The World Athletics Championships got off to a soggy start in Budapest, Hungary as heavy rain delayed the morning session. The tricky road conditions had little effect on Kenya’s Samuel Gathimba though as he powered to a top-10 finish in the first event on the programme – the 20km race walk.
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The three-time African champion finished in a season’s best time of 1:18.34 to secure ninth place behind Spain Alvaro Martin who clinched the gold in 1:17.32.
“Basically it did not bother me, the rainy weather, but there were parts where I could not really handle it well. It was better than I could imagine it,” he said afterwards. “The result is the best surprise for me in this year, because it is my season's best.”
On the track, Gathimba’s compatriot Faith Kipyegon began her quest for double gold in Budapest, cruising through her 1500m heat and winning in a time of 4:02.62. Another Kenyan, Nelly Chepchirchir, also won her heat in 4:00.87 while Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha took the final heat in a time of 4:03.47.
Simply thrilled to line up alongside Kipyegon on the start line of heat 2 was South Africa’s World Championship debutante Carina Viljoen, who finished 12th in a time of 4:11.02.
“I almost wanted to go and shake her hand before, a very incredible runner, and so impressive and I was honoured to be on the starting line with her,” admitted Viljoen afterwards. “I was joking that I could go back and forever say that I was on the same starting line as her. But I don’t think it’s impossible for anyone to get to that point and so I’ll just keep working and hopefully one day we’ll join her.”
Over in the long jump pit, both Burkina Faso’s Marthe Koala and Nigeria’s Ese Brume secured spots in Sunday’s final. Koala jumped 6.84m to finish second in her qualifying group while Brume was fourth with 6.72m.
“I already felt good at the warm-up. The conditions are really good, the track is fast so it was on me to show a good performance, which I managed to do. I feel really good, in good form. I have a lot of energy and I am waiting for the final,” said Koala afterwards.
Favourites for the 3000m steeple chase title, Ethiopian world record holder Lamecha Girma and Moroccan Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali safely negotiated their way through the morning heats. Girma won his race in 8:15.89 while El Bakkali was second in his in a much slower 8:23.66. The first of the heats was won by Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale in 8:19.99.
Meanwhile, it wasn’t the best of days for South Africa’s Olympic finalist Kyle Blignaut who missed out on qualifying for the shot put final. His best effort came in the second round with a heave of 18.82m – well off his personal best of 21.21m. Also missing out was compatriot Burger Lamprechts whose best on the day was a second-round throw of 19.52m. Both athletes had no-throws in the final round.
“I can’t blame it on the conditions,” said Blignaut. “I think it just came down to my performance and not showing up to the day, and I had a bit of a niggle that I picked up this week while training so I feel that also had a bit of an effect on me. But I can’t blame it on the conditions, I feel like it’s my fault.
“I just pulled my groin a bit which doesn’t enable me to throw 100 per cent, so that’s what happened this week. But I’ll go back home and fix it and come back stronger next year for the Olympics.”
Lamprechts added: “The warm-up was a little tough with the water in the ring, but like Kyle says it’s no excuse, everybody has the same ring. I just didn’t handle it very well. I’m excited, I still had a lot of fun, it was my first World Championships, and I love putting the green and gold on.”
Athletics action continues tonight with plenty of African interest with the first round of the men’s 100m (7.43pm) and 1500m (7.02pm) along with the final of the women’s 10 000m at 8.55pm.