World Athletics Championships 2019 | Day 6 As It Happened

Dina Asher-Smith wins Britain's first ever sprint global gold, and U.S. breakout star Grant Holloway takes men's 110m hurdles.

18 minBy Ken Browne
Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain celebrates after winning gold in the Women's 200 metres final during day six of 17th IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 at Khalifa International Stadium on October 02, 2019 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for IAAF)

Dina Asher-Smith delivered on a night to remember for British athletics, and Olympic champ Omar McLeod crashed out as Grant Holloway broke through on the world stage.

Scroll down to find how it all played out on Day 6, 2nd October, at Doha 2019.

Day 6 Highlights

Dina Asher-Smith 200m Highlights

Watch how Dina delivered on a historic night for British athletics.

Grant Holloway wins Men's 110m Hurdles Highlights

Day 6: Results and highlights

11:34pm - Damien Warner leads Decathlon overnight

And the final event of the day sees Canadian Pierce LePage put down a PB 47.35 in the final 400m heat, the fastest of the three heats, he moves up to second in the overall standings.

Kevin Mayer finished last in that heat in 48.99, but still recorded a season's best, he isn't moving very well at all, was holding his knee after the high jump.

Damien Warner's 48.12 sees him finish 5th in the 400m Heat 3 and he will go into tomorrow's final day in first place.

Here's how it stands:

  1. Damien Warner 4513
  2. Pierce LePage 4486
  3. Kevin Mayer 4483

11:17pm - Omar McLeod: Hamstring popped

The Olympic champ crashed out dramatically in the final, taking Spain's Orlando Ortega with him.

Here's what he said afterwards:

"I felt my hamstring from the first hurdle and I was trying to be tentative and muscle through.

"There's nothing to take away from it. I gave it my all. I came here to defend my title and it didn't happen. That's just the way it goes."

Devastating for McLeod, but it's delight for the USA's new track star, he's had injuries and operations this year, but this is the perfect end to the campaign for Grant Holloway:

"I believed in myself, my coach believed in me, and I stayed strong, stayed motivated."

11:02pm - McLeod crashes out! Gold for Holloway!

McLeod smashes into the final hurdle and crashes to the ground, getting in Ortega's way.

Holloway powers home in 13.10.

Gold for the 21-year-old, this is a great break-out story.

11pm - Men's 110m hurdles final

Olympic champ Omar McLeod lines up, this is going to be a screamer of a final.

Holloway, Ortega, Holloway, this really is anyone's...

10:58pm - Pawel's 4th golden hammer

Pawel Fajdek wins his fourth world title in the hammer throw, no-one's ever achieved that before, Poland's star comes up with the goods once more.

80.50m is the winning throw.

Silver belongs France's Quentin Bigot who records a 78.19m cast, Hungarian Bence Halasz earns bronze, a single centimetre off Bigot's distance.

Poland's hammer hero may have four world titles, but has yet to win an Olympic medal.

Can he add Olympic glory to Worlds dominance?

Watch this space at Tokyo 2020.

10:56pm - "I don't know what to say"

Dina Asher-Smith is beside herself, the tears are flowing, in her own world, she even walked past her mother!

Doubles back to give Mum a big hug.

"I don't know what to say, it means so much," she says to BBC.

"I woke up today thinking this is it, this is the moment, what all the work is for"

"Normally I'm quite chatty and full of energy but I'm just lost for words."

10:39 - Gold for Dina!

Dina-Asher Smith, 100m silver medallist, 200m gold medallist!

She wins in 21.88 - a new national record for Britain's first ever sprint world champion.

Global gold, world renown, this is an unforgettable night for Dina.

It's PB for Brittany Brown, silver for her in a time of 22.22.

That's a great result for Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji too, climbing onto the podium with a 22.51s time.

10:36pm - History in the making for Dina?

The 200m is poised, they're on the line, Asher-Smith can become Britain's first ever 200m world champion.

U.S. sprinters Anglerne Annalus and Brittany Brown want to spoil that script.

10:32pm - Mayer still on top

Maicel Uibo and Lindon Victor top the two high jump heats, but Kevin Mayer still leads the standings, he's 11 points up on Damian Warner.

Our final event tonight will be the 400m decathlon.

10:22pm - Pole apart

Poland's Pawel Fajdek spins out an 80.16m on his second throw of in the hammer final.

He's the defending champion, but French challenger Quentin Bigot comes close!

Big throw from Bigot, that measures in at 78.19, a season best and less than 2cm off the leader.

He replaces Hungary's Bence Halasz in second place.

These hammers are hot, time to strike.

10:08pm - Hep 200m Heat 3: The Kat's out of the bag

A season's best for Johnson-Thompson in the 200m: 23.08

That puts her top of the table overnight!

A great day for Britain's heptathlete, here's how it looks after four of seven events today:

  1. Katarina Johnson-Thompson 4042
  2. Nafi Thiam 4138
  3. Annie Kunz 2855
  4. Nadine Broersen 2894

These are the three events that will decide the medals tomorrow: Long jump, javelin, 800m

9:55pm - Nafi Thiam tops 200m Heat 1

Thiam is first in Heat 1, and wins, but doesn't look happy at all with that time: 24.60

This is the final event of the first day of heptathlon action.

That's 924 points for Nafi, but Kat Johnson-Thompson is up in Heat 3, she could well top that time and go in as leader at the end of day 1.

Javelin and long jump are Thiam's big events, but the Briton runs a very strong 800m.

Thiam doesn't seem too worried though:

"It's ok, could have been better in the high jump, but I'm happy, we'll see tomorrow"

9:47pm - How does World Champion sound Noah?

9:30pm - Women's 400m: Sydney McLaughlin tops Heat 3

The fastest qualifying time of the three heats goes to this rising star, Sydney McLaughlin puts down a 53.81, way ahead of second place qualifier Lea Sprunger.

McLaughlin is the world U-20 record holder, and may well announce herself on the world stage here in Doha, she was so calm, jogging it home.

McLaughlin, Clayton and Muhammad the three names that stand out going into the final.

There are three U.S. hurdlers in the final, McLaughlin wants a U.S. clean sweep:

"That's what we're here to do," she says.

9:24pm - Women's 400m: Clayton claims heat 2

Jamaica's Rushell Clayton has a seriously strong finish and qualifies in top spot clocking 54.17, big effort from Ashley Spencer but she broke too early and faded.

Czech sprinter Zuzana Hejnova takes second in 54.41, Spencer qualifies too with a time of 54.42.

9:15pm - Thiam back on top

Nafi back to familiar territory in first place after a big shot put: 15.22m gives her 876 points and leaps over Johnson-Thompson on the points standings.

Britain's Johnson-Thompson launches a personal best 13.86 and she's delighted with that.

Her challenge to the queen of heptathlon is still very much alive.

Right now it stands:

  1. Nafi Thiam 3118
  2. Katarina Johnson-Thompson 3067
  3. Nadine Broersen 2894

9:09pm - Women's 400m hurdles: Muhammad flies

Reigning Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad really wants the gold medal in this women's 400m hurdles event, she's never won gold at a worlds - she has two silvers - and she ran like she wants it too.

53.91 gives her first place in Heat 1, and Pan Am champ Sage Watson runs a new national record in 54.32.

Quality from the Canadian.

9:02pm - "My body was giving me warnings"

Michael Norman explains why he just jogged that 400m semi-final, finishing last:

"My body was giving me warnings, and I listened to those warnings," he says.

"I feel bad, I disappointed my coaches and people in the USA, but I made the mature decision."

But if he was injured, why not pull up? Why jog to the line?

Very strange.

That means Gardiner clocks the fastest semi-final in 44.13, he's looked best so far.

8:52pm - 400m Heat 3: Michael Norman is out!

The favourite finishes last.

Norman is out.

Trinidad's Machel Cedinio broke hard and we were all waiting for Michael Norman to react, but nothing came, he didn't pull up.

What happened?

We'll bring that to you as soon as we hear.

Cedenio finishes first and Anthony Zambrano, the Colombian with a flying finish, grabs the second automatic spot.

8:48pm - Gardiner aces 400m Heat 2

The tall figure of Steven Gardiner glides gracefully around the curve and just jogs it home in 44.13.

Kirani James was right with him, well clear of the rest.

44.23 takes James through to the final.

8:41pm - Men's 400m semi-final Heat 1

Fred Kerley is so cool at the finish, he's way ahead, 44.25 gives him top spot.

Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir runs a season's best in second: 44.37

8:33pm - Heptathlon: What's up with Nafi?

Nafi Thiam has a 2.02m personal best but fails once on 1.95 and three times on 1.98.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson takes top points on the high-jump, an event that you'd expect Thiam to dominate.

The British heptathlete leads the standings right now on 2282, but Thiam not miles off in 2242.

Shot put up next in the heptathlon.

8:24pm - Ortega takes 110m hurdles heat 3

Rio silver medallist Orlando Ortega takes Heat 3 as expected.

Takes that final hurdle well and sprints home, great finish.

A season's best 13.29 from Cypriot Milan Trajkovic puts him in second.

So McLeod, Holloway and Ortega top the three semi-finals, McLeod fastest in 13.08, Holloway second on 13.10 and Ortega went 13.16.

8:23pm - Show-stopping stat

8:16pm - McLeod takes Heat 2

The Olympic champ powered his way to pole position there, clipped one hurdle and opened the door to Pascal Martinot-Lagarde but held on.

Very fast semi-final.

McLeod goes 13.08, Martinot-Lagarde runs a season's best 13.12 for second, and China's Xie Wenjun goes 13.22 - surely enough to qualify him.

8:13pm - Men's 100m Heat 2

Olympic champ Omar McLeod is up here, big favourite for this heat.

Look out for Martinot-Lagarde and Xie too...

McLeod takes it from Martinot-Lagarde, but just!

8:08pm - 110m hurdles semi-finals: Hollywood Holloway?

A rare false start in that first semi-final, Kuwait's Al-Youha is taking off his number and walking away, but wait, he'll have to put it back on!

A green card for him and the semi is reset.

Grant Holloway blows out of the start, great drive, he's way out in front, quick look to his right and yep Grant, you're first.

13.10 for Holloway, he's a contender.

The second automatic qualifier is Sergey Shubenkov in a quick 13.18.

7:56pm - Big throw from Kevin Mayer!

We saw a classic Mayer moment in the decathlon shot put, a huge 16.82m personal best, and there it is, that trademark roar!

Is the rest of the field going to be caught in Mayer's maw again?

Lindon Victor throws a season's best 16.24 to take second.

That means that it's 902 points for Mayer and 866 for Grenada's Victor.

Mayer leads after three events on 2827 points, on world record course, Canada's Damian Warner is second on 2776 and Victor third on 2741.

7:07pm - 5000m Heat 2: Gemechu qualifies in first!

Great finish from Tsehay Gemechu as the pace really picked up over those last two laps, the Ethiopian finished really strongly, accelerating from sixth to first of the last 50m.

A really exciting finish at the line.

Gemechu clocks 15.01.57, a good 9 seconds off Obiri's Heat 1 winning time.

The German Klosterhalfen held on to second with the two Kenyans Kipkemboi and Rengeruk coasting through in 3rd and 4th.

GB's Laura Weightman qualifies in 5th and Fantu Worku is fastest 6th place finisher, she's through too.

Look how close the top three finishers were:

  1. Tsehay Gemechu 15.01.57
  2. Konstanze Klosterhalfen 15.01.57
  3. Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi 15.01.58

6:54pm - Women's 5000m Heat 2

Remember, Ethiopia’s world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba, didn't make it because of a foot injury, making Hellen Obiri the favourite in many eyes.

But the second heat features Fantu Worku and Tsehay Gemechu. who lead for a while in a very dense pack.

The Kenyans Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi and Lilian Rengeruk now taking over, Kipkemboi has run 14:31.69 this season.

Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen, now works her way to the front, she's fourth on this year’s world list with the national record of 14:26.76 from Berlin in August.

Klosterhalfen trains with Hassan.

There's the bell!

6:38pm - Obiri bosses Women's 5000m Heat 1

Olympic silver medallist Obiri leads at the bell, really calm out front, but USA's Karissa Schweizer looks intent on winning this race, she's using up an awful lot of energy - to finish second.

It's a personal best for Schweizer but maybe better to save that for the final?

London 2017 champion Obiri never looked troubled, lovely smooth, even running style, the defending champ is on form.

Ethiopian 20-year-old Hawi Feysa ran a solid race too, she qualifies in third, GB's Eilish McColgan is well within the auto spots too, finishing fourth.

New Zealand's Camille Buscomb seals that final automatic spot.

But it's Obiri setting the standard again: 14:52.13

6:31pm - Women's 5000m Heat 1

Just two heats in these 5000m qualifiers, no Sifane Hassan who's chosen to run the 1500m.

Scottish runner Eilish McColgan, silver medallist in the 2018 Euros, leads after the first 1000m, and the second, but defending champ Hellen Obiri paces along comfortably next to her.

And it's the Kenyan Obiri in the lead at the 3000m mark, Ugandan Sarah Chelagat into second.

McColgan holding on to third.

6:16pm - 1500m Heat 3 belongs to Jenny Simpson

There looked to be a silent agreement at the front of Heat three as USA's Jenny Simpson, Canada's Gabriela Debues-Stafford, and GB's Laura Muir (Who's back from a calf tear) created an exclusive club at the head of the race.

Those three train together. Strategy?

Simpson goes 4:07.27.

Marta Perez and Claudia Bobocea tried to break into the club but the top three were having none of it.

Malika Akkaoui grabs the final Q for tomorrow's semis.

Linden Hall and Darya Barysevich, seventh and eighth in that race, also go through as fastest outside the auto spots.

6:04pm - Arafi takes 2nd Heat

Morocco's Rababe Arafi, who also ran the 800m final on Sunday night finishing 7th, aces the second 1500m heat in 4:08.32.

Slow start, Gudaf Tsegay stepped up to set the pace and led for a long time from about halfway through, but the Moroccan bided her time and accelerated past in the final few metres.

Kenya's Winny Chebet also passed Ethiopian Tsegay, who takes third, USA's Shelby Houlihan qualifies in fourth, Jessica Hull is just behind her.

Sweden's Yolanda Ngarambe books her berth in tomorrow's semi-final too in that final auto qualifying spot.

5:52pm - Sifan Hassan is at it again

There was a bit of doubt about whether Sifan Hassan would run the 1500m after that incredible 10k gold medal running the final 1500m in 3:59.

But here she is, winning Heat 1 ahead of the defending champion Faith Kipyegon, Hassan clocks 4:03.88, using the bell to time her kick to the front.

That was comfortable for Hassan, putting her as favourite for the 1500.

Nikki Hiltz, Winnie Nanyondo, Ciara Mageean and Sarah McDonald claimed the other automatic qualifying spots.

5:36pm - Women's Shot Put Group A a roaring success

We love a good scream, and you get few better than in the shot put events.

Both Bulgarian Aliona Dubitskaya and the USA's Michelle Carter launched automatic qualifying throws with the 4 kilo shot.

But GBR's Sophie McKinna's reaction was priceless, she threw a personal best, sending it over sailing over the qualifying yellow line on and wheeled away screaming!

Yesss! Come on!

Great moment.

2018 Commonwealth Games and 2019 Pan Am Games champ Danniel Thomas-Dodd tops Group A qualifying, the Jamaican throws a 19.32 on her third attempt.

5:27pm - Bird? Plane? Kendell Williams!

Kendall Williams screams down the 110m hurdles, leaping hurdles like they aren't even there and she's streets ahead!

12.58s - that's a heptathlon championship best, she can't believe it - beaming!

5:16pm - Thiam finishes fourth!

With all eyes on the Olympic champ, Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thomspon steals the show, a personal best for her: 13.09, she can't believe it!

What a run. She banks 1111 points.

And there are two more personal bests in second and third, Verena Preiner and Annie Kunz picking up 1087 and 1084 points.

Thiam comes through in fourth, she was dropping back even further, but stays calm and finishes strongly, a season's best for her in 13.36, that's worth 1071 points.

Good return from an event that isn't her strongest.

5:06pm - Women's hep: False start!

And the first event of the women's heptathlon is called back, Belgium's Hanne Maudens a little too eager in the 100m hurdles.

Luckily for her you get one false start in this hep event.

Off they go again, this time cleanly, and we have two more season's bests in first and second.

Czech competitor Katerina Cachova tops heat 1 in 13.47 and racking up 1055 points, Natherland's Anouk Vetter does a 13.55 for 1043 points.

Both season's bests.

4:52pm: Heat 3: Warner first, Mayer third

Canada's Damian Warner goes 10.35 in Heat 3, that's the fastest 100m in the first three heats, he picks up a massive 1011 points.

Warner's Canadian teammate Pierce LePage is right there too.. Uff... a fraction behind - 10.36.

1008 points for him.

Kevin Mayer takes third with a personal best 10.50!

975 points for him, that's a strong start.

It's bring your season's best to school day today, in Heat 2 Poland's Pawel Wiesiolek takes top spot in 10.76 (915 points) and Germany's Kai Kazmirek goes 10.82 (901 points) in second - both season's bests.

4:48pm: Brain and braun: dangerous combination

An event that is really ten events requires such a broad range of skills and abilities, it isn't enough just to strong, or smart, or fast.

You have to be all three.

The Rio silver medallist Kevin Mayer set the world record of 9126 a year ago and he looks like he's here to defend his title claimed at London 2017.

The Frenchman hasn't contested a full decathlon so far this year, but the 27-year-old Frenchman may be even better this year.

4:38pm - Men's Decathlon 100m: We're off!

The first event of the day just took off, Janek Oiglane explodes off the blocks and no-one's going to catch him.

The Estonian wins the first round of the 10-event spectacle clocking 10.94 - a personal best for him.

There's another Estonian in third place, Maicel Uibo does a season's best 11.10.

And sandwiched between the two Estonians is Ilya Shkurenyov othe nuetral athlete who also runs a SB - 11.10.

The clear favourite for gold in this event is France's Kevin Mayer, he's up in heat 3.

4:35pm - Women's Heptathlon favourite

No doubt about who the favourite in the women's heptathlon is today.

Olympic and defending world champion Nafissatou Thiam is already a multi-event superstar.

But the Belgian is a shy superstar, she told us how she deals with fame:

4:25pm - Usain's record still Bolted on

Noah Lyles won his first world title last night, and there was more cause for celebration for Team USA as they won three of four gold medals that were up for grabs yesterday.

Team Jamaica couldn't stop themselves from reminding the world that Usain Bolt is still the fastest man ever in the 200.

USA-Jamaica track rivalry: Delicious.

4:15pm - Who'll be dancing tonight?

Uganda's Halimah Nakaayi is probably leading in the best dance of Doha 2019 competition so far, her stunning 800m win on Day 4 was celebrated with an equally brilliant dance.

Anyone ready to take on the challenge tonight?

3:40pm - Doha's golden goose

The greatest faucet of all time?

We think we've found it at the World Championships here in Qatar.

3:38pm - Laughing face emoji

3:34pm - We're live!

Settling in for another day of the elite doing of the sport.

You ready?

Us too.

Here's today's schedule:

What's in store on Day six

We're going to see three gold medals on Day 6 in the men's hammer throw, the women's 200m and the men's 110m final.

But there's so much more on the Day 6 menu.

The decathlon and heptathlons get underway, as do the women's 100m hurdle heats, the women's discus and 1500/5000m heats, the men's 400m semi-finals and the women's 400m hurdles semi-finals.

It's a packed day so keep up with it all right here with our live updates.

Men's 100m Hurdles

Rio 2016 Olympic champion Omar McLeod is defending his world title here, but injury and a change of coach have left some question marks over his form and state of mind.

Questions which he partly answered yesterday by winning the first qualifying heat in 13.17 with ease.

He looked relaxed in the post-race interview too:

"Round by round, one step at a time," he said, "I'm prepared, fired up and ready to go."

After Fraser-Pryce and Tajay Gayle's gold medals, McLeod laughed, "ya, no pressure now! No, I like the pressure. This is great... Jamaica's back."!

The USA's Daniel Roberts and Grant Holloway came in as two potential breakout stars but only one qualified, Roberts got a DQ after a trailing leg violation knocked a hurdle into a rival's lane.

Holloway does look like a challenger though, he ran 13.22 to win his heat on Sunday.

Rio silver medallist Orlando Ortega from Spain is here too, can he take the step up to gold a year off Tokyo 2020?

The Spaniard was very very impressive on Sunday, clocking 13.15 to top his heat.

Is Doha 2019 his moment to shine?

Women's 200m Final

100m silver medallist Dina Asher-Smith put down the fastest semi-final time yesterday.

Reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson was forced to pull out of the competition due to that Achilles injury that won't leave her alone and defending champ Dafne Schippers was forced to abandon her title defence because of injury too.

The 27-year-old from Utrecht withdrew from the 100m final on Sunday night after straining an adductor muscle in the semi-final.

That leaves Asher-Smith in with a unique opportunity to assert herself as world champion before Tokyo.

But she'll have to keep a close watch on Brittany Brown.

The U.S. sprinter ran a 22.33 PB in the first round, and won her semi-final in an impressive 22.46.

Anglerne Annalus is another young American could enjoy the view from the podium, the 22-year-old looked good in the semis.

This final has thriller written all over it.

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