Since the beginning of these world championships, the competitions have offered first-rate shows, like the victory in the high jump of Gianmarco Tamberi, that of Laulauga Tausaga in the discus throw or even the coronation shared between the pole vaulters Nina Kennedy and Katie Moon.

Thursday in Budapest, the long jumpers did not mismatch. And like the day before with the Norwegian Karsten Warholm over 400 meters hurdles, there was talk of revenge. The Greek Miltiadis Tentoglou, deprived of the world title last year in Eugene on a last jump from the Chinese surprise Jianan Wang, played the same trick on the Jamaican Wayne Pinnock.

Author of a jump at 8.50 meters before his final attempt but preceded by Pinnock for the benefit of the second best jump (8.40 meters against 8.39 meters), Tentoglou landed at 8.52 meters to close any debate. The 2021 Olympic champion did not do better than a third jump at 8.39 meters for a long time and for one centimeter, he then saw the world gold medal fly away for the second time in a row. Until his last victorious flight…

Another Jamaican, Tajay Gayle finished third in 8.27m, ahead of his compatriot Carey McLeod, also 8.27m, in favor of the third best jump: 8.17m against 7.90m.

Femke Bol unrivaled in 400m hurdles

In the women’s hammer throw final, without defending American champion Brooke Andersen eliminated in qualifying, 2022 world runner-up Camryn Rogers climbed to the top step of the podium. The Canadian won with a throw of 77.22m, ahead of last year’s bronze medalist, American Janee Kassanavoid (76.36m), who gained a place with this second place. The bronze medal went to the American DeAnna Price (75 meters 41).

On the track, the final of the 100 meters hurdles was as expected extremely competitive. It was an outsider who created the surprise, Jamaican Danielle Williams. The 30-year-old beat Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and American Kendra Harrison. Eight years after her title, the 2015 world champion enjoyed a race that was slower than the heats and semi-finals suggested. In 12.43, she won by one hundredth against Camacho-Quinn and by three hundredths against Harrison.

The reigning world champion and world record holder, Nigerian Tobi Amusan, failed in sixth place (12 s 62). She had been suspended in July for three breaches of her doping whereabouts obligations before the decision was lifted by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) two days before the opening of the Worlds.

The lap of the track smiled in the men’s race on the young 21-year-old Jamaican rider, Antonio Watson. Like her compatriot Danielle Williams, Watson surprised all the favorites with a breathtaking final stretch. He won in 44s 22, ahead of Briton Matthew Hudson-Smith (44s 31) and American Quincy Hall (44s 37). South African world record holder Wayde van Niekerk finished in seventh place while Grenadian Kirani James was disqualified after crossing the finish line.

In the absence of world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Dutch Femke Bol left no hope for competition in the 400m hurdles final. She won easily in 51.70. Behind, the American Shamier Little and the Jamaican Rushell Clayton respectively achieved times of 52.80 and 52.81.

On the French side, while waiting for Kevin Mayer to enter the fray on Friday, who should start his decathlon despite his Achilles tendon pain, this sixth day of the world championships was not very favorable to the French team. The three French runners – Benjamin Robert, Gabriel Tual and Yanis Meziane – were eliminated in the semi-final of the 800 meters. Only the qualification for the final of the 5000 meters of Jimmy Gressier gives a little smile to the Blues.