The third American, Devon Allen, finished fourth in McLeod’s heat to advance. The semifinals will be run at 1:05 p.m. EST on Wednesday, October 2.
Women’s 400 meters (heats)
Times in these heats were extraordinarily fast. Four women broke 51 seconds, led by American Wadeline Jonathas in 50.57. The three other Americans also advanced to tomorrow’s semifinals: defending champion Phyllis Francis (50.77) and Shakima Wimbley won their heats, while Kendall Ellis got through as a time qualifier.
Reigning Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who is ranked fastest in the world this year, won her heat in 51.30, despite downshifting to a trot over the last 50 meters. The semifinals will be run on Tuesday, October 1 at 1:50 p.m. EST.
Women’s 200 meters (heats)
There were some notable eliminations in this first of three rounds. Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria, the 2013 bronze medalist, was disqualified. Dafne Schippers, winner of the last two world titles, and Marie-Josée Ta Lou, who won bronze in Sunday’s 100-meter final, both scratched from the first heat. Schippers also withdrew from the 100-meter final, citing an injury.
Americans Anglerne “Annie” Annelus, Brittany Brown, and Dezerea Bryant all advanced to the semifinals. Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain, who won the 100-meter silver medal yesterday, had the fastest qualifying time, 22.32. Brown had the second fastest time of the day, a personal best of 22.33. The semifinals will be run on Tuesday, October 1.
Sunday, September 29
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Is World’s Fastest Woman
In the women’s 100 meters, a familiar name emerged as the winner. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica, who over the past 11 years has won two Olympic gold medals and four world titles in the 100 meters, added another global gold to her medal haul.
She established a clear lead from about 10 steps into the race and won in 10.71. It was the fourth-fastest time in history. Afterward, Fraser-Pryce, 32, celebrated on the track with her 2-year-old son, Zion.
“I would say it was one of my finest moments, having my son and doing what I did tonight,” Fraser-Pryce said. “I could not have dreamed of this two years ago. It’s a cliché but time is the greatest master. Two years ago I sat down wondering if this would be possible.”
Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain won silver in 10.83, a national record. Marie Josée Ta Lou of Ivory Coast was third in 10.90.
In fourth, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson also broke the 11-second barrier, running 10.93, but it wasn’t fast enough for a medal. The only American in the final, Teahna Daniels, 22, was seventh in 11.19.
Mixed 4x400 relay
A fun addition to the lineup of traditional races in track is the mixed 4x400-meter relay. Each team has two women and two men, and they can run in any order the team selects. In the final, seven of the eight teams went man-woman-woman-man, but the squad from Poland put their men first and ended with their two women.
Watch: Allyson Felix reacts to her 12th career world championship gold medal.
The American team of Wilbert London, Allyson Felix, Courtney Okolo, and Michael Cherry won in a world record time of 3:09.34. Jamaica was second, more than 2 seconds back, in 3:11.78, and Bahrain took bronze in 3:11.82. Although the Polish squad had a large lead heading into the final lap, their anchor leg was overtaken by four men in the last 400 meters and the team ended up in fifth.
For Allyson Felix, who this year returned to competition after giving birth to a daughter last November, it was the 12th gold medal of her career at the world championships.
“It’s been a pretty difficult year, to make it back to this stage is pretty special,” Felix said. “I had a lot of doubts at different points of the year if I could compete this year. I feel in a really good place.”
Men’s 800 meters (semifinals)
Donavan Brazier, the favorite to win the men’s 800 meters, controlled his semifinal heat and won in 1:44.87 to advance to the final on Tuesday, October 1.
Two other Americans will join him in the final, although their paths were not as smooth. Clayton Murphy, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the event, was in the first semifinal heat, and Qatari runner Abubaker Abdalla took that race out insanely fast. The hometown favorite hit 48.72 seconds for the first 400 meters. Murphy was back in fifth at the 400, in 50.29. On the second lap, he moved up but couldn’t break into the top two automatic qualifier spots. He finished in third in 1:44.48 and advanced on time. (Abdalla faded to last.)
In the final heat, Bryce Hoppel, the NCAA champion in the event, was caught in traffic for much of the race, running wide in lane 2 or boxed in at the rail. He managed to break out from the inside in the final 100 meters and finished second in his heat in 1:45.95. American Brandon Kidder, fourth in heat 2, did not advance.
Men’s 200 meters (heats)
American Noah Lyles, with his hair dyed silver for the world championships, hit the track in Doha for the first time. The 22-year-old, who won Diamond League titles at 100 and 200 meters and ran 19.50 earlier this year in the 200, the fourth-fastest time in history, established a lead at the top of the straightaway and then took his foot off the gas. He eased across the line in 20.26, second in his heat, automatically advancing to the semifinal on Monday, September 30.
Lyles is the only American to make it through to the semifinal. Christian Coleman, the winner of the men’s 100 meters, scratched beforehand, citing soreness, although he is still eligible to run in the relay. Kenneth Bednarek, who had the fourth-fastest 200-meter time of the year heading into the meet, pulled up a few steps shy of the finish line and did not advance. Nor did Rodney Rowe, who was sixth out of the first heat in 20.92.
Defending world champion Ramil Guliyev of Turkey advanced to the semifinals, as did Andre De Grasse of Canada, who won bronze in the 100 meters on Saturday, and Johan Blake of Jamaica.
Saturday, September 28
Men’s 100 Meters: Christian Coleman Is World’s Fastest Man
American Christian Coleman solidified his claim as the heir to Usain Bolt with a dominant win over the world’s best sprinters. The 23-year-old’s time of 9.76 is the fastest in the world this year, and a personal record to boot.
“Coach always says it’s never going to be straight, you’ll have ups and downs, bumps and bruises along the way but as long as you keep the same goal, the same focus and dedication to your craft, what you have to do, anything is possible,” Coleman said. “I wasn’t focused on anything else but getting to this line, to this final, coming out with a win.”
Defending champion Justin Gatlin placed second in 9.89, just ahead of bronze medalist Andre De Grasse of Canada (9.80). Five of the eight men in the field broke 10 seconds.
Coleman came to Doha as the favorite. He placed second to Gatlin at worlds two years ago, and won the indoor 60-meter title last year.
Coleman was 8 years old when Gatlin, now 37, won the 2004 Olympic title. Gatlin, a two-time world 100-meter champion, remains one of the most controversial figures in track and field, because of continuing to compete after serving two doping suspensions.
Coleman, too, has drawn attention in the doping realm. Earlier this month, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) withdrew its charge that Coleman had three whereabouts failures in 12 months, an offense that usually draws at least a one-year ban from competition. (Whereabouts failures consist of not informing doping authorities of one’s location, as required for athletes subject to out-of-competition testing.) USADA withdrew its charge after the World Anti-Doping Agency said that one of Coleman’s whereabouts failures occurred outside the 12-month period.
Women’s 10,000 Meters: Sifan Hassan Runs World-Leading Time
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands took the lead for the first time with a lap to go and claimed her first global outdoor title in 30:17.62, the fastest time in the world this year.
Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey was second in a personal best of 30:21.23. Bronze medalist Agnes Tirop also set a PR, 30:25.20. In all, seven of the first eight finishers ran their lifetime best.
Marielle Hall, eighth in 31:05.71, was one of those setting a PR. Once the pack broke up in the third mile, she worked with her U.S. teammates Molly Huddle and Emily Sisson for the rest of the race. Huddle finished ninth in 31:07.24, one place ahead of her training partner Sisson (31:12.56).
The race started at the expected leisurely pace, but didn’t stay that way for long. Germany’s Alina Reh took the lead in the second of the 25 laps and started running consistent 74- and 75-second laps (right around 31:00 pace). She eventually dropped out.
On the ninth lap, Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya took over the lead. Almost immediately, a lead pack of three Kenyans and three Ethiopians were free of the rest of the field. Hassan looked gapped, but once the leaders made their break, they settled back into their previous pace. Hassan stayed calm and caught the leaders before they passed halfway in 15:32.
Wanjiru, Tirop, and their compatriot Hellen Obiri traded the lead for the next several laps, but kept the pace consistent. Hassan ran calmly at the back of what was a six-woman pack by the 8K mark.
The anticipated battle between Obiri, who won the world cross-country title in March, and Hassan, never materialized. With four laps to go, Gidey threw in a huge surge. She covered the next 800 meters in 2:10.2, which is close to world-class 1500-meter pace. Only Hassan could stay close.
Hassan moved to Gidey’s shoulder with 500 meters to go. She took over at the bell. Gidey tried to challenge her at the start of the backstretch, but couldn’t match Hassan’s miler speed. Hassan covered the last lap in an astounding 61.5, a kick that’s all the more impressive given her repeated looks back to judge whether she had put away Gidey for good.
Hassan has been coached by Alberto Salazar as part of the Nike Oregon Project since late 2016. She’s entered in the 1500 meters and 5K later in the meet, but because of the schedule will need to pick one. “I have no idea,” she said when asked which she’ll run. “I’m more 15[00], my coach is 5,000 meters. We have to talk tonight.”
Given how she looked today, competitors in whichever she runs should worry.
Women’s Hammer Throw: Price Makes History for Team USA
In the women’s hammer throw, DeAnna Price finished first with a third-round throw of 77.54 meters, making it the first time Team USA secured gold in the event. Price finished above Poland’s Joanna Fiodorow, who took silver, and China’s Zheng Wang, who earned bronze.
Women’s 800 meters (semifinals)
American Ajee’ Wilson controlled her heat, the second of three, from the front. She ran close to even pace, a rarity in 800-meter races, to win in 2:00.31. Wilson is the consensus favorite to win Monday’s final. She was the bronze medalist at worlds two years ago behind Caster Semenya, who isn’t defending her title because of the IAAF’s new rules on testosterone levels in female runners.
Wilson’s training partner Raevyn Rogers also led her heat from start to finish. She ran 1:59.57 the hard way, tearing through the first lap in 57.89 seconds. Rogers frontran her first-round win yesterday as well. That will be a tough strategy to pull off in the final.
In the third heat, Halimah Nakaayi of Uganda shoved her way to the front in the last 200 meters and won in 1:59.35, the fastest time of the day. A disqualification seemed warranted, but perhaps wasn’t doled out because the two women she repeatedly pushed, Eunice Sum of Kenya and Natoya Goule of Jamaica, still made the final. American Ce’Aira Brown finished third in 2:00.12; she and Goule were the two time qualifiers from the rounds.
The final will be run at 3:10 p.m. EST on Monday, September 30. There will be three Americans and two Ugandans in the eight-women final.
Men’s 800 meters (first round)
The biggest news in the first round was what didn’t happen—Nijel Amos of Botswana, fastest in the world this year, didn’t start his heat because of an Achilles injury.
U.S. champion Donavan Brazier showed great poise in his heat, running just fast enough to win in 1:46.04. His training partner Clayton Murphy looked equally in form, running 1:45.62 to place second in his heat. Murphy, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, is adept at rationing his resources over the three-races-in-four-days format of global championships.
Bryce Hoppel, this year’s indoor and outdoor NCAA champion, showed his long season hasn’t yet taken its toll. He eased through his heat in 1:46.01 to finish second and qualify automatically for Sunday’s semifinals. The fourth American, Brandon Kidder, got through as the final time qualifier with his 1:46.29 from the second heat.
Emmanuel Korir of Kenya ran the fastest qualifying time, 1:45.16, to win the fifth of six heats. With Amos out, Korir has the fastest personal best (1:42.05) in the field.
Defending champion Pierre-Ambroise Bosse of France showed his usual tactical savvy by running conservatively to nab the last automatic qualifying spot in his heat.
The semifinals will be run at 2:55 p.m. EST on Sunday, September 29.
Women’s 100 meters (first round)
There were no surprises in these qualifying rounds. All four Americans—Tori Bowie, Morolake Akinosun, Teahna Daniels, English Gardner—advanced to Sunday’s semifinals. Defending champion Bowie has been plagued by injuries this year, and looked underwhelming in finishing third in her heat.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica got things off to a quick start, running 10.80 to win the first heat. That’s the fastest time ever in a worlds heat. The 32-year-old won the world 100-meter title in 2009, 2013, and 2015, and the Olympic title in 2008 and 2012.
Elaine Thompson of Jamaica, fastest in the world this year, and Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Ivory Coast were also impressive in winning their heats.
The semifinals will be run at 2:20 p.m. EST on Sunday, September 29, followed by the final at 4:20.
Friday, September 27
Women’s Marathon
The race began at midnight to make it easier for the athletes, but the conditions were brutal nonetheless: The temperature at the start in Doha, Qatar, was 90 degrees, with 70 percent humidity, and the times reflected that.
A lead pack of five ran together for the first 20 kilometers (12.4 miles), while the trailing groups bunched up as best they could to endure through each of the six loops of the course. By 35 kilometers (21 miles) the group was down to four and included Ruth Chepngetich and Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, Rose Chelimo of Bahrain, and Helalia Johannes of Namibia.
At the start of the final lap, Chepngetich put in a surge and opened up a sizable gap. She ran unchallenged to the finish and broke the tape in 2:32:43, more than 15 minutes slower than she ran at the 2:17:08 at the Dubai Marathon earlier this year.
Chelimo won silver, a minute behind, in 2:33:46, and Johannes was third in 2:35:15. Kiplagat, the 2017 Boston Marathon champion, was fourth.
American Roberta Groner, a 41-year-old full-time nurse and mother of three sons, ran a patient, even race and worked her way up through the pack to finish in sixth place in 2:38:44. She ran in the early miles with Carrie Dimoff, 36, who finished 13th in 2:44:35. Kelsey Bruce of the U.S. held on to finish in 38th place in 3:09:37.
In all 68 women started the race, and only 32 women broke 3 hours.
Women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase (heats)
Emma Coburn began her defense of her 2017 world title by advancing easily in her heat, finishing second in 9.23.40. She stayed out of traffic and was at or in the lead until the final straightaway, when it was pointless to sprint.
In the second heat—the top three from each of three heats automatically advanced to the final, and the next six fastest runners got in on time—American record holder Courtney Frerichs, who was second behind Coburn in 2017, tucked in behind Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya for most of the race. Chepkoech, who holds the world record, won the heat in 9:18.01, with Frerichs second in 9:18.42.
Allie Ostrander, who won three NCAA titles in the steeplechase at Boise State University before turning pro this year, ran a personal best of 9:30.85. But she was seventh in the heat and not fast enough to advance to the final. Colleen Quigley, an Olympian in the event in 2016, announced on Instagram on Thursday that she had to withdraw from the event because of a hip injury.
The final takes place at 2:50 p.m. EST on Monday, September 30.
Men’s 5,000 meters (heats)
Two heats of the men’s 5,000 meters—which had to winnow a field of 39 men down to 15 for the final—provided plenty of drama. The top five from each of the heats automatically advanced, and the next five fastest advanced on time, setting up a frantic scramble in the bell laps of each heat.
In the first heat, American Ben True, who earned his trip to worlds because American Drew Hunter had an injury, finished in ninth place in 13:27.39. It was not fast enough to get him through to the final.
The Americans fared better in heat two. Paul Chelimo, who won bronze in the 5,000 meters at 2017 world championships in London, lost a shoe midway through the race. But he outkicked the field in the final 200 meters to win the heat in 13:20.18. American Hassan Mead finished eighth in the heat in 13:22.11, and he did advance on time.
“I think it happened on lap seven or lap eight, so I ran about one and a half miles without a spike,” Chelimo said about losing his spike. “I’m a tough guy. I’m fine. It was Fillip Ingebrigtsen (stepping on me). He said sorry and that it was an accident. I don’t take it personally. It’s part of the game and he was focusing and trying to qualify so I’m not even angry.”
Among the 15 finalists are Mukhtar Edris of Ethiopia, the reigning world champion. And it initially appeared that 20 percent of the finalists would from a single family, as all three of Norway’s Ingebrigtsen brothers were listed among the qualifiers: Henrik, 28, Filip, 26, and Jakob, 18. Filip had the fastest time of the three: 13:20.52. Jakob, however, was later disqualified for stepping on the infield. (He was reinstated on Saturday.)
In a touching moment during the first heat, Braima Suncar Dabo of Guinea-Bissau supported Jonathan Busby of Aruba, who was struggling to stay upright, during the last lap. Dabo was timed in a personal best of 18:10.87, while Busby was disqualified.
The final will be held at 2:20 p.m. EST on Monday, September 30.
Women’s 800 meters (first round)
Ajee’ Wilson, considered a gold-medal favorite, controlled her first-round race. She led from wire to wire and advanced easily in 2:02.10. Wilson’s training partner, Raevyn Rogers, used similar front-running tactics and made it look easy, advancing from the second heat in 2:02.01.
Hanna Green, 24, of the Oregon Track Club, failed to advance to the semifinals. Although she ran a personal best of 1:58.19 at the U.S. championships in July to earn a spot at worlds, she suffered a hamstring injury during practice on Monday. She fell back in the final 100 meters of her race and finished last in her heat in 2:04.37.
Wilson earned an automatic spot in the world championships because she won the season’s Diamond League title. That opened the door for a fourth U.S. woman, Ce’Aira Brown, to compete. Brown had missed time early in the season with an injury, but she ran well today, finishing second in her heat in 2:01.14 and making it to the semifinals.
Winnie Nanyando of Uganda had the fastest time of the day, 2:00.36.
The semifinal heats will begin at 12:15 p.m. EST on Saturday, September 28.
Men’s 100 meters (first round)
Christian Coleman, 23, had the fastest time of the day, 9.98, to advance to the 100-meter semifinals.
Justin Gatlin, who at age 37 has won multiple world championships and Olympic medals in the 100 and 200 meters but has also served two suspensions for doping violations, advanced by winning his heat in 10.06. Michael Rodgers was an automatic qualifier as well in 10.14.
The semifinals are at 11:45 a.m. EST on Saturday, September 28.
Men’s 400-meter hurdles (first round)
All of the American entries—TJ Holmes, Amere Lattin, and Rai Benjamin—advanced to the semifinal at 11:05 a.m. EST on Saturday. Benjamin is the 2019 U.S. champion and one of three men in the field to have broken 47:00 for the event, making him a favorite for a medal.
Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
Taylor Dutch is a sports and fitness writer living in Chicago; a former NCAA track athlete, Taylor specializes in health, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in SELF, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner. When she’s not writing, Taylor volunteers as a coach to up-and-coming runners in the Chicago area.
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Running Is My Therapy, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
