The 20th edition of the World Athletics Championship – dubbed as Tokyo25 by the event organisers – began on Saturday in the Japanese capital. India sent a team of 19 athletes for this tournament with javelin ace Neeraj Chopra spearheading the squad. Other Indian medal hopefuls include long jumper Annu Rani and javelin thrower Animesh Kujur.
The opening night of the World Athletics Championship produced a series of stunning performances. France’s Jimmy Gressier shocked a star-studded field in the men’s 10,000m to win gold for the first time at a major championships, while Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha claimed bronze.
Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles is going to have to run a lot faster than his season’s best of 9.90s if he wants to defend his world title in Tokyo next week. The American is currently facing a challenge from Jamaican duo Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville, who both ran in the semi-finals.
Mondo Duplantis has a flair for the dramatic that owes a debt to his father’s battle against leukaemia. The French pole vaulter had the stadium held in a death grip when he stepped up for his third attempt at 6.30m. The bar wobbled but stayed up and the crowd erupted at what was an incredible moment. It is a major milestone for the man from Lafayette, who only reached the pinnacle seven years after putting his sporting ambitions on hold to save his dad’s life by donating his bone marrow.