Amber Anning won a hard-fought 400m title at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing on Saturday (March 22).
Two weeks after being disqualified at the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn for a lane infringement, the 24-year-old Brit battled her way past Alexis Holmes of the United States to take gold by three hundredths of a second in 50.60.
Anning went through 200m in 23.67 but on her inside Holmes was able to hold the kerb with Anning slightly baulked as she was forced out into lane two on the penultimate bend.
She composed herself down the backstraight, though, before easing past the tiring Holmes in the final metres, as Henriette Jaeger of Norway took third in 50.92.
“It feels amazing,” said Anning. “It was a real battle to get the break and it wasn’t the cleanest race. It’s my first individual title so I’m really happy. It was messy but it was a competition and I’m just grateful that I won.
Amber Anning (Getty)
“I wasn’t totally sure I’d won at the end but when I saw my name as the winner there was a sigh of relief. Seeing Jeremiah Azu win was so inspiring as we go way back. He told me ‘go out there, Amber, get your own gold too’.”
Mondo Duplantis predictably took another pole vault title as he cleared 6.15m to take gold. Emmanouil Karalis took silver with a Greek record of 6.05m as Sam Kendricks of the United States won bronze with 5.90m.
Mondo Duplantis (Getty)
Another big favourite, Grant Holloway, again showed why he’s the clear world No.1 as the American took 60m hurdles gold in 7.42 from Wilhem Belocian of France (7.54) and Junxi Liu of China (7.55).
Leyanis Pérez won the women’s triple jump in a world lead of 14.97m from fellow Cuban Liadagmis Povea (14.57m) and Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré of Spain (14.29m) with the defending champion and Olympic gold medallist Thea LaFond of Dominica finishing fourth.
Grant Holloway (Getty)
The men’s 400m gold, meanwhile, went to Christopher Bailey in 45.08 as he led a United States clean sweep with Brian Faust second and Jacory Patterson third.
Bringing the action on day two of the three-day championship to an exciting conclusion, Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland took the women’s 60m gold in 7.04 from European indoor champion Zaynab Dosso of Italy (7.06) and Patrizia van der Weken of Luxembourg (7.07).
READ MORE: Ingebrigtsen eases to 3000m title
Amy Hunt of Britain finished a fine fifth in 7.11. “If I can finish fifth in the world in my fourth favourite event, then anything is possible,” said Hunt, who is better known as a 200m runner. “I hope everyone’s getting their popcorn ready and getting that sofa comfy because outdoors is where the real show begins.”
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