Evan Dunfee and Maria Perez became the first champions of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, starting the opening session in style by winning the 35km race walk events on Saturday (13).
Three more titles were secured in a thrilling evening session – USA equalling the championship record in the mixed 4x400m, Beatrice Chebet adding the world 10,000m title to her Olympic crown, and Ryan Crouser making a winning return in the shot put.
Canada’s Evan Dunfee was the first athlete to cross the finish line in the Japan National Stadium, winning the men’s 35km race walk in 2:28:22 during the morning session.
Despite suffering cramp in the closing stages, the former world record-holder held on to win his first global title – adding world gold to his Olympic bronze from the Japanese capital four years ago and his world bronze from Doha in 2019.
He won by half a minute. Brazil’s Caio Bonfim secured silver in 2:28:55 and Japan’s Hayato Katsuki opened the host nation’s medal campaign to great celebration, clocking 2:29:16 for bronze.
A short while later, Spain’s Maria Perez became the second champion in Tokyo, retaining her 35km race walk title in 2:39:01 and securing a dominant victory.
She broke away in the second half of the race and eventually won by three minutes. Italy’s Antonella Palmisano, who won the Olympic 20km race walk title in the Japanese capital four years ago, got silver this time in 2:42:24. Ecuador’s Paula Torres claimed bronze in a national record of 2:42:44.
It is the first part of what Perez hopes will be another golden double after her world title wins in the 20km race walk and 35km race walk in Budapest two years ago.
USA successfully defended the mixed 4x400m title and equalled their championship record from two years ago, clocking 3:08.80.
They avoided a repeat of the dramatic finish from 2023 by finishing comfortably ahead of the rest of the field, but Femke Bol once again finished strongly to anchor The Netherlands to silver.
Bol – who famously fell in the closing stages in Budapest two years ago – crossed the finish line in 3:09.96 to secure silver ahead of Belgium (3:10.61).
Beatrice Chebet added the world 10,000m title to her Olympic gold and world record over the distance, kicking to victory in 30:37.61.
Making her World Championships 10,000m debut, the Kenyan 25-year-old tracked defending champion Gudaf Tsegay at the bell – joined by Agnes Ngetich and Nadia Battocletti. Chebet waited until the final bend to unleash her devastating kick and her rivals had no response. Battocletti chased her over the line, securing silver in an Italian record of 30:38.23, while Tsegay got bronze in 30:39.65.
World record-holder Ryan Crouser made a magnificent return, winning his third world shot put title despite competing for the first time in a year.
The three-time Olympic champion had been sidelined all season with an elbow injury, but he made a comeback by throwing 22.34m – getting gold by 37cm.
Mexico’s Uziel Munoz had the throw of his life in the final round to launch himself into the silver medal position with a national record of 21.97m. Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri got bronze and New Zealand’s Tom Walsh narrowly missed out on a medal on countback – both athletes throwing 21.94m and Fabbri clinching a medal thanks to his superior second-best mark.
[World Athletics]
