World Athletics Championships--Tokyo 2025 ends in the rain...
TOKYO--On the 21st night of September, the World Athletics Championships-Tokyo 2025 came to a fantastic ending with nine finals to top off nine days of competition at Japan National Stadium, despite a downpour that delayed the conclusion of the women's high jump and men's discus that made the runway and ring slick.
No athletes with ties to the state of Washington competed on the final night of the meet.
The rain did not materially affect the competition on the track, though it can be debated that times, particularly in the relays, may have been led to a more conservative approach, particularly with the passes.
Rebounding after getting disqualified in the semifinals of the 1500 for impeding Robert Farken of Germany, former University of Oregon standout and reigning Olympic champion Cole Hocker (Erik Aguillar photo) moved up in distance and won the men's 5000, using a 52.62 final 400 meters to clinch the world title in 12:58.30 to hold off Isaac Kimeli of Belgium at 12:58.78, and 10000 meter champ Jimmy Gressier of France, who ran 12:59.33.
Lilian Odira of Kenya, who had run well in the heats, but wasn't exactly looked at as one of the favorites, overtook defending Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain and her fellow countrywoman and former Cal standout Georgia Hunter Bell to win the women's 800 in a championship record 1:54.62.
Hunter Bell was second in 1:54.90, while Hodgkinson was third in 1:54.91.
Botswana got its revenge on the United States in the men's 4 x 400 relay from last year's Olympics, when Busang Kebinatshipi (center/photo courtesy World Athletics), the winner of the open 400 earlier in the meet, used a 44.14 anchor leg to run down the USA's Rai Benjamin and win the relay in 2:57.76 tp the USA's 2:57.83.
South Africa was third in the same time as the USA.
The USA was completely dominant in the women's 4 x 400 relay, as the team of Isabella Whittaker (50.12), Lynna Irby-Jackson (48.71), Aaliyah Butler (49.96) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (47.82) ran to victory in a championship record time of 3:16.61, breaking the old mark set by the USA in 1993 of 3:16.71.
Former Bowerman winner Leo Neugebauer of Germany (Erik Aguillar photo) via the University of Texas won the closest decathlon in world championships history, scoring 8804 points to hold off Ayden Owens-Delerme of Puerto Rico via Arkansas, and the USA's Kyle Garland from Georgia.
Garland held the lead after eight events with 7322 points, with Neugebauer second with 7269 and Owens-Delerme third at 7238.
Neugebauer grabbed the lead with a throw of 211-1 (64.34m) to hold a nine-event score of 8072, dropping Garland to second with 8057 points, with Owens-Delerme third at 7958 points.
In the 1500, Owens-Delerme ran 4:17.91, while Neugebauer ran a seven-second PB of 4:31.89, and Garland countered with a 4:45.45. Neugebauer finished with a winning score of 8804, with Owens-Delerme second at 8784, and Garland third with 8703.
The USA swept the final two track races of these world championships, winning the women's and men's 4 x 100 meters.
The USA women, with Melissa Jefferson-Wooden leading off and Sha'Carri Richardson on the anchor, took the win in 41.75 to deny Jamaica and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, competing in her final world championships, a final gold.
Richardson anchored the USA to victory in 41.75 to Jamaica's 41.79.
The USA, with Christian Coleman leading off, ran a world leading time of 37.29 to win the world championship with 200 meter world champ Noah Lyles on the anchor.
Defending Olympic champion Canada, with Andre DeGrasse on the anchor, didn't have the top end speed of the Americans despite being the better passing squad. The Canadians were second in 37.55, and the Netherlands third in a national record 37.81.
Despite being delayed due to the heavy rains that hit Japan National Stadium shortly before the 4 x 400 relays, Australia's Nicola Olyslagers won the women's high jump with a jump of 6-6.75 (2.00m) over Poland's Maria Zodzik, on fewer misses.
In an event that was affected by the rains, Daniel Stahl of Sweden, who won the Olympic title in this stadium four years ago, came through with a sixth round throw of 231-2 (70.47m) to overtake Mykolas Alekna, the Cal standout from Lithuania, who threw 222-7 (67.84m).
Central Michigan alum Alex Rose won Samoa's first ever medal at the world championships with a throw of 219-8 (66.96m).
The United States finished these world championships with 26 medals, including 16 golds. Kenya was second with 11 medals, including seven golds. Canada won three golds and a total of five medals to finish third in the team standings, as fifty-three nations earned a spot on the podium.
Over the nine days of competition, Japan National Stadium had nearly 650,000 people go through the turnstiles to watch world class track and field.
NOTE: World Athletics contributed to this report.
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