The last Woman Standing

BEIJING, August 25

Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba stormed to victory in the World Championships 1,500 metres to claim her maiden global outdoor title and add to her family’s impressive collection of medals.

The 24-year-old world record holder tired of a tactical race and hit the front with two laps to go, outpacing the field over the final 800 metres to win in four minutes 8.09 seconds. Sister of triple Olympic champion Tirunesh and cousin of twice Olympic champion Derartu Tulu, Dibaba added the outdoor title to the indoor world crown she captured in 2012.

“I worked very hard for the last three years,” she said. “It’s great to have such a strong performance. My sister won the gold medal in this stadium at the Olympics so I wanted to share this family experience.”

Tirunesh, who took this season off to have a baby, won the 5,000-10,000 double at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in 2008.

Kenya’s former world junior champion Faith Kipyegon was the only runner to stay with Dibaba over the last 400 and took silver in 4.08.96. “Genzebe is just too fast in the finish,” said the Commonwealth Games champion.

Ethiopian-born Sifan Hassan took bronze for the Netherlands in 4.09.34.

Rudisha trusts his pace to regain 800m title

Kenya’s Olympics champion David Rudisha put three difficult years behind him and trusted his finishing pace to regain the world 800 metres title. Still not back at his best after the knee injury that cost him his chance to defend the world title in 2013, the 26-year-old kicked for home at the end of the back straight and held on to win gold in one minute 45.84 seconds.

The strain of the last 50 metres was clear on his face as he held off Pole Adam Kszczot and there were no huge smiles from the quietly-spoken world record holder after crossing the line, just a single finger raised to the sky in celebration.

Rutherford completes long jump full house

Britain’s Greg Rutherford completed a full-house of major titles when he added the world gold to his Olympic, Commonwealth and European long jump crowns.

Rutherford had such a bad headache a few hours before the final that he feared he would be unable to compete.

“By 2 o’clock this afternoon, I thought, ‘Flipping heck, I’m not going to be able to jump, I feel so rough’,” he said.

“Adrenalin’s a wonderful thing,” he said. “Here I am and I’ve finally won a world title. Fifth time lucky. Finally got what I wanted.” — Reuters

Results

Discus throw women

Denia Caballero (Cuba) 69.28, Sandra Perkovic (Croatia) 67.39, Nadine Müller (Germany) 65.53

Long jump men

Greg Rutherford (Britain) 8.41, Fabrice Lapierre (Australia) 8.24, Jianan Wang (China) 8.18

400 metres hurdles men

Nicholas Bett (Kenya) 47.79, Denis Kudryavtsev (Russia) 48.05, Jeffery Gibson (Bahamas) 48.17 

1500 metres women  Genzebe Dibaba (Ethiopia) 4:08.09, Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (Kenya) 4:08.96, Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) 4:09.34

800 metres men

David Lekuta Rudisha (Kenya) 1:45.84, Adam Kszczot (Poland) 1:46.08, Amel Tuka (Bosnia-Herzegovina) 1:46.30