World Cup final over 400 meters hurdles
Frankfurt’s Joshua Abuaku is eighth
08/24/2023 04:12
As the first German since the record holder Harald Schmid 36 years ago, hurdler Joshua Abuaku is in a World Cup final. In the end it only gets eighth place. Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen also had to cope with a disappointment.
Joshua Abuaku finished eighth and last in the 400m hurdles World Cup final. He didn’t get any closer to the German record set by Harald Schmid. The 27-year-old finished 48.53 seconds on Wednesday, beating his personal best of 48.32 seconds, which he set in the preliminary heat at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
“It’s definitely okay. I’m not dissatisfied. What’s important for me personally is that I can definitely keep up,” he said right after the race. “I’m sure we’ll pull through until next year and then hopefully the result at the Olympics will be a little bit better.” Abuaku from Frankfurt was the first German to start in a World Cup final over 400 meters hurdles since 1987. Schmid’s German record is even five years older and is 47.48 seconds. Schmid is the only German runner over 400 meters hurdles who has ever been faster than Abuaku.
As expected, the title went to the Norwegian world record holder Karsten Warholm. The two-time World and Olympic champion won in 46.88 seconds ahead of the British Virgin Islands’ Kyron McMaster, who ran 47.34 seconds. American Rai Benjamin was third in 47.56 seconds.
Running star Ingebrigtsen misses another world title
Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen again failed to win the world championship title over 1500 meters for the first time. The Norwegian running star had to admit defeat to the British Josh Kerr in Budapest. A year ago in Eugene he lost to Kerr’s currently injured compatriot Jake Wightman. Olympic bronze medalist Kerr stayed ahead in the sprint and won in 3:29.38 minutes, Ingebrigtsen finished second in 3:29.65 minutes. His compatriot Narve Gilje Noras (3:29.68) took bronze just behind him. Based on his performances so far this season, 22-year-old Ingebrigtsen was a big favorite for the title in Hungary. Last year in Eugene he compensated with gold over 5000 meters.
The Olympic and World Championships runner-up Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic clearly won the women’s 400 meters in 48.76 seconds. Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (49.57) took second place ahead of Sada Williams from Barbados (49.60).
Last year’s winner Katie Moon from the USA and Australia’s Nina Kennedy shared the title in the women’s pole vault with a jump of 4.90 meters. Third was European champion Wilma Murto from Finland, who mastered 4.80 meters.