Spaniard Maria Perez collected her second gold medal of the world championships in the 20km walk yesterday to secure an unprecedented double-double, while Caio Bonfim gave Brazil its first global walk title in the men’s race.
Perez, who successfully defended her 35km title in searing heat last week, slapped her singlet in delight as she crossed the line in 1 hour, 25 minutes and 54 seconds, a comfortable 12 seconds ahead of Mexico’s Alegna Gonzalez in second place.
It was a redeeming moment for Perez, who had missed out on an Olympic medal by eight seconds at the same National Stadium in 2021.
Photo: Reuters
“I am the happiest woman in the world. I did not come here today to make history in women’s sport. I just came to improve myself and not to focus on the time,” said the 29-year-old, who also did the walk double in Budapest two years ago. “Last time in Japan, I left with a bitter-sweet taste. I am leaving happy now.”
To the delight of the roaring crowd, Nanako Fujii just held off charging Ecuadorian Paula Milena Torres at the line to finish third and secure Japan a first global medal in the women’s walk events.
“Winning the bronze medal in my country feels very special,” said Fujii.
It was Japan’s second medal at the 20th World Athletics Championships after Hayato Katsuki’s bronze in the men’s 35km walk.
Another medal for the host nation looked likely on the men’s side when world record holder Toshikazu Yamanishi led the race, but his hopes of a third world title evaporated when he picked up a third red card to serve a mandatory two-minute penalty.
“I am very disappointed,” the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist said. “I wish I had been more careful. I wanted to win the gold medal so I pushed for it. I had to go for it but that led me to my disqualification.”
Yamanishi’s error opened up the race in the closing stages, and Bonfim blazed past China’s Wang Zhaozhao and Spain’s Paul McGrath to take the lead.
Finishing in 1 hour, 18 minutes and 35 seconds, Bonfim picked up his second medal of the world championships after a silver in the 35km last week, dropping to his knees in tears after crossing the line.
“I lost my wedding ring in the third kilometer,” the 34-year-old said. “I think my wife will be okay because I won today. I thought of all my three sons in the last two laps. I won this for them, for Brazil.”
Wang won silver in 1 hour, 18 minutes and 43 seconds, and McGrath the bronze two seconds behind.
TITLE CAMPAIGN: The victory sent the Monkeys to the Taiwan Series for the third time in the past four seasons as they seek their first championship since 2019 The stage is set for the Taiwan Series after the Rakuten Monkeys on Monday beat the Uni-President Lions 4-3 in Game 5 of the CPBL Challenger Series in Kaohsiung. The Monkeys, who entered the top of the ninth scoreless, tied the game with a three-run blast by Lin Chih-ping and scored the winning run in the 10th on an RBI single by Lin Li, a three-time batting champion in the CPBL. Both players entered the game as pinch hitters. “The coach told me to stay prepared as a pinch hitter in the later part of the game. My teammates had
Taiwanese badminton ace Chou Tien-chen was crowned the men’s singles champion at the Arctic Open on Sunday, after defeating Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 21-11, 13-21, 21-19. The 35-year-old Chou, who is ranked world No. 5, and the 24-year-old Vitidsarn, ranked world No. 3, battled it out for one hour and 17 minutes in a grueling three-game match at Energia Areena in Vantaa, Finland. In the first game, Chou took an early 9-7 lead and maintained his momentum, widening the gap, before defeating Vitidsarn 21-11. At the start of the second game, the two players were neck-and-neck. When Vitidsarn pulled ahead
The Ministry of Sports on Wednesday night called for the Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) to address issues in Taiwanese soccer after national manager Huang Che-ming on Tuesday resigned following Taiwan’s elimination in AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Taiwan on Tuesday were thrashed 6-1 by Thailand in their Group D tie at Taipei Municipal Stadium. Taiwan finished with no points, after losing all four of their matches, eliminating them from qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Huang made his surprise resignation at a post-match news conference, following three losses since he took over the team from English coach Gary White in August. Huang
HIT AND RUN: Toronto manager John Schneider got his wish that his team ‘find some slug in the air out here,’ as the Blue Jays combined to total 611m of homers Tired in Toronto, the Blue Jays slugged in Seattle. Vladimir Guerrero Jr and George Springer on Wednesday woke up the Jays, as Toronto hit five home runs to rebound from an early deficit, routing the Mariners 13-4 and closing to 2-1 in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). Toronto had 18 hits — all within the first three pitches of each at-bat. “If they give us a first pitch, the pitch that we’re looking for, we’re going to attack and we’re going to be aggressive,” Guerrero said. Seattle starter George Kirby gave up eight of the hits. “I wasn’t really executing when they got
RSS