Canada’s Mitton wins shot put to open world indoor championships

GLASGOW: Canada’s Sarah Mitton added a global gold medal to her collection by winning the women’s shot put at the world indoor athletics championships on Friday, the first final of the event.

The 27-year-old silver medallist at last year’s world outdoor event stepped into the circle for her sixth and final throw with victory already locked up thanks to her heave of 20.20 metres with her fourth attempt.

Mitton bettered that with a national indoor record of 20.22 on her final throw in a celebratory finish. “To be the world champion, that sounds amazing,” she said. “I was not able to say that before and now, I am probably never going to stop saying it. This is the moment that cannot be taken away from you.

“Everything is a progression and every year, I am becoming a little bit better. It’s also about learning how to win and how to handle yourself in different environments. Now I’m confident and comfortable, I think I’m able to show great performances.”

Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany threw 20.19 for silver, while American Chase Jackson, the 2022 world outdoor champion, won bronze with 19.67. Mitton, who became Canada’s first female world shot put medallist last year in Budapest, was already a Commonwealth and Pan American Games champion and had said recently that she hoped to complete the medal set with Olympic and world gold.

“Obviously, it is an Olympic year and everything is gearing up. This is really a big stepping stone on the way and I’m excited to see how we can translate this into Paris (Olympics),” Mitton said.

Maria Vicente of Spain ruptured her Achilles tendon in the pentathlon high jump, which could shelve her Paris Olympics dreams. Vicente, who was carried away in tears on a stretcher, is the European under-23 champion in the heptathlon.

“We have seen the doctors and I have a complete rupture,” Vicente said. “I will return (from injury) for sure, as I already did before.”