Farah denied final gold by Ethiopian Edris in 5,000m; Bowie anchors the United States in women’s 4x100m victory

Usain Bolt’s final appearance on the track ended in agony yesterday as he pulled up injured running the final leg of the World Championships 4x100 metres relay as Britain beat the United States for a shock gold medal.
Bolt, who had to settle for bronze in the individual 100 metres, had been hoping to sign off from the sport by leading Jamaica to a fifth successive relay gold but they were already struggling in third when he collected the baton.
As he tried to gain ground, Bolt pulled up and fell to the floor with what looked like a hamstring injury.
The United States, with individual gold and silver medallists Justin Gatlin and Christian Coleman running the second and fourth legs, had been expected to push the Jamaicans all the way.
Instead, a brilliantly executed race by Chijindu Ujah, Adam Gemili, Danny Talbot and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake gave Britain gold in 37.47 seconds, the best time in the world this year.
The US took silver in 37.52 with Japan third in 38.04.

Edris edges out Farah
British athletics legend Mo Farah narrowly failed to complete a fifth successive global double yesterday when he finished second behind Ethiopian Muktar Edris in a thrilling 5,000 metres world final.
The 34-year-old, whose winning run in the 5,000m at Olympics and world finals stretched back to 2011, fought desperately to claw back the deficit in the finishing straight but Edris held on to win in 13min 32.79sec.
Farah, a two-time double world champion and two time double Olympic champion, finished in 13:33.22.
Farah, who had won the 10,000m last Friday to open the championships with a bang, said he couldn’t have given it more but added he had proved that it was possible to break up the Ethiopian and Kenya hegemony over the distance races.
“I gave it my all, 110 %,” said Farah. “I don’t think there was any more I could have done. They (the Ethiopians) run as a team.
“Never feel like you can’t beat the Kenyans and Ethiopians — anything is possible.”
American Paul Chelimo added world bronze to his Olympic silver, timing 13.33.30.

US reclaim 4x100m world
title, Britain take silver
Individual champion Tori Bowie anchored the United States to victory in the women’s 4x100 metres relay.
The Americans, Olympic gold medallists in Rio last year, were led off by Aaliyah Brown who flew out of the blocks to start the run that brought them the world title they last won in 2011.
Allyson Felix ran the second leg before passing on to Morolake Akinosun who handed the baton to Bowie, the 100m world champion.
The 26-year-old was shadowed down the final straight by Briton Daryll Neita who led her team to silver ahead of 2015 champions Jamaica.

German Vetter wins javelin, Rohler misses out
Germany’s Johannes Vetter won the javelin event yesterday as his great rival and Olympic champion Thomas Rohler missed out on the podium.
Vetter’s opening throw of 89.89 metres was enough to win the gold and the 24-year-old was overcome with emotion after clinching the title, mopping his tears on a German flag.
Czech Republic pair Jakub Vadlejch and Petr Frydrych threw personal bests of 89.73 and 88.32 respectively to take silver and bronze.
Rohler, who like Vetter has thrown over 90 metres this season, was beaten into fourth with 88.26.

Pearson roars back to win 100m hurdles
Australia’s Sally Pearson completed one of the great sporting comebacks when she overcame two years of injury agony to win the world 100 metres hurdles title at the age of 30.
Pearson, world champion in 2011 and Olympic gold medallist in 2012, missed the last two seasons through hamstring and achilles injuries and a badly broken wrist but blasted back to win in 12.59 seconds, screaming “oh my God” repeatedly after crossing the line.
“I’ve worked so hard, I don’t know what has just happened out there. I’m so tired but I’m sure it will sink in soon,” Pearson said.
Dawn Harper Nelson, who won gold at the 2008 Olympics and was one of four Americans in the final, took silver in 12.63 ahead of Germany’s Pamela Dutkiewicz (12.72).

Lasitskene wins high jump
Russian Maria Lasitskene, competing as a neutral, defended the women’s high jump title yesterday.
Lasitskene took her win record to 34 from her 36 most recent competitions indoors and outdoors, and her 2.03-metre best extended her winning streak to 25.
Ukraine’s Yulia Levchenko claimed silver with 2.01m, with Poland’s Kamila Licwinko taking bronze (1.99).

Mayer wins decathlon
France’s Olympic silver medallist Kevin Mayer won gold in the world decathlon. Mayer amassed a total of 8,768 points from the 10 disciplines in the gruelling two-day event. Germany’s Rico Freimuth took silver with 8,564 while teammate Kai Kazmirek claimed bronze (8,488).