Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain set a new Asian record to finish fourth in the women’s 400 metres hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest last night.
Adekoya finished in 53.09 seconds, behind winner Femke Bol of the Netherlands, silver medallist Shamier Little of the US and bronze medallist Rushell Clayton of Jamaica.
Meanwhile, Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew failed to make it to the men’s 5,000m final, finishing 15th in the first heat yesterday.
Jamaica’s Danielle Williams finally raced to world gold in the 100 metres hurdles once again, winning by the narrowest margin eight years after first climbing the global medal podium.
The 30-year-old, who won gold in 2015 and bronze in 2019, edged Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico by one hundredth of a second to win in 12.43 yesterday.
Camacho-Quinn had to settle for silver in 12.44.
American Kendra Harrison, who posted a world-leading time of 12.24 in the heats, took bronze in 12.46, keeping Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, who was fourth in 12.52, off the podium.
Less than a tenth of a second separated the top four hurdlers, and it was difficult to discern even from the photo finish any difference between Williams, who ran out of lane two, and Camacho-Quinn, who was in lane seven.
Double
The two peered up at the scoreboard hopefully before Williams erupted with joy.
Nigeria’s world record holder Tobi Amusan, who arrived in Budapest amid controversy, was sixth.
The 26-year-old, who set the world record of 12.12 in the semi-finals last year and then won gold, had a provisional anti-doping suspension lifted two days before the worlds began.
Camryn Rogers won the women’s hammer throw to secure a double gold for Canada after Ethan Katzberg had claimed a surprise title in the men’s event at the weekend.
Rogers, who took silver last year in Eugene, went one better on a hot and humid night with a throw of 77.22 metres.
Americans won silver and bronze with Janee Kassanavoid throwing 76.36 and DeAnna Price 75.41.
Antonio Watson won a thrilling 400 metres gold as the 21-year-old Jamaican overhauled fading Briton Matthew Hudson-Smith on the line.
Hudson-Smith, who set a European record of 44.26 in winning his heat this week, went out hard and was well clear coming off the final bend but that effort took its toll as he began to tie up, allowing Watson to drive through and win in 44.22 seconds.
Hudson-Smith, bronze medallist last year, took silver in 44.31, with American Quincy Hall also finishing strongly for bronze in a personal best 44.37 having been overtaken by Hudson-Smith within the first 80 metres.
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