HIGHLIGHTS: World-leading 9.76 for Bromell in Nairobi; Weitzeil swims U.S. 50 m Free record; U.S.’s Grossman wins world climbing title!

Fastest man in the world for 2021: Trayvon Bromell of the U.S.

Headline results of noteworthy competitions around the world:

● Athletics ● The long World Athletics Continental Tour came to a close over the weekend, primarily with the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi (KEN) and a stunning race in the men’s 100 m.

American Trayvon Bromell had been the top sprinter in the world going into Tokyo, but he had his troubles there and did not qualify for the final. But he exploded out of the blocks in Nairobi and had a clear lead by 30 m. He was suddenly challenged, however, by Kenya’s unheralded Ferdinand Omanyala, who rocketed toward the lead in the final 50 m. It was close as both leaned at the finish, with Bromell winning in 9.76 (wind: +1.2 m/s) – fastest in the world this year and equal-no. 6 all-time – and Omanyala running 9.77, his fifth national record of the year!

Nairobi is at 5,889 feet altitude (1,795 m), a considerable aid, and for Omanyala, completes a season in which he improved from 10.32 in 2020 to 9.77 in 2021 and now no. 8 all-time! He did serve a drug suspension in 2017-18.

Justin Gatlin of the U.S. was third in 10.03.

American Fred Kerley, the Tokyo 100 m silver winner, got a lifetime best in the 200 m over Isaac Makwala (BOT) in 19.76-20.06, with Kerley moving to no. 22 on the all-time list.

Host Kenya enjoyed wins in the men’s 800 m (Noah Kibet: 1:44.97), men’s 1,500 m (Vincent Keter: 3:35.99), men’s 5,000 m (Jacob Krop: 13:23.50), women’s 800 m (Mary Moraa: 2:00.11), women’s 1,500 m (Faith Kipyegon: 4:02.40), women’s Steeple (Celliphine Chespol: 9:30.55) and the women’s 5,000 m (Margaret Kipkemboi: 14:55.27).

Namibian teen sprint star Christine Mboma recorded her fifth win in a row in the 200 m, rocketing to a 22.39 victory (+0.2) over Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV: 22.98).

● Canoe-Kayak ● The International Canoe Federation’s Sprint World Championships were held in Copenhagen (DEN), with only a sprinkling of Olympic medal winners, and Hungary dominating the medal count.

German Conrad-Robin Schneider, sixth in Tokyo in the men’s C-1 1,000 m, won both the C-1 500 m and C-1 1,000 m, beating eight-time Worlds medal winner Martin Fuksa (CZE) in both.

In the men’s K-1 1,000 m, Olympic bronze winner Fernando Pimenta (POR) won his second world title, beating Tokyo winner Balint Kopasz (HUN) by 3:25.82-3:26.49.

Canada’s Katie Vincent won her first individual Worlds gold in the women’s C-1 200 m and Denmark’s Olympic bronze winner Emma Jorgensen won her first individual Worlds gold in the K-1 200 m.

In the women’s K-1 500 m, Hungary’s Olympic silver winner Tamara Csipes won silver again, but was beaten by New Zealand’s Aimee Fisher, 1:48.08-1:49.00, with Jorgensen third. Csipes and Danuta Kozak, part of Hungary’s winning K-4 500 m squad in Tokyo, won the Worlds K-2 500 m and were part of the Hungarian team that was second to Belarus in the K-4 500 m final.

Hungary won 18 medals in all (6-8-4) to eight for Belarus (4-2-2) and Russia (3-0-5).

● Shooting ● The U.S. nationals in Trap and Skeet concluded at Hillsdale, Michigan with the Skeet finals both going to tie-breakers.

Olympic champ Amber English was second in the five-round qualifying behind Sam Simonton, 245-238, then both scored 56/60 in the finals. That led to a shoot-off, won by English, 4-3.

That was nothing compared to the men’s Skeet final, with U.S. Olympian Philip Jungman leading the qualifying at 246, then tied with Christian Elliott at 55 each in the finals. That necessitated a shoot-off, which ran for 20 rounds! Jungman won his second career national title, 20-19.

In Trap, Derrick Mein qualified in third place, but won the national title with 45 hits in the final, one better than Jake Wallace. The women’s crown went to Emily London, the final qualifier to the final in sixth place, but then hitting 43 targets in the final to 36 for runner-up Ryann Phillips.

● Sport Climbing ● The 2021 IFSC World Championships continue in Moscow (RUS), with the Bouldering and Speed events completed and Lead still to come.

In Speed, Ukraine’s Danyil Boldyrev won his second career world title and his first in seven years with a 5.73 performance in the final. Spain’s Erik Noya Cardona was second in 5.95 and American Noah Bratschi won the bronze medal in 6.31.

Poland’s Natalia Kalucka won the women’s Speed title (7.18 in the final) over Russia’s Iullia Kaplina and Pole Aleksandra Miroslaw.

In Bouldering, Japan went 1-2 in the men’s final with Kokoro Fujii (4T4Z 6-6) and two-time World Champion Tomoa Narasaki (3T3Z 6-6). American Natalia Grossman broke through to win the women’s title (4T4Z 7-7), with Camilla Moroni (ITA: 4T4Z 13-11) second and Stasa Gejo (SRB: 2T4Z 5-7) third.

● Swimming ● The International Swimming League held matches seven and eight in Naples, Italy, with the defending champs Cali Condors managing a 581.0-529.5 win over Toronto on Thursday and Friday, even without U.S. superstar Caeleb Dressel.

New American backstroke star Coleman Stewart swept the men’s 50-100-200 m Back events and was second in the 50 m Back Skins race to Robert Glinta (ROU) to lead the Condors. Justin Ress (USA) won the 50 and 100 m Freestyles and Italy’s Alberto Razzetti won the 200 m Butterfly and the 400 m Medley.

The Condors also got a three-event sweep in the women’s 50-100-200 m Breast events from superstar Lilly King. Three women won two events: American Kelsi Dahlia in the 200 m Fly and the 50 m Fly Skins race; Beata Nelson of the U.S. in the 200 m Back and 100 m Medley and Britain’s Abbie Wood in the 200-400 m Medleys.

On the weekend, Energy Standard (FRA) won match eight from the London Roar (507.0) and the L.A. Current (395.5). Britain’s four-time Olympic medalist from Tokyo, Duncan Scott, was everywhere, winning the men’s 200 m Free, 400 m Free, the 100 and 200 m Medleys and was runner-up to Japan’s Daiya Seto in the 400 m Medley!

Australia’s Rio 2016 sprint winner Kyle Chalmers won the 50-100 m Freestyles, Brazil’s Guilherme Guido took the 50-100 m Back titles; Russian Ilya Shymanovich swept the 50-100-200 m Breaststroke events and Seto won the 200 m Fly and 400 m Medley. American Tom Shields won the 100 m and triumphed in the 50 m Fly Skins race.

American Abbey Weitzeil, competing for the L.A. Current, won the women’s 50 m Free in 23.44 over Swedish star Sarah Sjostrom (23.47) and Australia’s quadruple gold medalist from Tokyo, Emma McKeon (22.65) to improve her own American Short-Course Record. Weitzeil swam 23.45 in 2020 and now ranks no. 8 on the all-time world list.

McKeon came back to win the 100 m Free and 100 m Fly, Alia Atkinson (JAM) took the 50-100 m Breaststroke events and Siobhan Haughey (HKG) won the 200-400 m Frees. The women’s star, however, was Canada’s Ingrid Wilm, who took the 50-100-200 m Back and the 50 m Back Skins race for the L.A. Current.

● Triathlon ● The 2021-22 World Triathlon Series started in Hamburg, Germany on the weekend, with the home team sweeping all three races!

The sprint course – 750 m swim, 20 km bike and 5 km run – saw Tim Hellweg (GER), second at the World Series final in Edmonton earlier this year, win a photo finish over France’s Paul Georgenthum, with both in 53:08. This was Georgenthum’s debut in the series and he biked strongly to share the lead with Hellweg and both timed 14:34 for the 5 km run. France’s Leo Bergere was third (53:09), out-leaning Lasse Nygaard-Priester (GER).

The women’s race was a triumph for Laura Lindemann (GER), eighth in Tokyo, who had the fastest run time in the field at 16:16 to win in 58:17. That was four seconds better than Nicole van der Kaay (NZL: 58:21), with American Summer Rappoport third (58:26). The U.S. also had Kirsten Kasper in seventh (58:41) and Erika Ackerlund in 10th (58:48).

Hellweg and Lindemann teamed with Nygaard-Priester and Marlene Gomez-Islinger to win the Mixed Relay on Sunday in 1:21:39, over Italy (1:21:45) and Denmark (1:22:32). The U.S. was fifth (1:22:51).

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