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    BBC commentator gasps live on air as long jumper ‘goes into orbit’ after epic fail at World Athletics Championships

    AN UNFORTUNATE long jump star caused a BBC commentator to gasp after slipping at the World Athletics Championships.Carey Mcleod, 25, slipped on the board as he looked to propel himself, sending him flying through the air head first.
    McLeod slipped as he took off on the jumpCredit: Rex
    He then flew through the air head firstCredit: Rex
    Before landing awkwardlyCredit: Rex
    The unusual incident saw the BBC commentator gasp as soon as the long jumper left the ground and was heard wincing throughout the replays.
    On a slow motion replay of Mcleod in the sand pit, the commentator said: “You can see something has really seriously hurt him there.”
    Luckily McLeod, who represents Jamaica, did not suffer any major injuries and fans were able to see the funny side when the incident was clipped up and put on social media.
    One fan said: “Man just invented a new sport. Far better than the long jump. May need a longer sandpit tho.”
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    Another said: “That man FLEW.”
    A third compared him with Manchester United goalkeeper Andre’s Onana, who nearly gave away a penalty in the club’s opening fixture against Wolves earlier this month and said: “Fantastic imitation of Onana v Wolves.”
    Another joked: “Great new sport. I could watch this all day long.”
    Another fan said: “All jumps should be done this way – superb effort.”
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    Thankfully McLeod wasn’t injuredCredit: Rex
    But the BBC commentators were concerned after the awkward landingCredit: Rex
    The commentators pointed out that these sorts of slips have become a more common occurrence recently after decision-makers decided to get rid of Plasticine on the jump board.
    The Plasticine was placed on the foul line as it would indent if a jumper fouled.
    But that was replaced in 2022 with high-tech cameras used instead to judge fouling.
    The downside of this is the fact that Plasticine also helped jumpers with grip on a failed jump, leading to less incidents like yesterday’s.
    McLeod will be disappointed with his effort, given he was one of the favourites to finish with a medal in the competition.
    His head first jump saw him lose a tie break for a bronze medal with compatriot Tajay Gayle after they both recorded a distance of 8.27m.
    Their fellow countryman Wayne Pinnock looked to be on course for gold.
    But he had to settle for silver after Greek Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou edged him by two centimetres with his final jump. More

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    Watch moment athlete is terrified by strange mascot hiding behind sofa while waiting to see if she’s qualified for final

    THIS is the bizarre moment an athlete was terrified by a strange mascot.That’s after it popped out from behind a sofa while she waited on qualification for the World Athletics Championship 200m final.
    A World Athletics Championship star got a fright as she waited on her semi-final result
    Anthonique Strachan was surprised by a mascot hiding behind her couch
    The creepy mascot made Strachan leap from her chair
    Strachan eventually saw the funny side as she secured her spot in the 200m final
    The incident occurred as the men’s semis were delayed after two buggies crashed outside the venue.
    Anthonique Strachan faced a nervous wait on Thursday after notching the third-quickest time in heat two of the women’s semis.
    The 30-year-old Bahamian sprinter knew she had to see off competition from the final heat to secure a place in the showpiece race.
    But she was given an almighty fright as she waited for later results.
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    Taking a load off, Strachan kicked back on a couch as the third heat prepared to run.
    However, a strange figure’s head slowly emerged from behind the chair.
    And as Strachan turned around, a large furry mascot jumped up to reveal itself to her.
    Strachan yelped as she darted away from the couch as the mascot waved at her.
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    But she soon saw the funny side and quickly forgave it for the heart-stopping moment.
    It turned out Strachan had nothing to worry about in the end.
    Her time of 22.30 ended up nabbing her the last spot in the 200m final.
    But Strachan will be hoping to keep her adrenaline down by avoiding any more unwanted contact with hidden mascots. More

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    Shocking World Athletics crash sees sprinter forced to run 200m with SHARDS in eye as passenger thrown from buggy

    AMERICAN sprinter Noah Lyles was involved in a golf buggy crash before his semi-final tonight at the World Athletics Championships in Hungary.Lyles, 26, was one of eight runners being transported by a driver from the training track to the call room inside the National Athletics Centres in Budapest.
    Two buggies crashed at the World Athletics Championships
    Jamaican Andrew Hudson seen grimacing as he held his eye
    As the athletes approached the stadium, heading towards an entrance situated next to the Danube river, another cart violently smashed at speed into the side of their vehicle.
    The driver who caused the crash – believed to be one of the event volunteers – was catapulted out of his seat and on to the ground.
    As a result of the incident, shards of glass managed to get into the right eye of Jamaican sprinter Andrew Hudson.
    Hudson, 26, said: “I don’t know what happened, it’s a blur. The race was a blur, my eyesight is a blur. I am going to make sure my eyesight is okay.
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    “I’m just trying to get glass out of my eye. I went back to the medical (room) and the doctor said I had some shards of glass in my eye.
    “He tried to flush it out as best as possible. World Athletics asked me if I was going to run or not. It was kind of run or lose my spot. And I’ve worked too hard to be here. That’s why I tried.
    “I appreciate the athletes (who were) waiting agreeing to take the heat later on in the competition. ”
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    One person was flung from a buggy as they hit each other
    Pedestrians were forced to jump out of the way
    The 200m semis were delayed but eventually went ahead
    Hudson finished fifth in heat one in a time of 20.38 seconds, a mark that was not good enough to qualify directly for Friday’s final.
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    But after a protest from Team Jamaica, he was allowed to progress via a discretionary spot to the showpiece occasion, which was extended by officials from eight competitors to nine.
    A World Athletics statement read: “The 200m heats reorder was due to the collision of two golf carts.
    “One athlete and a volunteer were assessed and the athlete cleared to participate. He competed in the last heat. The volunteer is also fine. The Local Organising Committee is investigating the incident and reviewing the transport procedures.”
    Lyles, the defending 200 metres world champion, is looking to complete the sprint double in the Hungarian capital after he won gold in the men’s 100 metres last Sunday.
    The Florida-born star later tweeted: “Survived a crash and made the Finals. God is Good!”
    Gabby Logan announced the news live on BBC Sport, with incredible footage caught on camera. More

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    Who are Josh Kerr’s parents?

    JOSH Kerr is at the top of his game after scooping gold at the Athletics World Championships.After winning the 1500 meters he dedicated his medal to his proud parents, Jake and Jill Kerr.
    Josh Kerr is supported in his running career by his proud parentsCredit: Alamy
    Who is Josh Kerr?
    Josh Kerr was born October 8, 1997 and is a Scottish middle-distance runner who competes primarily in the 1500 metres.
    He is the 2023 world champion, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist in the event.
    Speaking about taking gold in the 1500 meters at Athletics World Championships, he told BBC Sport: “It’s been a long time coming. It’s quite an overwhelming experience. But I’m so proud of myself, my team and my family.
    “I didn’t feel like I ran my best race either. I just threw my whole 16 years of this sport into that last 200m and didn’t let up to the end.
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    “It was fast early but I stayed calm. I knew I was capable of a world championship gold medal for GB so I’m very glad to add to that medal count.”
    Who are Josh Kerr’s parents?
    Kerr comes from a sporting background as his father John is a former professional rugby player.
    During his time in the sport he played for Caledonia Reds.
    Meanwhile, his mum Jill runs a successful physiotherapy practice in Morningside.
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    After winning gold in the 1500 metres at the Athletics World Championships, Kerr choked back the tears as he spoke about how proud he was his parents were in the stadium to watch him win.
    He told BBC Sport: “This is a lot for our family and they’ve put a lot of time, effort and money in to me.
    “I just couldn’t be prouder to represent the Kerr family name today.
    “I gave it everything for them, myself and my fiancee. This is the life I want to lead for them.
    “They’ve given me so much and it was nice to pay that back a little bit today.”
    Kerr’s brother is also a sportsman, and is a hooker for the Bristol Bears in the Premiership Rugby league.
    Where is Josh Kerr from?
    Born in Scotland, Kerr began running at eight years old with Edinburgh Athletics Club.
    However, despite his Scottish roots he moved to America to craft his talent.
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    At 17, he relocated to the US to chase his athletics dream at the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque.
    In 2018, he broke the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) 1500m record, before turning pro and joining the athletics club Brooks Beasts. More

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    Who is Josh Kerr’s fiancée Larimar Rodriguez?

    GREAT Britain’s Josh Kerr is riding high after taking home gold in the 1500 metres at the Athletics World Championships.On the sidelines cheering him on is his supportive family and devoted fiancée Larimar Rodriguez.
    Josh Kerr with his fiancée Larimar RodriguezCredit: Instagram
    Who is Josh Kerr?
    Hailing from Scotland, Josh began running when he was eight-years-old having joined Edinburgh Athletics Club.
    He was born on October 8, 1997. 
    Pursuing his athletics dreams he left home at 17 and moved to the US to attend the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque.
    In 2018, Kerr broke the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) 1500m record and went on to become a professional athlete.
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    At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he took home bronze in the 1500 metres.
    But Kerr is now a global champ after scooping the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the Athletics World Championships.
    Paying tribute to his supportive fiancée and his family, he told BBC Sport: “This is a lot for our family and they’ve put a lot of time, effort and money in to me.
    “I just couldn’t be prouder to represent the Kerr family name today.
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    “I gave it everything for them, myself and my fiancee. This is the life I want to lead for them.
    “They’ve given me so much and it was nice to pay that back a little bit today.”
    Meanwhile, fans will also notice that Kerr is never without his trademark Oakley sunglasses, after landing a lucrative deal with the brand.
    He told The Telegraph: “I was a bit apprehensive initially [about racing in sunglasses] … but it makes me very laser focused, because nobody can see my eyes, especially in the [pre-race] call-room.
    “It’s fantastic. Someone was [once] swearing at me, ‘Are you looking at me?’ and I was like, ‘I’m not sure, mate, you don’t know where my eyes are looking’.
    “It’s a very intimidating thing for people. So it’s a nice little thing up my sleeve.
    “I’ve got the gold ones for the final, so they will be looking cool.”
    Who is Josh Kerr’s fiancée Larimar Rodriguez?
    When Kerr isn’t busy competing on the track or training for his next championship, he takes time out with his fiancée Larimar Rodriguez.
    In December 2021 he shared the exciting news that he had popped the question with two sweet photos of the pair.
    The excited athlete wrote the caption: “I couldn’t wait any longer, I’m so excited for our future”, alongside a heart and ring emoji.
    In 2018, Josh revealed Larimar had got into medical school.
    She began working as a resident doctor at the University of Miami in 2023.
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    According to her LinkedIn page, she is also an athlete like her finace.
    In 2016 she was an Assistant Track And Field Coach at Bosque School, designing workouts and helping lead a group of 20+. More

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    Incredible moment race walker proposes to fellow athlete at the finish line of major race at World Championships

    LOVE was in the air at the World Athletics Championships as two competitive race walkers got engaged at the finish line of the 35km walking event.Slovakian walker Hana Burzalova was just crossing the line in Budapest when she spotted her boyfriend Dominik Cerny – who had just completed the men’s event himself, waiting at the finish line.
    Dominik Cerny proposed to Hana Burzalova at the finish lineCredit: Reuters
    Cerny had just completed the men’s race, but waited at the finish line to propose to his partnerCredit: Reuters
    Cerny held his fiancee as the two celebrated their engagementCredit: Reuters
    Cerny got down on one knee to propose to Burzalova and luckily she had enough breath after her exertions in the race to accept his proposal.
    Cerny celebrated by punching the air and then lifted up his fiancee into his arms.
    The couple then posed for the cameras with Burzalova proudly showing off her engagement ring in the photos.
    Cerny, 25, placed 19th in his race, recording a personal best time of 2:32.56 in the process.
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    Burzalova, 22, finished 28th in the women’s race but did clock a season’s best of 3:02.47, meaning there was plenty to celebrate.
    The couple regularly give an insight into their training and relationship on Instagram, which included a recent romantic holiday to Cyprus.
    But Cerny was giving no hints away of an imminent proposal on an Instagram story he posted prior to the race.
    The story featured Burzalova preparing her hydration bottles and energy gels before the race in Budapest and he captioned it: “Ouch, here we go again.”
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    The couple had both just completed personal bestsCredit: Reuters
    The official World Athletics Twitter account posted their congratulations to the happy couple, posting pictures of the engagement with the caption: “She said YES.”
    Race walking also appears in the Olympics and requires competitors to keep one foot on the ground at all times to prevent running.
    Judges sit throughout the race to ensure that competitors stick to the technique.
    Ironically for the couple, a bent knee is also not permitted when competing in the sport and penalties are handed out if the knee is bent within the race.
    Race distances at the World Championships used to be up to 50km but this was cut to 35km last year, with a 20km race also included.  More

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    World Athletics Championships commentators: Who is on the panel for the competition?

    THE 2023 World Athletics Championships are underway, with much excitement surrounding the huge sporting event.The 2023 games, held in Budapest, mark the nineteenth edition of the championships, but the first time they have been held in Hungary.
    The World Athletics Championships 2023 are taking place in Budapest, HungaryCredit: Sam Mellish/Getty Images
    Who are the commentators for the World Athletics Championships?
    Luckily for athletics fans, the BBC are providing extensive coverage of the World Athletics Championships.
    The broadcaster has gathered a star-studded panel of former athletes and specialists to share their expertise across the competition.
    The World Athletics Championships 2023 conclude on August 27, 2023.
    Much of the action is being streamed live online on the BBC Sport website and app.
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    Steve Cram
    Steve Cram is one of the commentators at the 2023 World Athletics Championships
    Steve Cram, CBE is a retired track and field athlete.
    In 1985, he set world records in the 1,500 m, 2,000 m, and the mile.
    Cram won gold in the 1,500m at the 1983 World games, before going on to take home the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games.
    After retiring from athletics in 1994 Cram moved in to a career in television, acting as an athletics commentator for BBC Sport.
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    In his role as commentator, Cram has covered events like the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
    Paula Radcliffe
    Marathon star Paula Radcliffe is one of the BBC commentators at the athletics competition
    Paula Radcliffe is a former long-distance runner who is a three-time winner of the London Marathon.
    She has also won the New York Marathon three times and the Chicago Marathon once.
    Radcliffe represented Team GB at four consecutive Olympic games (1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008) but didn’t bring home a medal.
    She did, however, win gold in the marathon at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki.
    Since ending her competitive running career after the 2015 London Marathon, Radcliffe has occasionally worked as a commentator for the BBC, covering events such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
    Steve Backley
    Commentator Steve Backley is a former Olympic medal winner
    Steve Backley, OBE is a retired British track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw.
    He won many accolades throughout his career, including two silvers and a bronze at the Olympic Games, and two silvers at the World Championships.
    Backley set a javelin throwing world record of 89.58m in Stockholm, Sweden in July 1990.
    He last competed in 2004 at the Olympics in Athens, Greece.
    Since retiring from athletics, Backley has appeared on the 2008 edition of ITV’s Dancing on Ice.
    He has also worked as a commentator for the BBC.
    Andrew Cotter
    Andrew Cotter has been a sports broadcaster for over two decades
    Andrew Cotter is a Scottish sports broadcaster who has worked with the BBC for various sporting events.
    He started his career with Edinburgh-based radio station Scot FM, before relocating to London to work with BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky News.
    Throughout his career he commentated both rugby and golf events, covering major competitions like The Six Nations, the Rugby World Cup, the Masters Tournament, and The Open Championship.
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    During the pandemic, Cotter went viral for posting adorable videos of his dogs, Olive and Mabel, online.
    He has since written two books about his pets; Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs, and Dog Days: A Year with Olive & Mabel. More

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    Katarina Johnson-Thompson WINS World Athletics Championship Gold in one of sport’s greatest comeback stories

    FROM THE depths of despair to the top of the world, Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s brilliant Budapest bullion caps one of Britain’s greatest sporting comeback stories.It would have been so easy, and few would have blamed her, had KJT chucked in the heptathlon at several points in the four years since she first won a world title.
    Katarina Johnson-Thompson has capped a remarkable comebackCredit: Reuters
    Johnson-Thompson of Team Great Britain won gold in the women’s heptathlonCredit: Getty
    Delighted Johnson-Thompson celebrates her incredible momentCredit: Getty
    For so long, heartbreak had been the overriding emotion for this injury-hit, out-of-luck 30-year-old.
    To name but a few adversities, there had been a ruptured Achilles, career-saving surgeries, Covid isolation, coaching changes and training-base switches.
    Tears flowed when she hit rock-bottom – that horrible moment when she completed only three of the seven events at the Tokyo Olympics due to a right calf injury.
    It explains why this stunning victory by the Danube means so much for her, the British squad and track-and-field back in the UK.
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    It proves that however bad things can get, however low you reach, it is possible to recapture past glories.
    Now some may argue that the field was missing the injured Nafi Thiam, the two-time Olympic and world champion.
    But do you honestly think Johnson-Thompson cares?
    It was about time she earned a major slice of good fortune.
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    After all that she has been through, the chance to win a medal of any colour gives her the sweetest of redemption arcs.
    Overnight, Johnson-Thompson had been in second place after four events, lying 93 points behind the American Anna Hall, who had her left calf strapped up.
    On day two of competition, the long jump and javelin were pivotal events – and the Brit excelled at both.
    A leap of 6.54 metres under a baking hot Hungarian sun put her top of the 21-woman field.
    And then her javelins, often seen as her weakest event, flew through the air so smoothly and confidently.
    A mark of 46.14 metres represented a personal best and was only bettered by six other strongwomen.
    It was 1.81 metres further than what she produced a year ago at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
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    Heading into the 800m, the seventh and final discipline, she had a 26-point lead over Dutchwoman Anouk Vetter.
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    It was tight between her and Colorado runner Hall, 22, and until the last 200m of the 800m, she was behind in the standings.
    But by finishing just 1.54 seconds seconds behind, she was able to cement her position as the number one heptathlete in the world. More