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Jeered Gatlin gatecrashes Bolt’s 100m farewell party

By AFP
August 07, 2017

LONDON: American veteran Justin Gatlin was booed after he stunned Usain Bolt to win the 100m world title here on Sunday and rain on the Jamaican’s farewell race in the blue riband event.

Gatlin, who has served two doping bans and won silvers behind Bolt at the last two world championships, clocked 9.92 seconds, with teammate Christian Coleman winning silver in 9.94sec.

Bolt suffered a dreadful start and could only claim bronze in 9.95sec.“I’m sorry I couldn’t end it on a winning note, but I want to thank you for your support,” said Bolt, who embraced Gatlin after they streaked through the line with no clear victor immediately apparent.

“It’s been a wonderful experience as always.”Gatlin was afforded the same rough reception as he had in the heats and semi-finals, loud boos and jeering ringing around the same stadium where in 2012 his rivalry with Bolt was presented as ‘good against evil’, given the American’s doping-tainted past.

“I tuned it out (the boos) through the rounds and stayed the course,” said Gatlin.“I did what I had to do. The people who love me are here cheering for me and cheering at home.

“It is Bolt’s last race. I have had many victories and many defeats down the years. It is an amazing occasion. We are rivals on the track but in the warm-down area we joke and have a good time.”

The jeering did indeed continue unabated after it became clear Gatlin, a sprinter whose past divides track and field, had gatecrashed Bolt’s party.

Gatlin initially put his finger to his pursed lips as if to hush the crowd, before dropping to his knees to bow down to Bolt.

“The first thing he did was congratulate me and say that I didn’t deserve the boos. He is an inspiration,” Gatlin said of Bolt.

The evening was all supposed to be about the 30-year-old Bolt claiming a remarkable 12th world gold to add to his eight Olympic golds in what has been a glittering career.

And what a gaping hole his absence will leave, no matter how brave a face track and field’s governing body the IAAF try to put on it.

Of his 19 global golds, 13 have come in individual events and allied with a charismatic personality, it has guaranteed Bolt recognition as one of the world’s most successful sportsmen.

Aries Merritt’s bid to win the world 110 metres hurdles title two years after undergoing a kidney transplant got off to a smooth start.

“My whole purpose in life is to inspire others and I hope everyone can take the lesson you can succeed if you put your mind to it,” said Merritt after his heat.

However, the world record holder has tough opposition barring his way including the man who succeeded him as Olympic champion Omar McLeod, who is intent on breaking Merritt’s world mark.

However, he looked sluggish in his heat before finding enough to come through and win it.

Earlier American Kerron Clement opened his campaign for a third world title in the 400m hurdles easing home in 49.64sec but veteran Puerto Rican Javier Culson looked a shadow of the man who won two world silvers and an Olympic bronze finishing sixth in the same heat and failed to go through as a fastest loser.

American athletics great Allyson Felix cantered home in her opening 400m heat, the 31-year-old defending champion bidding for a 10th world gold.

However, standing in her way will be Shaunae Miller-Uibo the Bahamian who denied her Olympic gold last year and who looked in sublime form as she posted a faster time in her heat of 50.97sec.

Veteran Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills has continued her career remarkably after suffering from breast cancer and undergoing a mastectomy but even at 35 years of age she shows no signs of diminished ability and cruised into the next round.

The men’s 3000m steeplechase Rio Olympics silver medalist Evan Jager of the United States topped the times whilst four-time world champion and double Olympic gold medalist Ezekiel Kemboi had to wait to go through as one of the fastest qualifiers.

Kenya’s Geoffrey Kipkorir Kirui prevailed in a compelling east African duel with Ethiopian Tamirat Tola to win the men’s marathon.

Kirui, victor at the Boston Marathon in April, finally broke Tola, the fastest man in the field, with five miles (8.05 km) of the 26.2-mile course left after they had gone head-to-head over the second half of the race. 

At the 19-mile mark, Tola had made his decisive effort and sped away from the 24-year-old Kenyan but within two miles Kirui had hauled back the lead before surging away immediately and emphatically.

Kenya’s fifth men’s world champion at the distance eventually crossed the line at Tower Bridge in 2 hours 8 minutes 27 seconds, finishing one minute and 22 seconds ahead of Tola (2:09:49).

The fading Ethiopian just held on for silver by two seconds from the fast-finishing Tanzanian Alphonce Simbu.

Meanwhile, world-leader Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands was disqualified in the men’s 400 metres hurdles heats.

McMaster, 20, was one of the favourites for the event in the London Stadium, but reacted too quickly out of the blocks in the second heat and was disqualified for a false start.

European champion Yasmani Copello showed why he is the Diamond League leader by setting the fastest time.

Turkey’s Copello, who won bronze at the Rio Olympics last year, won the third heat in a time of 49.13, the fastest in the competition so far to qualify automatically for Monday’s semi-final. —AFP