European indoor champion Andy Diaz became the first gold medallist to be crowned at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China on Friday (21) morning.
And he was one of three athletes to follow up their victories at the European Athletics Indoor Championships with gold on the global stage in Nanjing after Saga Vanninen and Jeremiah Azu followed suit in evening session in the pentathlon and 60m respectively.
Diaz only had one valid jump but his first round attempt proved to be a competition-ending distance of 17.80m, an improvement on his world lead and an improvement on the Italian record of 17.73m held by his coach Fabrizio Donato.
Diaz won by almost half-a-metre from Zhu Yaming from China who opened up the host’s medal tally by winning silver with 17.33m. Olympic champion Hugues Fabrice Zango took bronze with 17.15m.
Vanninen completes golden indoor double
Finland’s Saga Vanninen also followed up her European indoor pentathlon title by winning the global equivalent on Friday (21) evening.
Vanninen, who became the first ever Finnish woman to win a world indoor medal with silver in Glasgow last year, won just her country’s second ever title in World Athletics Indoor Championships history with a score of 4821 points for victory across the five events.
Vanninen was especially strong in the field events again, recording the best marks of the day in both the shot put (15.81m) and the long jump (6.37m).
Ireland’s Kate O’Connor also completed a medal-winning double, winning her second major medal of the winter with 4742 points to take silver after bronze in Apeldoorn.
In doing so, O’Connor picked up Ireland’s first medal of any description at the World Athletics Indoor Championships since Derval O’Rourke won 60m hurdles gold in Moscow 2006.
Azu zooms to 60m gold in Nanjing
By contrast, European indoor champion Jeremiah Azu became the thirteenth British man to win a world indoor title with gold in the 60m in Nanjing.
In a tense and dramatic final which saw prospective favourites Ronnie Baker from the United States and Puerto Rico’s Eloy Benitez - who clocked a surprise 6.49 in the heat - pull up injured, Azu got out fast and held off a charging Lachlan Kennedy from Australia to complete the sprint double in 6.49.
His winning time matched his time from the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn as well as the Welsh record which he holds with Colin Jackson.
Reigning European indoor champion Jessica Schilder surpassed the 20 metre-line in the shot put again but the Dutchwoman had to settle for silver behind Canada’s Sarah Mitton who retained her title - 20.48m to 20.07m.
Steven Mills for European Athletics