Jeruto storms world steeple gold

AFP

Eugene, July 22 : Kenyan-born Norah Jeruto won world gold for Kazakhstan in the women’s 3000m steeplechase on Wednesday while China’s Feng Bin threw a massive personal best to claim the discus title.

Jeruto clocked the third fastest time in history and a championship record of 8min 53.02sec for the steeplechase victory in Eugene, with Ethiopian Werkuha Getachew claiming silver in a national record of 8:54.61.

A second Ethiopian, Mekides Abebe, made the most of a mistake by Kenyan-born Bahraini Winfred Mutile Yavi on the final water barrier, to snatch bronze (8:56.08).

The discus was all but over after the first round as Feng threw 69.12m on her opening visit to the ring, improving by more than three meters her previous best of 66.00m set in Beijing in April.

Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic, a two-time Olympic champion and also twice a world gold medallist, claimed silver with 68.45m. American Valarie Allman, who won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games, took bronze with 68.30m.