(SPORTSMAX) – The Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers defended her IAAF World Championship 200 metres title yesterday, relegating The Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo to a bronze medal.
Schippers, winning in 22.05, also got the better of Côte d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou, who was earning her second silver medal of the championships after her efforts in the 100 metres.
Then Ta Lou got the better of Schippers, pushing her down to a bronze medal.
Schippers benefited from running a brilliant corner, to lead down the straightaway, just ahead of Ta Lou, who had all but made up the stagger at the end of the corner.
Ta Lou and Schippers were well away from Miller, whose very conservative corner left her fifth going into the straight.
Then the long legs of Miller-Uibo slowly began to draw the field back to her, but unfortunately for the tall Bahamian, she had not done enough work around the corner and ran out of real estate to finish fast in 22.15, well off her personal best of 21.91 this year.
Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith with a season’s best 22.22, finished in fourth, the London crowd again having to watch one of their own finish just outside of medal positions.
The United States pair of Deejah Stevens, 22.44, and Kimberlyn Duncan, 22.59, were well beaten into fifth and sixth place, while Canada’s Crystal Emmanuel was seventh in 22.60.
Rounding out the field was another Bahamian, 24-year-old, Tynia Gaither, who finished in 23.07 seconds.