World Athletics Championships: Bolt seals double over Gatlin
August 27, 2015
Usain Bolt stormed away from American Justin Gatlin in the final meters of the 200 meters in Beijing on Wednesday. The Jamaican pointed to himself as he crossed the line to win in a year best time of 19.55 in incredible comfort and secure his tenth World Championship gold medal. Gatlin took silver in 19.74, while Anaso Jobodwana grabbed bronze in a South African record 19.87 seconds in a photo-finish with Panama's Alonso Edward.
Both sprinters made a fantastic start, but pivotally Bolt ran the better bend and was able to pull away so much that he looked like he had enough time to power down at the end. It was Bolt's fourth straight 200m gold and his third 100/200m gold double at a World Championships.
Elsewhere, Christian Taylor produced the second-best triple jump of all time to win the United States' second gold medal of the world championships, recording 8.21 meters with his final attempt. Pedro Pablo Pichardo of Cuba took silver at 17.73, also saving his best for the last round. Nelson Evora of Portugal jumped 17.52 with his final attempt to edge Omar Craddock (17.37) for the bronze.
Allyson Felix won the 400 meters in 49.26 seconds on Thursday to earn her ninth world championship gold medal and match the total of Usain Bolt. Felix ran the fastest time in the world this year to win in Beijing ahead of Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas (49.67) and Shericka Jackson of Jamaica (49.99).
Anita Wlodarczyk broke the championship record twice on consecutive throws to win her second world title in the women's hammer throw with a mark of 80.85 meters. Wlodarczyk, the runner-up at the last Olympics and world championships, threw an improved distance on four consecutive throws. Zhang Wenxiu of China won the silver medal in 76.33, ending a sequence of three consecutive bronze medals at the worlds. Alexandra Tavernier of France was third at 74.02.
jh/ (AP, dpa)