Briton Kerr stuns Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen to win 1,500m gold at World's

Harrison's mission to at last win a global 100m hurdles title remained firmly on courseas she coasted into the world final in Budapest

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Britain's Josh Kerr celebrates winning the men's 1500m final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 23. - AFP

By Reuters

Published: Thu 24 Aug 2023, 12:10 AM

Briton Josh Kerr pulled off one of the shocks of the World Championships when he beat Olympic champion and hot favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen in a carbon copy of last year's final to take 1,500m gold on Wednesday.

Favourite in 2022, Norway's Ingebrigtsen was outkicked by Britain's Jake Wightman to miss out on gold and Kerr, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist behind Ingebrigtsen, made his move at about the same spot with 200 metres to go.

Kerr dug deep to stay in front and won in 3:29.38 with Ingebrigtsen, whose 3:27.14 run in Poland five weeks ago made him the fourth-fastest man in history, taking silver in 3:29.65.

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Norwegian Narve Gilje Nordas secured the bronze in 3:29.68.

Kendra Harrison (right) clears the last hurdle ahead of Tiffany Porter (left) and the rest of the field on her way to victory. — AP

Meanwhile, Kendra Harrison's mission to at last win a global 100m hurdles title remained firmly on course on Wednesday as she coasted into the world final in Budapest.

The 30-year-old American has had to make do with an Olympic and world silver in the past, but just as she did in the heats she posted the fastest time of the three semi-finals, 12.33sec.

Thursday's final promises to be a thriller.

Harrison was joined by Olympic champion and her former training partner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, defending world titleholder Tobi Amusan and 2019 winner Nia Ali.

Harrison's time may not have been quite as blistering as her opening salvo on Tuesday of 12.24sec but it was still a significant marker to lay down for her rivals.

Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas took the other automatic qualifying spot with Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper having to wait to see if she progressed as a fastest qualifier.

Amusan was only cleared to run last week over an alleged breaking of the anti-doping rules but the Nigerian came through as a semi-final winner in 12.56sec.

She was pushed all the way by young Jamaican Ackera Nugent.

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However, there will be no American medal sweep as Masai Russell hit the second hurdle and from then on her dreams were over as she clattered another and eventually pulled up.

Camacho-Quinn won a loaded semi-final coming from behind to pass Jamaica's 2015 world champion Danielle Williams, who was also overtaken on the line by Ali.

Williams, though, went through at Tapper's expense.

Reuters

Published: Thu 24 Aug 2023, 12:10 AM

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