Qatar’s Barshim clinches 3rd world title

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No new record but third gold for Rojas

EUGENE, Ore., July 19, (AP): The best triple jumper on the planet is now a three-time world champion. And even though there was no new record to go with her victory, Yulimar Rojas was grateful that at least she had fans on hand to watch her perform. The Venezuelan star captured her third straight title Monday, winning the final with a jump of 15.47 meters (50 feet, 9 inches).

That was 27 centimeters (10 1/2 inches) away from her world record but still good enough to romp to a 58-centimeter (1 foot, 10 3/4 inch) victory over Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica. “I wanted a longer jump,” Rojas said. “But I am happy to return to this beautiful stadium, to see the crowd. I have had great feelings.” The 26-year-old faced uncertainty in the run-up to worlds.

After missing a meet last month in Madrid due to an injury to her left leg, she hadn’t been seen or heard from. She let her jumping do the talking at Hayward Stadium, a track and field hotbed where fans clapped in rhythm before all six of her jumps. “I come from a short preparation,” she said. “I overcame time, injury, whatever stood in the way of achieving this, and I think this is a reward for perseverance, will and belief that this was possible.”

The jumper born in a humble home in the small town of Pozuelos facing the Caribbean added this world title to those from worlds in 2017 and 2019. She surpassed the two golds won by Colombian Caterine Ibargüen, her predecessor on the world throne of the triple jump. Rojas took command of the contest on her second jump, the winning 15.47, and didn’t fall behind again.

After that, the goal was trying to better her record of 15.74 (51 feet, 7¾ inches) set in Belgrade in March at indoor world championships. That jump beat her previous record of 15.67 (51 feet, 5 inches), set in a nearly empty stadium in Tokyo at the Olympics last summer. As the crowd revved up for her last jump, Rojas took off. When she landed, it was clear the record was out of the picture, but she let out a yelp heard across the stadium.

Despite not breaking the mark, the night was over. The win was hers. “It’s been a nice day,” she said. “I am not going to tell you that it has been one of my best days because it has not been that way. But I have left good numbers.” In men’s steeplechase, Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali won pulling away to add a world gold to the gold he took in Tokyo last year.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon won her second world title at 1,500 meters in a time of 3 minutes, 52.96 seconds. She also has two Olympic titles. In the high jump, a rematch of last year’s exciting Olympic tie between Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy resulted in less drama, but another title for Barshim. The “Qatari Falcon,” fl apped his arms to celebrate after clearing 2.35 meters (7-8 1/2) on his first attempt, but was more subdued when he cleared 2.37 (7-9). Tamberi missed all three attempts at the lower distance and ended up fourth. Barshim now has three world championships, including the one he won in front of the home crowd in Doha three years ago.

Noah Lyles looked to his right and saw no one. He glanced over again, and still seeing nobody there, gave a playful wag of the finger to the six stragglers behind him. All part of the fun – remember that word? – and part of the show delivered by America’s most engaging sprinter Monday, which happened to be both Lyles’ 25th birthday and opening night in his signature race, the 200 meters, at the world championships. Lyles, who ran his heat in 19.98 seconds, was part of a cavalcade of the world’s best sprinters – including 100 champions Fred Kerley and Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson- Herah and 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton – who cruised through the first heats of the 200 without much fuss. “A totally different vibe,” Lyles called racing in 2022, now that fans have returned to stadiums that were largely empty for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. “If anything, it makes it more fun. I’ve been able to come out here and, I feel like, be the most ‘me’ I’ve been in years.”

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