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Rediff.com  » Sports » World Athletics: Bolt, Mo Farah set the tracks on fire in Beijing

World Athletics: Bolt, Mo Farah set the tracks on fire in Beijing

Last updated on: August 29, 2015 23:29 IST
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Usain Bolt of Jamaica (left) hugs Mo Farah of Britain, gold medal, after the podium ceremony for the men's 5,000 metres event during the during the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

Usain Bolt secured a sweep of the sprint golds at a world championships for the third time when he helped Jamaica's relay team to a fourth successive 4x100 metres title on Saturday.

The 29-year-old, who had already won the 100 and 200 metres events, ran the anchor leg as the Jamaicans took gold in 37.36 seconds at the Bird's Nest Stadium.

The United States team featuring Justin Gatlin, who won silver behind Bolt in both individual sprints, botched their final handover and were disqualified, the silver going to hosts China (in 38.01) as a result. Canada won the bronze.

It was a record-extending 11th world gold for Bolt, who also won three sprint titles at the 2009 and 2013 world championships.

His team mates Nesta Carter, Asafa Powell and Nickel Ashmeade helped extend Jamaica's dominance of the sprint relay to a sixth straight major global championships, including the last two Olympics.

Farah burns up the Bird's Nest for golden triple double

Mohamed Farah of Great Britain crosses the finish line to win gold in the Men's 5000 metres final during day eight of the 15th IAAF World Athletics Championships. Photograph: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images for IAAF

Britain's Mo Farah stormed to victory in the 5,000 metres on Saturday to secure an unprecedented third successive distance double at major global championships.

The 32-year-old Olympic champion, who won the 10,000m in Beijing last weekend, clocked 13 minutes 50.38 seconds to win his third straight 5,000 metres world title, which was also a record.

It was Farah's seventh successive major distance crown after he won the 5,000m at the 2011 world championships and the double at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2013 world championships in Moscow.

Caleb Ndiku won silver for Kenya in 13.51.75 with Hagos Gebrhiwet taking bronze for Ethiopia in 13.51.86

Toth strolls to victory at world championships

IMAGE: Matej Toth of Slovakia celebrates after crossing the finish line to win gold in the Men's 50km Race Walk during day eight of the 15th IAAF World Athletics Championships. Photograph: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images for IAAF

Matej Toth became the first Slovakian to win a gold medal at the world athletics championships when he cruised to victory in the men's 50 km race walk on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Toth surged ahead after opening up an early lead in the gruelling event to win in a time of three hours, 40 minutes and 32 seconds on a hot and humid morning in the Chinese capital.

Toth finished almost two minutes clear of his nearest rival, crossing the finish line at Beijing's national stadium with the Slovakian national flag raised over his shoulders.

"Of course, conditions were tough but my feeling was great," Toth said in a televised interview.

"My heart-rate, my stomach, my dreams, my refreshment, everything, was under control.

"It was my race, it was my pace, it's must easier to do your own race. I felt very good, without any problems, and this is the most important thing, why I won."

IMAGE: Jared Tallent of Australia celebrates after crossing the finish line to win silver in the Men's 50km Race Walk final. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Australia's Jared Tallent, the silver medallist at the last two Olympics and bronze medallist at the previous two world championships, finished second, continuing his impressive streak of podium finishes at major events.

Tallent finished second at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics behind competitors who were subsequently found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs.

The Australian wants drug cheats named and shamed, worrying that if they go unpunished, clean competitors could unfairly be tarred with the same brush.

Angry at being beaten by athletes he believes are doping, he had stopped shaking hands with them at the end of races but happily embraced the top finishers on Saturday.

"It's not the medal I wanted, but to be beaten by Matej, I know he's a clean athlete so it's not a bad result," Tallent told reporters.

"I'm really proud of the result I got today and the Japanese guy came third. So it's the first time in a long time in the 50 km we've had a clean podium.

"It's a good day for the sport, it's been a really good week for the sport actually. I'd hope to think that every athlete who has won a medal has worked hard for it and it's a good positive sign in 2015 that things are starting to change."

IMAGE: Takayuki Tanii of Japan competes in the Men's 50km Race Walk final. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Tallent completed the journey in 3:42:17, his best time this season, with Japan's Takayuki Tanii, last year's Asian Games champion, taking the bronze medal in 3:42:55.

Hirooki Arai of Japan was fourth, ahead of Ireland's defending champion Robert Heffernan, but no-one could catch Toth, who went into the race ranked number one in the world and dictated the pace from the outset.

"Of course, everyone expected that I am the favourite and I should win but I know that 50 km is very specific and there are very strong rivals.

"(It was only) after 30 km I started to think about winning, about the medal."

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