Tokyo, Sep 17 (IANS) Portugal’s Isaac Nader made history by claiming a dramatic victory in the men’s 1,500 metres at the World Athletics Championships here on Wednesday, clocking 3 minutes 34.10 seconds. Britain’s Jake Wightman, the 2022 world champion, was narrowly denied the title, finishing second in 3:34.12, while Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot secured the bronze in 3:34.25.

The triumph marks Nader’s first global title, a breakthrough achievement for the 26-year-old whose previous best on the international stage had been two top-eight finishes at the World Indoor Championships.

Kenya’s Faith Cherotich stormed to victory in the women’s 3,000 meters steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships here on Wednesday.

Cherotich, a bronze medalist at the 2023 Budapest worlds and the 2024 Paris Olympics, clocked a championship record of 8 minutes 51.59 seconds for the gold medal.

Defending champion and Olympic gold medalist Winfred Yavi of Bahrain settled for silver in 8:56.46, while Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew claimed bronze with a personal best of 8:58.86.

Meanwhile, in the men’s javelin throw, defending champion Neeraj Chopra and Paris Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan qualified for the final in contrasting styles. Chopra, a two-time medallist in the Olympics and World Championships, went past the qualifying standard with his first throw of 84.85m.

Nadeem had to spend some anxious moments before clinching his spot with this third and final attempt, hurling the spear to 85.28m. The 27-year-old Chopra was placed fifth in the list of qualified throwers, which was led by two-time World Champion Anderson Peters of Grenada at 89.83, with Germany’s Julian Weber at second with 87.21. Nadeem was placed fourth, just ahead of Chopra in fifth.

Earlier, Olympic champion Hamish Kerr of New Zealand claimed victory in the men’s high jump final on Tuesday. The 29-year-old cleared a world-leading 2.36 meters to secure his first global outdoor title.

South Korea’s Woo Sang-hyeok, the 2022 world indoor champion, cleared 2.34 meters for his second world championships silver after 2022. Jan Stefela of the Czech Republic earned bronze after clearing 2.31 meters, edging Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk on countback.

–IANS

bsk/