World Athletics Championships: Jefferson-Wooden seals triple gold as U.S. dominates final day in Tokyo

Tokyo- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completed a brilliant campaign with her third gold medal on Sunday, leading the United States to victory in the women’s 4x100m relay on a rain-soaked final day of the World Athletics Championships at the National Stadium.

Already a double sprint champion in Tokyo, Jefferson-Wooden ran the opening leg for a U.S. squad that included Twanisha Terry, Kayla White, and Sha’Carri Richardson. The team clocked 41.75 seconds, edging Jamaica by 0.04 seconds. Jamaica’s lineup of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Tia Clayton, Tina Clayton, and Jonielle Smith registered a season’s best 41.79, while Germany took bronze in 41.87.

“It’s surreal to head home with three gold medals,” Jefferson-Wooden said. “I’ve written my name into the history books again. I am exactly where I want to be.”

After the race, Jefferson-Wooden shared an embrace with Fraser-Pryce, who now boasts 19 medals across nine world championships — 10 golds, eight silvers, and one bronze.

“I’ve had an incredible career and today’s medal feels like the icing on the cake,” Fraser-Pryce said. “It’s a full-circle moment. Back in 2007 in Osaka, I was just a reserve. I couldn’t have asked for a better journey, and I’m grateful for the medals, the stadiums, and the fans along the way.”

The U.S. finished the championships in dominant fashion, securing four golds on the final day to top the medal table with 16 titles.

Noah Lyles claimed his seventh world gold, anchoring the men’s 4x100m relay team to victory. Jamaica missed the final after a baton mishap in qualifying, leaving Canada with silver and the Netherlands with bronze.

“We did what we had to do,” said Lyles. “I’m humbled. We’ve struggled with baton passes before, so I’m proud to be part of this team.”

The American women also stormed to gold in the 4x400m relay, setting a championship record of 3:16.61. Jamaica earned silver, while the Netherlands took bronze.

In the men’s 4x400m, Botswana shocked the field as Busang Collen Kebinatshipi surged past U.S. hurdler Rai Benjamin in the final meters. Alongside 100m silver medalist Letsile Tebogo, Botswana secured its first-ever world relay title. South Africa, with world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk, finished third.

Another highlight for the U.S. came in the men’s 5,000m, where Cole Hocker, the 2024 Olympic 1,500m champion, claimed his first world title in 12:58.30. Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli won silver, while France’s Jimmy Gressier took bronze, adding to his earlier 10,000m gold.

Elsewhere, Kenya’s Lilian Odira clinched the women’s 800m title ahead of Great Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell and Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson.

In the women’s high jump, Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers cleared 2.00m to win her first world crown. Poland’s Maria Zodzik, also at 2.00m, took silver on countback, while Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine and Serbian teenager Angelina Topic shared bronze at 1.97m.

Germany’s Leo Neugebauer triumphed in the decathlon with 8,072 points, ahead of American Kyle Garland (8,075) and Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme (7,958).

In the rain-delayed men’s discus final, Sweden’s Daniel Stahl, the 2021 Olympic champion, produced a dramatic last throw of 70.47m to overtake Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna (67.84) for gold.

By the close, the U.S. topped the medal table with 16 gold, five silver, and five bronze. Kenya finished second with seven titles, while Canada placed third with three. China collected two silvers and two bronzes, and hosts Japan earned two bronzes. No Asian nation secured a gold medal.

The next World Athletics Championships will take place in Beijing in 2027.

With inputs from IANS