World Athletics Championships 2026: Anthony stuns field, Azu edged out by 0.01s
world athletics championships 2026 opened with a blistering 60m final as Jordan Anthony took gold in 6. 41 while defending champion Jeremiah Azu finished fourth by 0. 01 seconds in Torun; the night produced world-leading marks and dramatic personal stories that defined the opening session. The headline sprint unfolded on Friday evening ET and reshaped expectations for multiple medal contenders. The result left athletes and coaches processing narrow margins and a cascade of global-level performances.
World Athletics Championships 2026: Night of sprint drama
Jordan Anthony, 21, captured the men’s 60m in 6. 41 seconds, a world-leading performance that placed him among the fastest times globally for the event. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson took silver in 6. 45 and Trayvon Bromell claimed bronze in 6. 45, leaving Jeremiah Azu — the defending world indoor champion — a fraction short in 6. 46. Azu had earlier lowered his personal best to 6. 45 in the semi-finals, a time that placed him high on his nation’s all-time list, but the final was decided by hundredths of a second.
The evening session also settled field events and further finals: Chase Jackson won the women’s shot put with a 20. 14m throw, and Andy Diaz Hernandez retained his triple jump title with a 17. 47m leap. Those results, alongside the sprint drama, marked a concentrated burst of medal decisions during the session.
Immediate reactions from athletes and coaches
Colin Jackson, two-time world 110m hurdles champion, called the men’s 60m final “one of the best 60m races of all time, ” saying the athletes delivered an “electric performance” and noting that Azu “was in the mix. ” Jeremiah Azu, 24 and the outgoing world indoor champion, said: “It’s tough. I was very vocal about defending that [title] and I fell short. It’s track and field – you win some you lose some. “
Jordan Anthony reflected on his victory and the challenges he faced: he described a recent medical incident after a doping-control blood draw that left him with a clot and limited movement in his arm, saying, “When they took blood, he didn’t stick it in my vein but outside, so I got a clot the size of a soccer ball. ” Anthony also framed the win in personal terms, citing family losses he carries with him as motivation.
Quick context
Azu entered the championships as defending world indoor 60m champion and had recorded personal bests through the rounds, including a 6. 45 in the semi-finals. Anthony made his global championships debut and converted his season’s top speed into a 6. 41 gold-medal run.
What’s next
Competition continues across the programme, with middle-distance rounds and further finals scheduled over the coming sessions; athletes who advanced earlier will contest semi-finals and finals as the meet progresses. Attention now turns to how medalists manage recovery and whether the narrow margins in the sprints presage further tight finishes or shifts in form as the championships unfold at the world athletics championships 2026.
