World Cross champion takes over from Mo Farah as winner of global 25-lap gold

With a great tactical run and a withering 55-second last lap, 2:27 final kilometre and a 13:14 second half, world cross-country champion Joshua Cheptegei claimed the world 10,000m crown to go one better than in 2017.

The Ugandan 23-year-old had to work hard though to beat world indoor mile record-holder Yomif Kejelcha who pushed him all the way on a pulsating last lap which had the capacity crowd roaring.

But Cheptegei showed he had learned from his loss to Mo Farah in London by using his tactics.

Abdallah Kibet Mande of Uganda set the early pace of around 65 seconds a lap, passing 1000m in 2:43.67 and 2000m in 5:27.24 and the whole field was still together but spread over 25 metres.

After seven minutes of running, Rhonex Kipruto surged to the front and ran a couple of 63-second laps to shake up the field and as he passed 3000m in 8:08.23 the lead pack was down to 18 runners. All the main contenders were up at the front with the group spread over four seconds.

The pace slowed a little through 4000m with Kipruto still ahead in 10:52.38 just ahead of his countryman Rodgers Kwemoi and the pack was now down to 16.

The fifth kilometre was a little quicker and at halfway Kipruto (13:33.20) led from Kwemoi (13:33.43) and Adamlak Belihu (13:33.92) to make up the leading trio and the pack was now numbering 11 with the only European in the group, Yemane Crippa, at the back.

Cheptegei was ahead at 6km in 16:16.13 with that kilometre maintaining the 65-second a lap average pace and the lead group still numbered 11.

The pace was not quick enough for Kipruto so he pushed the seventh kilometre harder and upped the pace to 64 seconds a lap and at 7000m in 18:56.85 it was now down to eight as Shadrack Kipchirchir, Alex Korio and Crippa had to let go.

So the battle for medals was now down to three Ethiopians (Belihu, Hagos Gebrhiwet and Kejecha, one Ugandan (Cheptegei), two Kenyans (Kipruto and Kwemoi), one American (Lopez Lomong) and one Canadian (Mo Ahmed).

The pace dropped again at 8km (21:40.16) and the eight stayed together and all looked like they were in contention.

Two laps of 64 followed with Cheptegei now starting a long run for home and at 9000m he led in 24:20.79. That acceleration saw off Gebrhiwet (24:22.46) and Lomong (24:22.73).

The Ugandan continued to turn the screw with a 62.4 circuit and then a 61.25 and now it was down to three with Kejelcha and Kipruto his only remaining challengers.

Kejelcha moved wide at the bell, which the Ugandan reached in 25:52.98, and looked like he wanted to overtake but Cheptegei held him off with a 14.29. Along the back straight Kejelcha edged ahead on the outside but the Ugandan remained in control despite a punishing 13.21 100m.

Kejeclcha continued to run wide almost touching with the leader as the bend was covered in 13.76 and the mid 200 was covered in under 27 seconds.

The Ethiopian tried again in the straight but paid for the extra distance and the aggression too far out and he faded badly in the straight.

Cheptegei won in a PB and world lead of 26:48.36 with Kejelcha setting a PB 26:49.34 with Kipruto missing his by a fraction but getting the reward for doing most of the work with a bronze medal in 26:50.32.

Kwemoi set a PB in fourth (26:55.36) while in sixth Ahmed set a Canadian record 26:59.35 in sixth as the first six went inside 27 minutes

Crippa picked off a few in the closing laps to be top European and he ran a 27:10.76 Italian record to go third on the European all-time list.

Shock win for Peters

After the best ever shot contest the day before came one of the lesser quality javelin contests but that won’t bother Grenada or Anderson Peters who dominated a low-key competition that failed to justify its position as the final field event of the programme.

The Pan American champion opened with a 86.69m and that was only bettered by his 86.89m fourth round throw.

The 21-year-old, in his first global senior final, went two places better than he had in his previous biggest finals, the 2016 world junior championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

He said: “I did not think 86m would be enough to win gold. I was up against 90-metre men throwing high 88s all season.”

World leader Magnus Kirt was second with a 86.21m second round throw and had a 85.90m fourth round effort that was also better than all bar Peters.

He unfortunately injured himself badly on his fifth round throw and was unable to take his final throw.

Defending champion Johannes Vetter took bronze with a 85.37m second round throw.

There was a huge gap to the other competitors with Lassi Etelatalo was fourth with a 82.49m effort.

German destroys her rivals with giant 7.30m leap at IAAF World Champs in Doha as Abigail Irozuru is seventh

Malaika Mihambo came to Doha as the favourite for the long jump and she lived up to her billing as she killed the competition in the third round with a huge 7.30m effort.

For the German it was the third longest world championships mark in history and has only been beaten by Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s 7.36m from 1987 and 7.32m from 1991.

The 25-year-old began with a modest 6.52m and then a foul but soon got into her stride.

“I was trying to make a secure jump to get into the next round,” said Mihambo. “I was telling myself this next round will not be a foul. I was not trying to go for 7.30m but it just happened and I’m really proud and speechless.”

The victory was just as dominant as Yulimar Rojas’ triple jump win the previous evening. Behind Mihambo, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk won silver with 6.92m and Ese Brume took bronze with 6.91m. GB’s

“That was so amazing,” said Mihambo, who added 14cm to her PB. “It was a difficult competition but I’m really glad I came through.”

She added: “I thought my physical condition would allow me to jump about 7.20m but my coach told me I could do more than that.

“Heike Drechsler left some really big footprints in Germany so it’s an honour to become the first German to win a global long jump title since her.”

What now for Mihambo? She is on a flight at 8.30am from Doha to Thailand to go backpacking and “discover the country” before returning to training to prepare for the Olympics.

Abigail Irozuru was the best of the Brits in seventh with 6.64m (0.1), while Shara Proctor was 11th with 6.43m (-0.1).

Proctor said: “I was feeling good but my first jump was a foul. I was feeling really confident but because of the foul I lost confidence in my approach and that’s a very important part of the jump for me. So that played a role in my performance today unfortunately.”

American sprint hurdler takes world title in fast 12.34 on final night at IAAF World Champs

Nia Ali ran one of the fastest times in history to win 100m hurdles gold and celebrated with her son joining her on her lap of honour.

The mother of two has a four-year-old son and one-year-old daughter and yet returned to terrific shape to beat fellow American Kendra Harrison, the world record-holder running 12.46 in second, plus Danielle Williams, the Jamaica clocking 12.47.

“I’ve been training really hard since coming back from having my kids. These other ladies have been raising the bar so I had to increase my intensity level to match them,” said 30-year-old Ali.

“I knew I was really fit all year so I was praying that the taper would work and that I’d come out running well in the first round and from there on.”

In one of the final events of the championships, Ali ran PBs in the semi-final (12.44) and final to take the title.

“This is super special,” said Ali. “I have never won an outdoor world title, I am ecstatic. Shelly-Ann, Allyson, all the ladies who have come back from childbirth are an inspiration for me and I am so excited to be able to pull of the world title.”

Britain’s Cindy Ofili, fourth in the Rio Olympics in 2016, continued her comeback from Achilles surgery and other injuries with sixth place in 12.95 (0.8). Sniffing with a slight head cold, she left the track a bit disgruntled but said it was a good step on the road to recovery ahead of the Olympics next year.

Cindy Ofili disappointed to go out of the sprint hurdles semis but she’s pleased with her comeback from injuries and looking forward to Olympic year. #worldathleticschamps pic.twitter.com/gJqI6rCDWp

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) October 6, 2019

Americans taste victory while British women’s side are denied a medal and their men fail to get the baton round on final night in Doha

A fearsomely strong USA team crushed their opposition as they stormed to a ninth women’s 4x400m relay gold.

There was no place for Allyson Felix in the defending champions’ line-up as 400m hurdles gold and silver medallists Dalilah Muhammad and Sydney McLaughlin joined forces with Phyllis Francis and Wadeline Jonathas to clock a world-leading 3:18.92 and comfortably beat Poland’s national record of 3:21.89.

Jamaica ultimately took bronze in a season’s best time of 3:22.37, though not until after they were disqualified and then reinstated on an eventful evening. 

The Great Britain quartet of Zoey Clark, Jodie Williams, Emily Diamond and Laviai Nielsen initially thought they had finished outside the medals as they ran a season’s best of 3:23.02 for fourth place but they found themselves moved up a place on to the podium after Jamaica were disqualified for lining up incorrectly at the second handover. 

It was then decided, however, that the advantage gained was irrelevant and the original result stood. 

USA had led from the off when Francis put them in control ahead of Poland and Jamaica, with Britain fourth at the first changeover.

A 49.6 split from Williams put Britain into the top three but, with the Americans extending their lead, Jamaica moved into third again and the positions – eventually – remained unchanged.

“My legs are burning,” said Williams. “I am so proud on these girls – we all had a job to do and every single one of them showed up.”

Britain’s time was faster than the mark which won them silver in London two years ago and Olympic bronze in Rio and Diamond added: “We wanted that medal so badly. That is the quickest we’ve run in years, it’s two seconds quicker than we ran in the Olympics and London 2017 so we really gave it our all.”

In the men’s contest, which was also the final event of these championships, an American team consisting of Fred Kerley, Michael Cherry, Wilbert London and Rai Benjamin coasted to victory in 2:56.69 from Jamaica and Belgium.

The British team, meanwhile, messed up an exchange at the start of the third leg, although they were at the back of the field and not in the medal hunt at the time.

The United States had individual 400m bronze medallist Kerley on the first leg and 400m hurdles silver medallist Benjamin on the anchor as they breezed to victory. Runners-up Jamaica clocked 2:57.90 and Belgium 2:58.78 in the battle for minor medals. Close behind, the fast-finishing Anthony Jose Zambrano, a surprise silver medallist in the individual 400m, helped Colombia run a national record of 2:59.50 in fourth.

Cameron Chalmers ran the first leg for the GB team and handed over to Toby Harries, but Harries then failed to get the baton to third leg man Rabah Yousif, leaving the team frustrated and anchorman Lee Thompson unable to run.

Britain nearly did not make it into the final either for the first time since 1999 after coming fifth in their heat. Although after Botswana were disqualified the team qualified as a fast loser and Martyn Rooney was replaced by Harries for the final.

Kenyan leads from gun to tape as Jake Wightman breaks Scottish record with fifth place at the IAAF World Championships in Doha

Timothy Cheruiyot has clearly been the best 1500m runner in the world this year and the Kenyan proved the point in fine style as he front ran his way to gold in Doha. 

The 2017 silver medallist, who finished second behind compatriot Elijah Manangoi in London and also at last year’s Commonwealth Games, was favourite in the absence of his training partner and he lived up to that billing after taking the race by the scruff of the neck right from the off and never letting up.

Cheruiyot, world leader with 3:28.77, never looked under real threat at any stage before he crossed the line in 3:29.26 ahead of Taoufik Makhloufi’s season’s best 3:31.38 and Marcin Lewandowski’s Polish record of 3:31.46 which secured him the bronze medal. Jakob Ingebrigtsen was fourth with 3:31.70. 

This was the first time that three British athletes had featured in the final of this event and Jake Wightman broke the Scottish record with 3:31.87 in fifth, closely followed by Josh Kerr’s personal best of 3:32.52 in sixth, while Neil Gourley was 11th in his first world final in a time of 3:37.30.

Cheruiyot wasted little time in showing his intent as he shot straight to the front and was joined by fellow Kenyan Ronald Kwemoi. The pair were moving away from the rest of the field as they went through 400m in 54.94 and 800m in 1:59.67.

Cheruiyot was out on his own at 1200m, with a lead of over two seconds from Makhloufi who was heading the chasing pack. The Algerian 2012 Olympic champion who has struggled with injury of late could not close the gap, however, and had to work to hold off the late charging Lewandowski. 

“I felt very confident in the race because I train hard and I wanted to avoid the pushing and collisions so I took the lead. It was my plan to run like that to be in a good position,” said Cheruiyot. “Thank God I did the best from the start and I am happy to become world champion.

“I felt the support of Kenyans in the crowd and it was amazing. The Olympic season is coming so I need to work harder.”

There were mixed feelings for Wightman, who said: “It’s something like I feel I should be celebrating and not disappointed but I think it was a lot closer than I thought it was going to be for the medals. “It would have taken literally a tiny little bit more than I had, but that as the best I could give today and I’m proud of finishing fifth in that kind of field.

“If you run a PB you can’t complain because I’ve delivered my best performance at the most important time, so I’ll happily take that and work into the winter into next season.

“I’m proud of the other guys, though. To get three Scots into a world final – it’s an achievement for all of us.”

.@JakeSWightman tells @euancrumley about the current standard of 1500m GB (and Scottish!) running #WorldAthleticsChamps @scotathletics pic.twitter.com/AQYgIkJ66o

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) October 6, 2019

Sergio Perez has something that no other F-1 driver has now — a contract to race in 2022.

The other drivers have contracts that expire at the end of 2019, ’20 or ’21. But Perez’s new three-year deal with Racing Point means he will be with the team through 2022.

“I am happy about it,” the Mexican driver said. “I see this team has a big potential. I really believe in the plans that we have for the coming years.”

The team has been going through a period of transition this season and the latter part of last year as the new owners – a consortium put together by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll – have been investing heavily in the entire operation.

“It’s a massive opportunity for us to grow together for the future,” Perez said, “and obviously there is a big change in rules coming up ion 2021 so hopefully this team can be in place for that.”

Because of the team’s previous shaky finances, Perez had been signing one-year deals prior to this new three-year contract.

“It’s been a while since I’ve signed a long-term deal,” he said. “There was a lot of uncertainty on the team as well. I think only time will tell, but I’m happy with that decision, and optimistic for the future.”

Was Perez tempted to only do a one-year deal so that he could stay free to look at other team options for 2021?

“I know that there might be some movement around in 2021,” he said. “But I think I’ve been so long in this team that if a big opportunity came up then definitely the team will be happy to consider releasing me. That for me is not a concern. It’s more to work together for the next three years, and we have big targets to achieve.”

Racing Point has been able to bring updates to the car throughout the season, something it could not afford to do when it was Force India and owned by Vijay Mallya. The team is planning to build an entire new factory at its base across the road from the Silverstone circuit.

“I think what the team is doing, and how hard they’re pushing, and the investment is a massive opportunity,” Perez said. “I wanted a project that motivated me, and it’s what I have here. I see a good future. Only time will tell if it’s right or not, but I’m optimistic for it.”

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Devils have signed veteran defenseman Joe Morrow and waived him, hoping to send him to their AHL franchise.

General manager Ray Shero says Morrow signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $700,000 at the NHL level and $250,000 at the AHL level.

Shero said Morrow would be assigned to Binghamton if he clears waivers Monday. He was the 23rd overall pick in the 2011 draft by Pittsburgh.

The 26-year-old Morrow spent last season with the Winnipeg Jets, scoring one goal and six assists in 41 games. He has played in 162 career games for Winnipeg, Montreal and Boston, scoring nine goals and 23 assists.