Updates from Tokyo as the championships get under way
Mail John | The stars aiming to break records in Tokyo
We’ll begin the Tokyo evening session with the men’s 3000m steeplechase heats; there’s three of them to come. It’s cloudy but very warm as darkness descends. Armand Duplantis is in the house, and warming up for his pole vaulr qualifier. The serial world record holder, the true successor to Sergei Bubka, is perhaps the star of the entire show.
Reuters – Evan Dunfee of Canada and Spanish defending champion Maria Perez prevailed in suffocating Tokyo humidity to win the first gold medals of the 20th World Athletics Championships in the 35-km walks on Saturday.
Dunfee, the pain of the gruelling effort in tough conditions etched on his face, crossed the line at the National Stadium in two hours, 28 minutes and 22 seconds to claim his first global title.
