Day 6 of the 2023 World Athletics Championships: The Jamaican hegemony is still going strong

After enjoying world championships in athletics for almost fifteen years in which there was never a shortage of titles by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce or Usain Bolt, it was absolutely logical to question the ability of Jamaican athletics to absorb a change of era. Any sport in any country would suffer to the unimaginable extent not only from the lack of triumphs but especially from the sporting extinction of figures capable of generating such energy of inspiration. Clarification: this concept dispenses with the possibility of Shelly-Ann winning another gold medal in the future.

The truth is that the World Championship in Budapest brought important news to clear up doubts in this regard.

Not only did the Jamaican team bring to Hungarian soil a generous team of young athletes who appear to be a major threat to anyone, but the sixth day of competition put weight in medals on a future that seems to have reached the most prestigious tracks way too soon.

Until today, one of the most eloquent examples was that of Seville and Fords, two under-22s who did not reach the podium but were solid finalists in the 100 won by Lyles.

Now, we are moving from the insinuation to the concrete: silver and bronze medals in long jump and the titles of Danielle Williams (100 with hurdles) and Antonio Watson (400 plains) turned this Thursday into a dream day for athletics in that country.

For this reason alone, the enormous impact of the Greek Miltiadis Tentoglou, who became world champion in his last long jump, as well as the very clear victory of the Canadian Camryn Rogers in a hammer throw, who, like the Dutch Femke Bol in the 400 with hurdles, drew a marked distance from her competitors.

Historic double for the Spanish march in Budapest

The Spaniards María Pérez and Álvaro Martín became world champions in the 35-kilometer March competition and thus achieved the double after also winning the gold medal in the 20-kilometer race.

María Pérez, owner of the world record, won with a time of 2:38.40 (championship record) and was escorted by reigning Peruvian world champion Kimberly Garcia (2:40.52). The podium was completed by the Greek Antigoni Ntrismpioti (2:43 .22) who achieved her best record of the year.

Alvaro Martín, for his part, needed to set a new national record with 2:24.30 to beat Ecuadorian Brian Pintado in the final, who set a continental record by finishing second with 2:24.34. Third, with his best time of the season (2:25.12), was Japan’s Masatora Kawano.

Another note from the sixth day was that Joshua Cheptegei, Olympic champion and owner of the world record in 5000 meters, was unable to participate in the semifinals due to a foot injury. The Ugandan was looking for the double after winning the 10000 meters. The fastest of the qualifiers was Guatemalan Luis Grijalva (13:32 .72).

Meanwhile, the Americans Gabrielle Thomas (21.97) and Noah Lyles (19.76) were the fastest in the semifinals of the 200 meters, while the Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:43.83) was the fastest in the semifinals of the 800. For his part, Emmanuel Korir, also Kenyan and Olympic champion, will not fight for this title due to an injury.