Sports Tuesday, October 1, 2019 13 Fraser-Pryce’s ‘long journey’ Redemption for Chepkoech has golden ending AFP with steeplechase gold Doha AFP Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce Doha held her son Zyon proudly in her arms as she celebrated Beatrice Chepkoech pow- winning her fourth world 100 ered to a dominant victory metres title but confessed in the 3,000m steeplechase coming back after his birth at the World Championships had been a long journey both here Monday two years after mentally and physically. a blunder cost her a medal in The 32-year-old Jamaican London. sprint legend -- who also has The 28-year-old world re- two Olympic 100m titles -- cord holder pulled clear from had been written off by some the field early on and led by when she became pregnant around 40 metres at the bell and then launched a come- before coasting home in 8min back last year a few months 57.84sec to win gold. after giving birth. Defending champion Fraser-Pryce -- who sported Emma Coburn of the United an exotically coloured wig and States took silver with a time promised a different one later of 9:02.35 ahead of Germany’s in the week – silenced those Gesa Krause, who claimed doubters as she stormed to vic- bronze in 9:03.30. tory in a world leading time for It was a sweet victory for the year of 10.71 seconds. Chepkoech, the dominant However, she revealed af- force in her event this season. terwards that having Zyon -- The win also erased the who was born in August 2017 memory of Chepkoech’s 2017 the day after the world cham- World Championships, when pionships finished in London she missed a water jump ear- – had taken its toll. ly in the race and was forced “It is definitely harder to backtrack to clear it. coming back,” she said. That gaffe saw her finish “When I was having my son out of the medals in fourth I was trying to have him natu- spot as Coburn took gold. rally (she was in labour for 13 But there was to be no re- hours) it was not happening. peat at the Khalifa Stadium “I was really scared hav- in Monday’s final as the Ken- ing a C-section. I was off 10 yan cranked up the pace to weeks unable to lift weights on pull away to leave her rivals my back so doing a lot of hand trailing. Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech celebrates winning the women’s 3000m Steeplechase final at the IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday. (AFP) weights it was definitely a long journey physically.” Fraser-Pryce -- who along with her two brothers was Stahl scores his best in discus for gold brought up in poverty in King- Uganda’s Nakaayi takes 800m gold ston by her single mother Maxine -- also had her doubts AFP in the immediate aftermath of Doha Zyon’s birth. “Mentally it was even Halimah Nakaayi of harder because you are 30, Uganda won the women’s you are worried about coming 800m at the world champi- back and not being really at onships here on Monday, pro- the same level,” she said. ducing a sprint finish to claim Fraser-Pryce, who has the throne left vacant by the been labelled the greatest fe- absent South African Caster male sprinter of all time by Semenya. American legend Michael Nakaayi, 24, timed her Johnson, was delighted to cel- race to perfection moving ebrate her victory with Zyon in onto the shoulder of leader the sparsely-populated Khali- Ajee Wilson of the United fa stadium. States on the bend before “It is definitely one of those kicking for home down the moments that I am very proud stretch. of,” she said. “For athletics and Nakaayi took gold in 1min women it is hard to come back 58.04sec, with the fast-fin- to sprinting. I remember in ishing Raevyn Rogers of the Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi celebrates after winning in the women’s 2018 when I was getting back United States taking silver in 800m final at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday.( AFP) I did not have enough power 1:58.18. coming out of the blocks and Wilson had to settle for South Africa’s two-time Olym- which found in favour of new over the first 30 metres.” bronze in 1:58.84. pic champion Semenya. regulations effectively barring “It stressed me out and Sweden’s Daniel Stahl won the men’s discus world title with a best mark of 67.59 metres. The 27-year- The 800m at this year’s Semenya is not compet- female athletes with naturally took a lot of work to put old -- who celebrated with an impressive charge down the infield -- edged out Jamaica’s Commonwealth championships took place ing in Doha following a con- high testosterone levels from it right.” Games champion Federick Dacres (66.94) at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday. (AFP) with the glaring absence of troversial Swiss court ruling competing in the 800m. Legendary Carl Lewis wants the IAAF to evolve, make athletics more entertaining Agencies/TNN presentation is spectacular, world championships. He got DOHA they take care of every little de- an invaluable piece of advice tail. Even things like... why are from Lewis. Athletics legend Carl Lewis we still putting numbers on “Focus your goal having it wants the IAAF to be more ath- our chests? They put numbers clear and without being afraid lete and spectator-friendly. He with pins? If we were thinking to tell it loud. This is your ob- opined that athletics has not of television, we would take jective and you work with it evolved like many other sports. that off so that you will see the always in your mind. Think The American expressed his uniform on TV. We are just Time to change of yourself as a business for views during an insightful and not progressing, we are just your long term career and engaging chat with over 100 doing the same thing over and We are just not progressing, your training for your short journalists covering the IAAF over. If you go to other sports, we are just doing the same term career so figure out how World Athletics Champion- every little detail is taken care you are going to maximise this ships Doha 2019 inside the As- of and there is entertainment. thing over and over. If you time. In anything you are go- pire Ballroom of the stunning These sports they become tel- go to other sports, every ing to have to make sacrifices. Torch tower on Monday. evision shows they strived to little detail is taken care of So now you are in professional In an event organised by get better and better.” and there is entertainment. track and field you have to the International Sports Press Lewis, who also won eight These sports they become think like a professional. Think Association (AIPS) in collabo- world championships medals television shows they strived of what you can do and what ration with the Qatar Sports and ruled the sprints and long you and your manager can do Press Committee, the IOC’s jump through the 80s and to get better and better.” to maximise this moment be- “Sportsman of the Century”, 90s, also pointed to the celeb- – Carl Lewis cause you are going to build a who boasts ten Olympic med- rity presence in other sporting brand,” Lewis told Tortu. als — nine of them gold — over events like NBA, football, ten- On his part, Burrell pro- four Summer Games during nis, F1 and even cricket as an- country’s hopes in the short vided an insight into the future a legendary seventeen-year other reason for fans looking Legendary athlete Carl Lewis (seated 2nd left) on the dais with former co-athlete Leroy Burrell (left), sprint as he is the national re- legacy of athletics: “Well, having career, reminisced about his up to be at the stadiums. AIPS President Gianni Merlo (2nd right), and young Italian athlete Fillipo Tortu during an interaction cord holder in the 100 meters been competing thirty years ago incredible successes and gave He also commented on the with journalists at Hotel Torch on Monday. with the time of 9.99 - the first with timings that are still among his thoughts on how he cur- prize-money the athletes are ever Italian to dip below 10 the top three of the world means rently sees his favourite sport. getting from the world cham- 93,000 this year. So they are Lewis, the only man to suc- Also on the panel, which seconds for the distance. that athletics is still a human Calling for the athletics pionships. “My issue is that paying the same prize-money cessfully defend both a 100m was moderated by AIPS Presi- Tortu, who won the 100m sport. What it’s important to governing body to improve, they pay 60,000 for the win- then every year the athletes get and long jump Olympic title, dent Gianni Merlo, was Fillipo gold medal at the 2017 Euro- think about, more than focusing Lewis said, “If you look at the ner. We were paid 60,000 for less. So $30,000 is the value of responded to questions, along- Tortu, the Italian finalist that pean U20 Championships and on past years mistake is that we way every single popular sport the winner in 1997. So if you a gold medal now.” side compatriot Leroy Burrell, brought back his nation to the silver medal at the 2016 World leave the sport better than it was is run, it’s different.; the sta- look at it in US Dollars -- a cost In a very special confer- who twice set the world record top 8 at this year’s Worlds in U20 Championships, finished and everybody can do this part dium looks spectacular, the of living increase -- it should be ence that lasted over an hour, for the 100m sprint. 100 meters. Tortu carries his in 7th place at his first ever for this.”