NIGERIA’s Enoch Adegoke failed to finish the men’s 100m final in a dramatic night (afternoon in Nigeria) of athletics at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.
On the same night, Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas set a new women’s triple jump world record, and two rivals shared the men’s high jump gold medal.
In the men’s 100m final, Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs raced to a stunning win, finishing in a new European record time of 9.80 seconds to claim his country’s first-ever gold medal in the event.
United States of America’s Fred Kerley claimed silver in 9.84s, while Canada’s Andre De Grasse won his third consecutive bronze medal in the event in a new personal best of 9.89s.
South Africa’s Akani Simbine, the African record holder in the event, missed out on the medals by coming fourth in 9.93s.USA’s Ronnie Baker was fifth in 9.95s, just ahead of China’s Bingtian Su (9.98s).
Adegoke, who is the first Nigerian to reach the event’s final in 25 years, pulled up injured halfway into the race and did not finish.
Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, one of the medal favourites, was disqualified for a false start.
In the women’s triple jump, Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas leapt to an incredible 15.67 metres to win gold and set a new world record.
Portugal’s Patricia Mamona set a new national record of 15.01m to win silver while Spain’s Ana Peleteiro claimed bronze with a new national record of 14.87m.
In men’s high jump, Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi shared the gold medal in an unprecedented situation as both cleared 2.37m and could not be separated on countback.
Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus also cleared 2.37m, which is a new national record, but he finished third on countback and won the bronze medal.
