Young Turkish javelin thrower makes it to final in London

LONDON

AA photo

Turkish athlete Eda Tuğsuz will be aiming for another career milestone on Aug. 8 in the women’s javelin event at the World Athletics Championships in London.

Tuğsuz, 20, made the final with a throw of 63.87 meters in the qualifications on Aug. 6, beating the mark of 63.50 meters for automatic qualification.

Seven women threw beyond the 63.50m automatic qualifying threshold, with two reaching beyond 65 meters.

Lyu Huihui led the pack with an Asian record throw of 67.59 meters. Slovenia’s Martina Ratej hit 65.64 meters to finish behind Lyu in the second group, while defending champion Katharina Molitor was the best from the first, reaching 65.37 meters.

Speaking before heading to London, Eda Tuğsuz, who won the women’s gold at the Islamic Cooperation Games in Baku with a throw of 67.21 meters, breaking the European U-23 record, had put the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the main target.

“I will compete in the seniors category for the first time, and I want to be in the finals to do my best,” she said at the time. “I want to be on the podium in Tokyo, our country needs this success.”

The women’s javelin finals will start at 9:20 p.m. Turkish time.

Also on day three of the world championships, American Tori Bowie upset Jamaican favorite Elaine Thompson to win the world 100m, while New Zealander Tomas Walsh dominated the men’s shot put with a stunning series of throws.

Before another packed-out session at the London Stadium, Greek pole vaulter Ekaterina Stefanidi and heptathlete Nafi Thiam also added world titles to the Olympic golds they won in Rio last year.

Earlier in the day, Kenya’s Geoffrey Kipkorir Kirui won the men’s marathon to make up for his country’s podium no-show in the last two championships, while Kenyan-born Bahraini Rose Chelimo edged veteran Edna Kiplagat to win the women’s race.

Twenty-four hours after the fireworks of the men’s 100m final, when Usain Bolt was upstaged by archrival Justin Gatlin, Bowie ensured the U.S. team made it 2-0 in the sprint stakes over Jamaica.

Bowie made up for her silver at the Rio Games with a savage dip at the line that saw her win in 10.85 seconds, just one-hundredth ahead of Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou, with Thompson fifth (10.98).

“The dive doesn’t feel too good now,” said U.S. champion Bowie. “I never give up until I’m over the line.”