12 August, 2017
Whatever happens when Mo Farah steps on to the track for the final time at a major championships on Saturday night, he will leave it knowing no British athlete has been so staggeringly successful - or had their achievements so forcibly questioned.
- After Saturday, the star search is officially on.
He's then expected to run on Jamaica's 4x100-meter relay a week later, which will be his final appearance on any track.
Yet more than 600,000 tickets were sold, the biggest world...
Lacking in all that has been someone, anyone, who could at least pretend to enjoy the spotlight that Bolt occupied all alone for almost a decade.
The penultimate day of the championships also has former 100 meters hurdles champion Sally Pearson of Australia going up against world record holder Kendra Harrison of the US for the title.
Van Niekerk got one performance right. Instead, Ramil Guliyev of Turkey captured the title and Van Niekerk insisted, "I will never try and fill Usain's shoes, or Michael's". Christian Taylor beat his buddy, American teammate Will Claye, but failed in the quest he really wanted - breaking the world record.
He's also the first man to win three Olympic golds in the 100 meters. "Honestly, I have just been chasing this number", Taylor said of the 18.29-meter mark that he fell well short of on Thursday.
During Friday's competition, the most jaw-dropping result in a week of upsets came in the women's steeplechase, where the United States clinched an unlikely 1-2 finish. I could not qualify for the final round but I am not disappointed because I have done my best. USA teammate Courtney Frerichs outkicked defending champion Hyvin Jepkemoi of Kenya for the silver. Five years ago, who would have thought that the twins in mummy's tummy would be on the track?
Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands successfully defended her world title in the 200, winning in 22.05.
