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Athletics World Championships

Niekerk hospitalised, drugs busts and Kenyan triumphs on day five of World Athletics Championships

Van Niekerk is rushed to hospital, Zakari and Manunga are busted, Yego and Jepkemoi keep Kenya winning and Bolt and Gatlin should watch out for Hughes and on day five of the Beijing World Athletics Championships.

South Africa's Wayde Van Niekerk (à droite) beats the US's LaShawn Merritt.
South Africa's Wayde Van Niekerk (à droite) beats the US's LaShawn Merritt. Reuters/Phil Noble
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  •  These athletes have some choice phrases

When a rather callow review covered its first Olympics, we were perturbed by one phrase in particular. It was oft used by the swimmers who rejoiced in “leaving it all in the pool”. It

must have come from a motivational manual but it didn’t half put us off. We can only imagine that they meant effort. A kind of aquatic "Je ne regrette rien". Lashawn Merritt said he left it all out on the track following the 400 metres. The American defending champion came second behind Wayde van Niekerk from South Africa. Van Niekerk left so much out there that he collapsed after crossing the finishing line. He was taken to hospital to recover. We were assured that he should be back to face questions from reporters on day six about his victory.

  • Almost made it

Reassuringly, there’s been a drugs bust. Two Kenyan athletes have been suspended following snap tests at the team hotel just before the championships began. So it’s farewell Joyce Zakary and Koki Manunga, who have accepted provisional bans after snap tests by teams from the International Association of Athletics Federations, the body organising the world championships. When she ran in the heats of the 400 metres on Monday, 29-year-old Zakary set a Kenyan national record of 50.71 seconds and now we know why. Manunga clearly wasn’t taking the right products as she finished sixth in her heat of the 400m hurdles after clocking 58.96 seconds. There’s a character in the cartoon South Park named Mr Mackie. He’s the school counsellor and his advice is: “Drugs are bad.” We’re thus reminded of a visit from a school counsellor who tried to guide the girls in the school from unwanted pregnancies thus: “I’ve always found the best contraceptive is the word no.” Or as James Bond in Goldfinger tells himself: “Discipline, 007, discipline.”

  • Big up, Kenya, nonetheless

Another day, another couple of golds. Julius Yego and Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi won on day five in the men’s javelin and the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase. On day four David Rudisha claimed the men’s 800 metres and Nicholas Bett the men’s 400 metres hurdles. Yego said it was a shame that two of his compatriots had felt the need to take drugs. And the revelations did detract from his and Jepkemoi’s glory. Still, they’ll be able to dine out on their achievements.

  • The showdown is back in town

Just about recovered from the hype and hyperbole surrounding the 100 metres race between Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin. There weren’t any other competitors apparently. Bolt, the defending champion, moved into the final of the 200 metres on day five and so did Gatlin. Rather like they did two years ago in Moscow. But there are some new kids on the block and Britain’s Zharnel Hughes could upset the big guns. The crunch comes at the end of day six. Bolt will be looking for a 10thgold medal at the world championships and status as the only man during the 15 editions of the world championships to defend the sprint double. Over to you Usain.

  • Love him or loathe him, Justin Gatlin is a competitor

It says a lot about Justin Gatlin that he is still pounding the tracks at the age of 33. The American won the 100 and 200 metres at the world championships in Helsinki in 2005. But since then, there’s been nothing golden about his endeavours at the championships. In 2007, Gatlin was eclipsed by his fellow American Tyson Gay and since then it’s been pretty much the Usain Bolt show. Gatlin was painted as the villain of the piece in the prelude to the 100 metres because of his drugs bans. The frenzy has subsided somewhat in the lead-up to the 200 metres, probably because everyone is so spent from the uberfroth the furore brought. Gatlin’s ethics have been questionable but his work ethic has been admirable.

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