Legend of world athletics who has become a spokesperson for sportswomen, Allyson Felix bid farewell to the track by enriching her exceptional record with a record nineteenth world medal in Eugene, Oregon , Friday, July 15. The Californian sprinter won bronze with the American mixed 4 × 400m relay, beaten by the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands.
At 36 and at the end of a twenty-year career, Felix has thirteen gold medals among his nineteen world awards, plus eleven Olympic medals, including seven titles, from Athens in 2004 to Tokyo in 2021.
For her last lap, the American, launched in the lead in the position of second torchbearer, was carried by an enthusiastic ovation from the public at Hayward Field, which was not enough to allow her to pass the baton in front. The stadium was already largely empty when she received her medal a few minutes later.
A sprint icon whose incomparable, ample and fluid stride has made her reputation, the Californian athlete took on another dimension in the last part of her career, after the birth of her daughter, Camryn, at the end of 2018. When Nike, her longtime equipment supplier, has intended to cut her emoluments by 70%, she has spoken publicly to denounce the giant of the global sports industry’s policy towards pregnant sportswomen. The comma brand ended up folding and swore that no pregnant professional sportswoman would be financially penalized anymore.
“I hope I will be remembered as a fierce competitor, but most importantly to me, as someone who tried to leave the sport better than it found it, to support women athletes, and women in general, and to fight for more equality”, said Felix, who worked to set up a childcare system at certain competitions, on the eve of of his final lap.
Historic first for Peru
Peru’s Kimberly Garcia Leon gave Peru its first-ever medal at the world athletics championships by winning the 20 km walk on Friday. Garcia Leon completed this 20 km, launched under a blazing sun at midday, in 1 h 26 min 58 s, ahead of the Polish Katarzyna Zdzieblo, second at 33 seconds, and the Chinese Shijie Qieyang, third at 58 seconds.
Toshikazu Yamanishi marche sur l’ or
The first Japanese walker crowned 20 km world champion in Doha in 2019, Toshikazu Yamanishi retained world gold on Friday, ahead of his compatriot Koki Ikeda. Under strong heat and on a 1 kilometer loop with little shade, Yamanishi (26), Olympic bronze medalist a year ago in Sapporo (Japan), won in 1 h 19 min 07 s after slipping away in the last mile to Ikeda.
Fastest 100m heats time for American Fred Kerley
American Fred Kerley made a strong impression in the 100m heats, which he dominated in 9.79s, just three hundredths off his best performance in the world this season. Injured in a thigh and deprived of the least 100m at international level in 2022, the reigning Olympic champion, the Italian Marcell Jacobs, also qualified for the semi-finals.
Pole vaulters Margot Chevrier and Ninon Chapelle in the final
The French Margot Chevrier and Ninon Chapelle will be in the final of the pole vault. France’s record holder, Ninon Chapelle, for her first major world event since her pregnancy, cleared 4.50 m. Reigning French champion, Margot Chevrier had to try three times to validate 4.50 m.
Mehdi Belhadj drafted and qualified for the 3,000m steeplechase
French cross-country skier Mehdi Belhadj qualified for the 3,000m steeplechase final on Friday. For his first major international competition, at 27, he took fourth place in his series in 8 min 20 s 47. A time that allowed him to be drafted after being dominated.