The second day of the world championships was marked by the men’s 100m, won by Fred Kerley on Saturday July 16 in Eugene, Oregon. The American beat two of his compatriots, a few minutes after shot putter Chase Ealey’s feat. In the long jump, the Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou was capped by the surprising Jianan Wang. Back to the highlights of a night in which no Frenchman was involved.
In the 100m, Fred Kerley at the top of a podium with a US accent
Making an impression with a time of 9.79 in the heats is one thing, converting the prowess into a medal is another. In the 100m final, Fred Kerley did not flinch and finished in the lead, in 9.86, to glean his very first golden charm. A major feat, for an athlete until then rather experienced in the 400m, even if the American is Olympic vice-champion in the discipline. “I did what I had to do and the gold medal means more than anything.”greeted the interested party after his victory.
He beat his compatriots Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell (9″89 each), for a 100% American podium acquired in front of an ecstatic crowd in Eugene. This hat-trick is the first for the United States since 1991. The legendary Carl Lewis there had won his third world title in the 100m. “It’s historic, to be mentioned with any of these names is an honor”, savored Bracy. These performances promise for the Americans, in view of the 4×100 m relay, the final of which is scheduled for Saturday.
Historic first in shot put for the United States
For the American delegation, sprinters do not have a monopoly on performance. Chase Ealey gave his country its first-ever shot put title, with a throw of 20.49m. “It’s so surreal”, dropped, incredulous, the 27-year-old world champion. Vice-champion of the indoor world in March, the American has confirmed to unlock her counter of international outdoor medals.
Excuse a little, Ealey has had the luxury of beating Olympic champion Gong Lijiao. His jet tickled that of Ealey without exceeding it, capping at 20.39 m. Double defending champion, the 33-year-old Chinese barely fails, but can claim to climb on the podium of a world championship for the seventh consecutive time.
Wang caps Olympic champion in high jump
A giant leap. Before his sixth and final jump, few bet on a victory for Jianan Wang. The Chinese was in fifth place with a best jump of 8.03m, twenty-nine centimeters behind Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou. In a final titanic push, Wang finally beat the Greek to the post with a jump to 8.36 m. When getting up, the athlete, bronze medal at the Worlds of 2015 at the age of 18, didn’t really believe it. His feat is historic for China, which had never before been titled in the long jump.
A cruel scenario for Tentoglou, holder of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th jumps of the competition. His performance, pushed to 8.32 m, was not enough for him to win his first gold medal at the outdoor Worlds.
