Chase Jackson, owner of two world indoor bronzes and a silver, completed her medal set in the first evening final of day one at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 on Friday (20).

The colourful United States athlete – world outdoor champion in 2022 and 2023 and silver medallist in Tokyo last year – secured gold with a fourth-round best of 20.14m.

There had been much speculation beforehand about the prospect of an improvement on the championship record of 20.67m set by the onlooking four-time winner Valerie Adams when Poland hosted this event in Sopot 12 years ago.

But Jackson’s effort turned out to be the only one beyond the 20.00m mark – not that it faintly dimmed her exuberant celebrations as she shouted out to her coach: “I can retire from indoors!”

Silver went to Canada’s defending champion Sarah Mitton on 19.78m, with Sweden’s 25-year-old Axelina Johannson – World University Games gold medallist and NCAA champion a week ago – producing the performance of her career so far to claim bronze with a national record of 19.75m.

“I wanted to come here and finish the collection of having the full set of world indoor medals,” Jackson said.

“I am not a big fan of indoors, everybody knows that. This is my indoor retirement; I probably won't throw indoors anymore. Today, it was hard for me to be ready. It was 15 athletes competing and it takes a long time to throw.

“My coach and me, we had a plan... and it worked.”

Jackson, who failed to qualify for the final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, produced a conservative opening effort of 18.35m. Safe.

Round two saw her move out to 19.96m to establish a lead she never lost.

Behind her, as the field narrowed progressively over the final three rounds, Mitton – amiable and relaxed throughout – eventually found the effort in the fourth round that took her past a Swedish athlete palpably thrilled by her second-round record.

Also in the mix was the Dutch world champion Jessica Schilder, who posted the best effort of the season so far, 20.69m, in Berlin earlier this month.

But her fifth round best of 19.63m left her one place off the podium – a position in which she remained after a big final effort went out.

Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye, who claimed the Paris 2024 Olympic title with a final round effort of 20.00m that moved her up from fifth place, arrived in the final round requiring a similarly dramatic effort – but she couldn’t improve on her first-round effort of 19.46m and finished fifth.

Mitton’s last throw was a foul – and soon she was embracing the US athlete assured of a first world indoor title. Jackson’s last effort looked long but the red flag went up. Not that she cared.

The gold and silver medallists chatted amiably afterwards, assigning a cameraman the extra task of getting a picture of them together, draped in their national flags.

“Every time you leave with a medal around your neck, you have to be happy,” Mitton said. “There were a few competitions in the past when I was throwing well and finished fourth. Today, I did not quite hit it right. There was one throw where the shot hit the net that might have been the one for me today but that is those pesky indoor sectors.

“I feel happy for Chase. Before the competition she told me I should let her win at least one indoor title. Of course, I was trying to beat her until the last attempt but, if it was not me winning, I am happy it was her.”

With her third place, Johannson becomes Sweden's first ever world medallist in the women's throws.

Her compatriot Fanny Roos was the last of the six through to the final round, finishing with a best of 18.96m.

Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo, the 2022 world indoor champion, moved through to the fifth round with a best of 18.82m but a foul meant she did not make the final round cut of six, with Abria Smith of the United States also departing at that point.

Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics

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