BIRMINGHAM, March 3, 2018 - “Oh look who’s calling him! He would be very happy.” At the mixed zone then, Christian Coleman was speaking to journalists with a straight face, minutes after setting a new championship record of 6.37s while clinching the 60m gold. As a member of his team tried to wade through the crowd of scribes to deliver the ongoing call, Coleman didn’t seem too excited, like he has been during most of his time out in the middle of the track.
The expression that he had maintained while clearing the heats, getting set for a final burst of athleticism through the tracks, and winning the final event on Day 3, however immediately changed as he saw the caller’s name on the screen. It was Maurice Greene, whose record of 6.39s he had smashed a couple of weeks back.
While they exchanged their usual camaraderie, Coleman’s expression finally changed to what it should be for a world champion. “I just want to try and etch my name in history. I don’t think much. I focus on my routine and just try to come out and win,” he told reporters. Coleman finished 0.05s ahead of China’s Su Bingtian and his teammate Ronnie Baker who finished third clocking 6.44s. A major disappointment, however, was the disqualification of Britain’s CJ Ujah who bowed out owing to a false start in the semifinals.
Disqualification
Disqualification had a major role to play in the 400m discipline at Arena Birmingham on Saturday, as Czech Republic’s Pavel Maslak became the first athlete to win three world indoor titles after Spaniard Oscar Husillos and Dominican Republic’s Luguelin Santos were barred owing to lane infringements. While Spain did present a protest, Dominican Republic chose to accept the decision. Maslak is also a three-time European champion. Oscar’s timing of 44.92 would not just have earned him gold but would have also been a European record.
Maslak was followed by USA’s Michael Cherry and Trinidad and Tobago’s Deon Lendore.
USA dominate the 400m
In the women’s 400m, it was a one-two for USA as Courtney Okolo clinched gold by clocking her personal best at 50.55s followed by her teammate Shakima Wimbley who was leading close to the half-way mark before Okolo took lead with her lap timed at 23.98s. Great Britain’s Eilidh Doyle, took bronze but would perhaps lament of not sticking on to her second spot as Wimbley beat her on the stretch.
Double glory for Dibaba
In the only middle-distance event for women on the penultimate day, Ethopian Genzebe Dibaba lived up to her reputation as she clinched gold in the 1500m discipline, thus becoming the only second woman in history to complete a 1500-3000m double at the World Indoor Championships. Romanian Gabriela Szabo had achieved the feat back in 1999 at Maebashi, Japan. Like Okolo, Dibaba too, consolidated on her early lead, and clocked 4:05.27 as she went past the finishing line. She was followed by home favourite Laura Muir and Holland’s Sifan Hassan — the two also finishing on the podium in the 3000m discipline albeit in different positions.
The 1000m heptathlon event went on expected lines as France’s Kevin Mayer, who was on pole before the last round clinched gold, with Canadian Damian Warner clinching silver. Warner did win the 1000m discipline, but that did little to help him bridge the gap with the Frenchman. Estonian Maicel Uibo took bronze to help his nation get on the medal’s tally.
Round 1 of the men’s 60m hurdles saw Great Britain’s Andrew Pozzi clocking his season’s best of 7.53s to lead the pack of 24 athletes who qualified for the semifinal stages.
