The nine-day World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, concluded yesterday, with the United States and Kenya claiming 23 of the 49 gold medals on offer.
Kenya excelled in the long-distance events, while the United States dominated the sprints. Jamaica, traditionally a powerhouse in sprinting, managed just one gold medal this year.
On the final day, much of the spotlight was on the relay events. The United States clinched its 10th world championship in the men’s 4x100m relay, finishing in 37.29 seconds. Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, Courtney Lindsay, and Christian Coleman combined to secure gold, ahead of Canada (37.81s, silver) and the Netherlands (37.81s, bronze and national record).
The U.S. women’s team also successfully defended their title in the 4x100m relay. Twanisha Terry, Kayla White, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and Sha’Carri Richardson edged out Jamaica by just 0.04 seconds. Jefferson-Wooden became the first athlete since Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to win three medals at a single World Championships. Jamaica claimed silver in 41.79s, while Germany took bronze in 41.87s.
The event marked the final race for sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who retires as a two-time Olympic 100m champion and five-time world 100m champion. She added one last silver medal to her glittering career.
In the women’s 4x400m relay, the U.S. set a championship record of 3:16.61 to secure gold, with Jamaica and the Netherlands winning silver and bronze, respectively.
Overall, 198 countries and teams participated in the championships. Fifty-three nations earned at least one medal, while 20 secured gold.
American sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden emerged as the star of the championships, while Noah Lyles equaled Usain Bolt’s record by winning his fourth consecutive world 200m title. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis set the only world record of the tournament in the men’s pole vault, and U.S. athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone impressed by winning double gold in the 400m and 4x400m, clocking the fastest 400m time in 40 years.
Sri Lanka also made its mark. Nadeesha Ramanayake competed in the women’s 400m but did not advance past the heats. In men’s javelin, Rumesh Tharanga qualified for the final with an 82.80m throw and finished 7th overall with 84.38m — Sri Lanka’s best performance at a World Championships in many years. Sumedha Ranasinghe placed 15th out of 37 competitors but did not reach the final.
