In a slow tactical race, jostling for the right position on the last lap cost some athletes dearly.

The Day One at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo witnessed multiple instances of athletes scrambling for a place in the next round.

The most dramatic of all on Saturday happened in the men’s 3000m steeplechase heats. After a quiet opening, the battle for supremacy to earn spots to the final heated up.

A slow tactical race and jostling for right positions to stay in the hunt to achieve qualification for the final meant a crowded leading pack surging to make a right move. This scenario caught Geordie Beamish of New Zealand unaware. But he quickly bounced back after a nasty fall to earn second spot in the heats and place in the final.

But Spaniard Daniel Arce wasn’t lucky. He got hurt in the heats and limped out of the track.

Two-time defending champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco easily qualified for 3000m steeplechase final but world record-holder Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia recovered from a fall to qualify for the medal race. Local favourite Ryuji Miura also made it to the final.

The women’s 1500m heat saw some quick thinking by Ireland’s Sophia O’Sullivan. She was trailing at the seventh spot in the last 20-meter but dived at the line to barely manage the sixth and final spot to the semis.

The women’s 10,000m final too had a lot of excitement in store. Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet sprinted home to victory, but a determined Nadia Battocletti from Italy managed to hang on with a group of East African runners, including defending champion Gudag Tseday of Ethiopia, to finish second. It was Italy’s first medal at the Worlds.

In the short sprints (100m), the first round was just like a stroll in the park for Olympic champion in the women’s section, Julian Alfred.

Botswana’s men’s 200m Olympic champion Letsile Tobago also didn’t break a sweat to win his 100m heat.

Indians on Day One

The opening day didn’t go on expected lines for the Indian athletes. Pooja managed the 11th place in the women’s 1500m heats. While Army race walker Ram Baboo was disqualified in the men’s 35km event, the seasoned Sandeep Kumar was 23rd.

National record holder and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Priyanka finished 24th in the women’s 35 km race walk. All the three athletes weren’t able to repeat their personal best.

Results:

Men: Shot put: Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.34m, Uziel Munoz (Mexico) 21.97m, Leonardo Fabbri (Italy) 21.94m.

35km race walk: Evan Dunfee (Canada) 2:28:22, Calo Bonfim (Brazil) 2:28:55, Hayato Katsuki (Japan) 2:29:16

Women

10,000m: Beatrice Chebet (Kenya) 30:37.61, Nadia Battocletti (Italy) 30:38.23, Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia) 30:39.65

35km race walk: Maria Perez (Spain) 2:39:01, Antonella Palmisano (Italy) 2:42:24, Paula Milena Torres (Ecuador) 2:43:29.

Mixed 4x400m relay: USA (3:08.80, Netherlands (3:09.96), Belgium (3:10.61)

ENDS