Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 (© Getty Images)
Sunday was a day of surprises at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25.
While the likes of Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Gudaf Tsegay lived up to expectation in the 1500m finals, and Sander Skotheim did likewise in the heptathlon, there were several shock wins throughout the final day of action in Nanjing’s Cube.
Claire Bryant set the tone with the first final of the day, taking a surprise victory in the long jump. Another shock soon followed as world and Olympic high jump champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh was beaten by Australian duo Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson.
New Zealand shot putter Tom Walsh and sprint hurdler Devynne Charlton both produced their best form of the year so far to take surprise golds. Prudence Sekgodiso, meanwhile, was similarly surprised to win the women’s 800m. The men’s 800m, by contrast, went to the form book as Josh Hoey held on for victory.
Normal order was restored by the end of the day with USA taking dominant wins in both 4x400m finals. It meant they ended the championships top of the medals table with 16 medals, six of them gold.
Ingebrigtsen banishes demons with completion of distance double
Heading into these championships, Jakob Ingebrigtsen had never won a world title at 1500m, nor did he own a world indoor crown. He has remedied all that and more with the completion of the distance double in Nanjing. A day after winning the 3000m, the Norwegian took 1500m gold in 3:38.79. Britain's Neil Gourley held off USA's Luke Houser for silver.
Result: 1 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 3:38.79, 2 Neil Gourley (GBR) 3:39.07, 3 Luke Houser (USA) 3:39.17
Tsegay back on top of the world with 1500m win
Gudaf Tsegay left the Paris Olympic Games feeling disappointed after missing out on a medal in all three disciplines she contested. Here in Nanjing, the Ethiopian was back to her imperious best, taking 1500m gold with a championship record of 3:54.86 in what was one of the most dominant display of the championships. Teammate Diribe Welteji took silver, just ahead of Britain's Georgia Hunter Bell.
Result: 1 Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) 3:54.86, 2 Diribe Welteji (ETH) 3:59.30, 3 Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) 3:59.84
Skotheim undisputed king of heptathlon
Another week, another incredible display of all-round ability from Norway's Sander Skotheim. Having already won the European indoor title this year, Skotheim claimed gold here in Nanjing with 6475, holding off outdoor European champion Johannes Erm (6437) and Germany's Till Steinforth (6275).
Result: 1 Sander Skotheim (NOR) 6475, 2 Johannes Erm (EST) 6437, 3 Till Steinforth (GER) 6275
Charlton's lightning start too good for world's best hurdlers
Defending champion and world indoor record-holder Devynne Charlton hadn't had the best season leading into Nanjing, but the Bahamian got it right when it matters and claimed 60m hurdles gold in 7.72. In an incredibly close race where just 0.04 separated the top six women, European indoor champion Ditaji Kambundji earned silver in 7.73 and Ackera Nugent took bronze in 7.74.
Result: 1 Devynne Charlton (BAH) 7.72, 2 Ditaji Kambundji (SUI) 7.73, 3 Ackera Nugent (JAM) 7.74
Sekgodiso upstages Duguma over 800m
Defending champion Tsige Duguma started as the pre-race favourite, but her challenge started to fade half way into the race. South Africa's Prudence Sekgodiso timed her race to perfection, though, and came through to win in a world-leading 1:58.40. Ethiopia's Nigist Getachew took silver in 1:59.63 and Portugal's Patricia Silva claimed a surprise bronze.
Result: 1 Prudence Sekgodiso (RSA) 1:58.40, 2 Nigist Getachew (ETH) 1:59.63, 3 Patricia Silva (POR) 1:59.80
Hoey holds his nerve to take 800m gold
USA's Josh Hoey completed a remarkable undefeated indoor season by taking gold over 800m in Nanjing. It was one of the tightest races of his year so far as Belgium's Eliott Crestan almost caught him on the line, but Hoey held on to win in 1:44.77. Crestan took silver in 1:44.81 with Spain's Elvin Josue Canales claiming bronze in 1:45.03.
Result: 1 Josh Hoey (USA) 1:44.77, 2 Eliott Crestan (BEL) 1:44.81, 3 Elvin Josue Canales (ESP) 1:45.03
Olyslagers defeats Mahuchikh to retain high jump title
A first-time miss at 1.97m proved costly for Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the high jump final. Australian duo Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson both got over it on their first try, eventually leading to their 1-2 finish, while the Ukrainian went on to attempt - unsuccessfully - 1.99m.
Result: 1 Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) 1.97m, 2 Eleanor Patterson (AUS) 1.97m, 3 Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 1.95m
Furlani wins tight long jump final
Having earned numerous championship medals over the past year, Italian youngster Mattia Furlani claimed his first senior gold medal in the long jump. His second-round leap of 8.30m stood up as the best mark of the day and was just enough to win ahead of Jamaica's Wayne Pinnock (8.29m) and Australia's Liam Adcock (8.28m).
Result: 1 Mattia Furlani (ITA) 8.30m, 2 Wayne Pinnock (JAM) 8.29m, 3 Liam Adcock (AUS) 8.28m
Walsh once again top of the podium
Eleven years after winning his first world indoor medal, Tom Walsh earned his third world indoor gold - and his sixth successive podium finish - by claiming the shot put title with 21.65m. In a close final, US duo Roger Steen (21.62m) and Adrian Piperi (21.48m) claimed the other two medals.
Result: 1 Tom Walsh (NZL) 21.65m, 2 Roger Steen (USA) 21.62m, 3 Adrian Piperi (USA) 21.48m
Bryant breaks through with long jump win
Few would have predicted before the championships that Claire Bryant would leave Nanjing as a gold medallist, but the US long jumper uncorked a PB of 6.96m to take surprise gold. Switzerland's Annik Kalin claimed silver with 6.83m ahead of Spain's Fatima Diame.
Result: 1 Claire Bryant (USA) 6.96m, 2 Annik Kalin (SUI) 6.83m, 3 Fatima Diame (ESP) 6.72m
Dominant victory for USA in men's 4x400m
The three individual medallists from the men's 400m teamed up to carry USA to a convincing victory in 3:03.13. Jamaica was unchallenged in second place, while Hungary overtook China on the final leg to claim bronze in a national record.
Result: 1 USA 3:03.13, 2 Jamaica 3:05.05, 3 Hungary 3:06.03
USA's relay triumph a fitting end
The US women secured a comfortable win in the women's 4x400m, the final event of the championships, ensuring they finished the weekend at the top of the medals table. They won by almost five seconds in 3:27.45 ahead of Poland and Australia.
Result: 1 USA 3:27.45, 2 Poland 3:32.05, 3 Australia 3:32.65
