Doha World Championships Notebook - Day 9

From human to hero: Barshim keeps title in style

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Home fans on Friday night filled Khalifa International Stadium to the rafters to cheer up high jump hero Mutaz Barshim.

Barshim, who won the men’s high jump title at the 2017 World Championship in London, retained his title on Friday night to cement his status as one of Qatar’s sporting heroes. When Barshim was declared the world champion before his home fans, the lanky 28-year-old pumped his fist in the air, charging up a crowd into a frenzy. Barshim retained his title before his country’s leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani who arrived in the stadium in a small convoy shortly after 6pm. Barshim, born and bred in Doha, flew over 2.37 metres to take the high jump gold. For the first time in the nine-day championship, the stadium was filled to the rafters.

Kenyans popular with hotel staff

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Team Kenya athletes have been camping at their hotel in Edzan Plaza in West Bay, Doha and athletes have got special recognition from the hotel staff.

When Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed visited the team last Sunday, the athletes spoke of the good treatment they have received at the hotel.

Amina’s visit came just a day after Ruth Chepng'etich had won Kenya’s first gold medal at the championship, and senior managers at the hotel baked a special cake to mark the achievement. The cake was cut and shared out among Team Kenya athletes. Conseslus Kipruto’s gold medal in men’s 3000 metres steeplechase final held on Friday further endeared the team to the hotel’s staff, with one of them naming her son after the two-time world steeplechase champion.

Long working hours for scribes

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The main media centre at the 2019 World Championships has been a beehive of activity. Since the championship started on September 26, the media centre has been operating round the clock, with journalists staying up late to file stories for their media houses. The timing of the marathon and race walk, both 20km and 50km, has placed more pressure on journalists. Held nine days ago, women’s marathon race took place from 11.59pm and the last competitor crossed the finish line more than two and a half hours later. Journalists stayed up till 4am conducting interviews and filing stories for their media houses. Yesterday, men’s marathon race started at 11.59pm, presenting long working hours for journalists.

Kipruto’s name is on everyone’s lips

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When Kenya’s Conseslus Kipruto beat Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma by one hundredth of a second to retain the 3000 metres steeplechase title here on Friday night, he had done enough to endear himself to the local crowds and the many Kenyan fans who have been showing up at the stadium to watch races. Kipruto won in a world leading time of 8 minutes and 01.35 seconds, followed by Girma in 8:01.36. The 2014 African champion Soufiane El Bakkali from Morocco took bronze medal. Afterwards, Kipruto drew fans’ attention with his ‘telescope’ celebration inside the stadium. After the race, Kipruto and his teammates Leonard Bett, Benjamin Kigen and Abraham Kibowot took a lap of honour round the stadium and got a standing ovation from fans, among them Qatar’s leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.