BEIJING • Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce matched her compatriot Usain Bolt's feat by winning an unprecedented third world 100m title in 10.76sec at the Bird's Nest stadium yesterday.
With her long, dyed green braids flowing behind her, the diminutive 28-year-old was not quickest out of the blocks. But she got into her stride and powered down the track to add to her triumphs in Berlin in 2009 and Moscow two years ago.
Former heptathlete Dafne Schippers almost caught her with a brilliant finish but was more than satisfied with her second Dutch national record of the night in 10.81 and first World Championships silver.
Like Schippers, American Tori Bowie has not long turned her focus to the sprints.
She claimed bronze in 10.86 ahead of 2007 world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.91).
Fraser-Pryce's time was the second-fastest of the year after her own 10.74 in Paris last month but she was not satisfied.
"I get tired of 10.7s," said the double Olympic champion.
"I just wanted to put a great race together. I want a 10.6 something.
"Hopefully, in my next race, I'll get it together. I just work hard and focus on executing."
Schippers, who also beat her national record in the semi-finals, was delighted to secure silver in her first season after giving up the multi-discipline event to concentrate on the sprints.
"I was a little bit nervous in the semi-finals and, after that, I think okay I'm in the final, anything is possible. My start was good, I thought I was close enough to a medal."
Vivian Cheruiyot won the women's 10,000m title with a last-lap surge.
The Kenyan, who claimed the 10,000m title in Daegu in 2011 and is also a two-time world 5,000m champion, clocked 31min 41.41sec.
"It's even more precious now after I became a mother a year ago. I dedicate this medal to my son," she said.
World No. 1 ranked Gelete Burka of Ethiopia took silver in 31:41.77 while American Emily Infeld claimed the bronze in 31:43.49.
Salsa-dancing nurse Caterine Ibarguen, unbeaten since the 2012 Olympics, retained her World Championships' triple jump title.
The Colombian led from the second round and her fifth-round effort of 14.90m secured gold.
Silver was won by Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko who set an Israeli record with an effort of 14.78.
Olga Rypakova, the Olympic champion from Kazakhstan, snatched bronze in the last round with a season's best 14.77.
Among the men, Ezekiel Kemboi underlined his status as one of the great Kenyan athletes by capturing the 3,000m steeplechase crown for a record fourth time.
The 33-year-old seized the gold thanks to a devastating sub-57-second last-lap burst.
Kenya secured their first clean sweep in the event for eight years.
The anticipated challenge from Evan Jager faded on the final lap as the American was unable to match the speed of the Africans and trailed home sixth.
Kemboi, who clocked 8min 11.28sec, added the title to those he won in 2009, 2011 and 2013 and to the Olympic gold he landed in 2004 and 2012.
Silver went to Conseslus Kipruto (8:12.38) while Brimin Kiprop came third in 8:12.54.
Canada's Shawnacy Barber prolonged Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie's World Championships jinx by snatching the men's pole vault gold. Barber, 21, managed a best of 5.90m, winning on countback from defending champion Raphael Holzdeppe of Germany.
Olympic champion and world record-holder Lavillenie (5.80) had to share bronze with Polish pair Piotr Lisek and Pawel Wojciechowski.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
