Tinch Goes From Obscurity To World Champion In Less Than Three Years; Ethan Katzberg Breaks Championship Record In Hammer; Faith Kipyegon Maintains Mastery Of 1,500 Meters; Hamish Kerr Wins High Jump Duel With Sanghyeok Woo

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Logan Hannigan-Downs photos

INTERVIEWS

TOKYO – Cordell Tinch always knew he was a great athlete, even when he took a three-year break and worked a series of jobs after leaving the University of Kansas. 

On Tuesday, the world found out how great Tinch is. The 2023 NCAA D2 champion became a world champion in the men's 110-meter hurdles at Japan National Stadium, running a time of 12.99 seconds. 

Tinch won his semifinal round in 13.16 and his confidence never wavered. 

Meanwhile, three-time world champion Grant Holloway was clearly not at full strength. He got out well in his semifinal and led it until about 70 meters and then began to fade. He was sixth and did not advance to the final. 

Holloway declined to speak to the press, but stopped to give a hug to teammate Dylan Beard, who was also eliminated in the semis. 

NCAA champion JaKobe Tharp made it to the final and finished sixth. 

Jamaicans Orlando Bennett and Tyler Mason claimed the silver and bronze medals. Bennett ran a personal best 13.08 seconds, and Mason tied his personal best with 13.12. 

Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, one of the surest bets of the entire championships, led the women's 1,500 meters final wire to wire and won her fourth world championship title in that event in 3:52.15. 

Kipyegon proved long ago she can win a race any which way she chooses. On Tuesday, she steadily ramped up the pace and dared anyone to stay with her. 

Australia's Jessica Hull sat comfortably behind Kipyegon throughout and appeared ready to make a challenge int the final 300 meters. 

But Kipyegon kicked away from Hull, who was overtaken by Kenya's Dorcus Ewoi for the silver. Hull was pleased to finish on the podium with her second global bronze following last year's at the Olympics. 

Top American Nikki Hiltz, seventh in Paris last year, finished fifth in 3:57.08. Sinclaire Johnson was 13th in 4:00.92. 

A men's high jump duel between New Zealand's Hamish Kerr and South Korea's Sanghyeok Woo had the full attention of the crowd after the final race on the track. 

Kerr made 2.36m (7-8.75) on his first attempt, which proved to be the winner. Woo took silver with 2.34m (7-8). 

Ethan Katzberg maintained Canadian dominance of the hammer throw, winning with a championship meet record mark of 84.70m (277-10) one day after Camryn Rogers won the women's title, in one of the most spectacular competitions in the history of the event. 

Four men threw over 82 meters. Merlin Hummel of Germany threw a personal best 82.77m for the silver and Bence Halasz of Hungary threw 82.69m for bronze. 

Jacory Patterson was the lone American to advance to the finals of the men's 800 meters, and he squeaked in with a time of 44.19 seconds after taking fourth in his semifinal heat. Khaleb McCrae, Vernon Norwood and Christopher Bailey were all eliminated. 

High school phenomenon Cooper Lutkenhaus got his first taste of international track and field, and he wasn't able to find the final gear to get up to the front in his first round 800 meters race. He was seventh in 1:47.68. 

"It's definitely tough," Lutkenhaus said. "I came out here to learn as much as I could and race the best guys in the world. It's not your day every time. Anybody could tell you that. In school, you might fail a math test occasionally, but you come back. I'm excited for what the future holds."

Bryce Hoppel and Donavan Brazier both advanced to the semifinal round. 

Venezuelan world record holder, Yulimar Rojas, returned to competition for the first time in two years on Tuesday and jumped well in the women's triple jump qualifying. Yulimar jumped 14.49m to earn an automatic spot in the final. 

Jasmine Moore of the U.S advanced to the final with the sixth-best mark (14.22m). Second American Agur Dwol, the NCAA indoor champion, did not advance.