Portugal’s Isaac Nader wins world men’s 1,500m gold

TOKYO – Portugal’s Isaac Nader was at a loss for words after outsprinting Briton Jake Wightman to claim a surprise men’s 1,500m gold at the World Athletics Championships on Sept 17.

Nader produced a devastating attack in the home straight to snatch victory in 3min 34.10sec, two-hundredths of a second ahead of 2022 world champion Wightman.

“I have no words... In the last 100 metres, I believed it was possible, it was the world gold medal that was at stake,” said an emotional Nader, 26, to Antena 1 radio, as quoted by the Olympic website.

“It’s the dream of a career, I work for it. Today I am world champion. No one can take that away from me. It’s the most important achievement of my career.”

Kenya’s Reynold Cheruiyot (3:34.25) took bronze in a race in which Britain’s defending champion Josh Kerr came in last, injured. He began to struggle with 600m to run, skipping along as he seemingly carried a leg injury.

Wightman made his move heading into the final 200m and looked he had done enough for a second world title, but he had not counted on Nader’s perfectly timed finish.

The Portuguese, whose previous medal showing was a bronze at the European indoors in Apeldoorn in March, dipped expertly at the line in a thrilling finish.

“I felt like I still had something in me. I knew I was going to run to try and win today and whatever happened, I would be happy,” said Wightman, 31.

“When you get that close, you cannot help but think what if I had done more? But I left everything out there. I felt like I had another gear all these championships, but I did not know what would happen. This silver is a gold for me and I am so relieved.”

In the day’s other finals, Kenya’s Faith Cherotich overhauled reigning champion Winfred Yavi on the last lap to win the women’s 3,000m steeplechase gold.

The 21-year-old nailed a hurdle that Bahrain’s Yavi stumbled over on the final run down the back straight, and soared over the last water jump to finish in 8min 51.59sec, the fastest time at a world championships.

Kenyan-born Olympic champion Yavi took silver in 8:56.46, while bronze went to Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew (8:58.86).

Italy’s Mattia Furlani underlined his status as the coming man in long jump, when he won the world title with a personal-best leap of 8.39m.

The 20-year-old, the world indoor champion, became the youngest and first Italian winner of the title after speeding down the runway and soaring into the humid Tokyo night on his fifth attempt.

Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle, world champion in 2019 and bronze medallist in 2023, took silver with 8.34m, ahead of China’s Shi Yuhao (8.33m).

American Katie Moon won a third consecutive women’s pole vault world title.

Moon, also the Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021, cleared 4.90m for gold, with American teammate Sandi Morris taking silver with 4.85m.

Meanwhile, Singapore sprint queen Shanti Pereira’s campaign in Tokyo ended after she missed out on qualification for the women’s 200m semi-finals.

Pereira, 28, clocked 23.13 seconds to finish fourth in heat 1.

Anavia Battle of the United States (22.07sec) was first, ahead of Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (22.39) and Greece’s Polyniki Emmanouilidou (22.92).

The Singaporean finished 30th out of 47 runners overall.

Reflecting on her Tokyo outing, Pereira said: “I definitely hoped to see a better time and classification today. It does sting not making the semis this time round.

“But overall, I’m happy with how I showed up to the stage, and most importantly I’m healthy and I had the honour of representing my country yet again on the world stage. That will always be special to me.

“I’ll have a bit of a break then the work continues for the SEA Games, which I’m really looking forward to.”

In the men’s event, 17-year-old Australian Gout Gout said he felt right at home in his first senior outing on the global stage after clocking 20.23sec to finish third in his 200m heat and qualify for the Sept 18 semi-finals.

“Running against the big dogs is great. I’m just excited for more and can’t wait for the semi,” he said.

Noah Lyles won his heat in 19.99sec to make it through to the semi-finals. AFP, REUTERS