Andy Diaz in the triple jump at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 (© AFP / Getty Images)
There was a feeling of deja vu on the first day of action at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
Three of the gold medallists - 60m winner Jeremiah Azu, triple jump champion Andy Diaz Hernandez, and pentathlon gold medallist Saga Vanninen - stood atop a major podium for the second time this month, having struck gold at the recent European Indoor Championships two weeks ago.
The two other winners today, shot put champion Sarah Mitton and high jump victor Woo Sanghyeok, collected their second world indoor titles, having won in previous editions.
Azu storms to 60m gold
Two weeks after winning the European indoor 60m title, Britain's Jeremiah Azu landed world indoor gold over the same distance, and doing so with the exact same winning time of 6.49. In a close finish, Australia's Lachlan Kennedy earned silver with 6.50 while South Africa's Akani Simbine earned his first individual global medal, taking bronze with 6.54.
Result: 1 Jeremiah Azu (GBR) 6.49, 2 Lachlan Kennedy (AUS) 6.50, 3 Akani Simbine (RSA) 6.54
Vanninen lives up to expectations with pentathlon triumph
Like Azu in the men's 60m, Saga Vanninen was another European indoor champion to take global gold here in Nanjing. She became the first Finnish woman to win a senior global combined events title, taking pentathlon gold with 4821. Ireland’s Kate O’Connor took silver with 4742 while USA’s Taliyah Brooks earned her first major medal, taking bronze with a PB of 4669.
Result: 1 Saga Vanninen (FIN) 4821, 2 Kate O'Connor (IRL) 4742, 3 Taliyah Brooks (USA) 4669
Mitton retains shot put crown
Canada's Sarah Mitton successfully defended her shot put title, winning a competitive final with a throw of 20.48m. She led for most of the final thanks to her second-round effort of 20.36m. That remained the best mark until she improved to 20.48m with her final throw. Jessica Schilder took silver with 20.07m, one centimetre ahead of Chase Jackson. The last time all three medallists threw beyond 20 metres at the World Indoors was back in 1991.
Result: 1 Sarah Mitton (CAN) 20.48m, 2 Jessica Schilder (NED) 20.07m, 3 Chase Jackson (USA) 20.06m
Diaz leaps world-leading 17.80m to take triple jump gold
Two weeks after taking European indoor gold, Andy Diaz Hernandez landed his first global title by winning the triple jump with 17.80m, breaking his own outright Italian record. China's Zhu Yaming delighted the home fans by taking silver (17.33m) while world champion Hugues Fabrice Zango earned bronze with 17.15m.
Result: 1 Andy Diaz Hernandez (ITA) 17.80m, 2 Zhu Yaming (CHN) 17.33m, 3 Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) 17.15m
Woo regains world indoor high jump crown
Three years after taking gold in Belgrade, Woo Sanghyeok won his second world indoor high jump title. The Korean was the only athlete to go clear at 2.31m, doing so on his first try. Defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Hamish Kerr was second with 2.28m, taking silver on countback ahead of Jamaica's Raymond Richards.
Result: 1 Woo Sanghyeok (KOR) 2.31m, 2 Hamish Kerr (NZL) 2.28m, 3 Raymond Richards (JAM) 2.28m
