The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo produced another unforgettable night on Wednesday, as new stars rose and champions reaffirmed their greatness. Faith Cherotich ran the race of her life in the steeplechase, Isaac Nader stunned the men’s 1500m field, Katie Moon retained her pole vault crown in a thriller, and Italy’s Mattia Furlani soared into history.
Cherotich Turns Bronze Into Gold
Kenya’s Faith Cherotich chose her moment perfectly, upstaging Olympic and world champion Winfred Yavi to capture her first global title in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
The 21-year-old, already a two-time global bronze medallist, tracked Yavi for much of the race before launching her decisive kick with 400m to go. A smooth leap over the final water jump propelled her clear, and she stormed home in a championship record of 8:51.59, five seconds ahead of Yavi.
In the last 400m, I said to myself, ‘This is my moment. My coach reminded me, ‘Faith, you can do it.’ I believed in myself, and it paid off.
Nader Steals the 1500m
In a field packed with champions, few expected Portugal’s Isaac Nader to prevail. But when Britain’s Jake Wightman looked certain to clinch gold in the men’s 1500m, Nader burst from the chasing pack with a late surge to snatch victory by 0.02 seconds in 3:34.10.
All eyes were on the big names, not me. I stayed patient, trusted my kick, and when the chance came, I took it. To beat athletes of this calibre feels unreal.
Moon Rises Again in Pole Vault Thriller
USA’s Katie Moon showed remarkable poise under pressure to secure her third straight world pole vault title. Locked in a fierce battle with teammate Sandi Morris, Moon cleared 4.90m on her final attempt — a season’s best — to keep her crown.
It was such a battle, and I knew I’d need to jump 4.90m to win. This one feels the most special. The older you get, the harder it becomes. Having my family here makes it unforgettable.
Morris, a four-time silver medallist at these championships, cleared 4.85m, while Slovenia’s Tina Sutej took bronze with 4.80m.
Furlani Makes History at 20
Italy’s Mattia Furlani completed a golden night of shocks and milestones, becoming the youngest men’s world long jump champion at just 20 years old. His fifth-round leap of 8.39m was enough to edge Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle, who managed 8.34m, and China’s Shi Yuhao on 8.33m.
This is the most special evening. At the beginning I had problems with my run-up, but I stayed calm and saved the best for last. To win gold at this age — it’s a dream come true.
