Dafne SchippersDafne Schippers

Dutch sensation Dafne Schippers clocked the fourth fastest run of all time to pip Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson by three-hundredths of a second and take the 200 metres gold at the World Championships yesterday.

The former heptathlete, who claimed silver in the 100 behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on Monday, surged through the line in 21.63 seconds, the quickest time for 17 years in the half-lap sprint.

Only Americans Florence Griffith-Joyner, the world record holder, and Marion Jones, who was later banned for doping, have run faster.

“I can’t believe it,” Schippers told reporters.

“What a race! What a tournament for me! I think they’ll be going crazy in the Netherlands at the moment.”

Thompson, 23, was second in a personal best 21.66 while bronze went to her compatriot, twice Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, in 21.97.

Schippers, taking part in her first major global championships as a sprinter, made a good start but had plenty to do to catch Thompson when they came off the bend.

The tall 23-year-old got into her powerful stride, however, and ate up the ground to overhaul her rival as she dipped for the line.

Later, Sergey Shubenkov ran a Russian record to win the 110m hurdles gold, storming down the track in 12.98 seconds and in the women’s hurdles sprint, Jamaica’s Danielle Williams won the title as the favourites crumbled under pressure around her.

Hansle Parchment, of Jamaica, was second behind Shubenkov in 13.03 and Olympic champion and world record holder Aries Merritt claimed bronze in 13.04 seconds.

Defending champion David Oliver,of the United States, hit three of his first four hurdles and was never in the race.

Williams only took the lead after the last flight to win the title in a lifetime best 12.57, ahead of Germany’s Cindy Roleder with 12.59, also a personal best. Bronze went to Alina Talay in a Belarus national record 12.66.

Defending champion Brianna Rollins all but wrote off her chances of gold after knocking down the first hurdle in the final.

Earlier, American champion Tianna Bartoletta became world long jump champion once again, snatching the gold medal with a leap of 7.14 metres in the final round.

Britain’s Shara Proctor had led the competition after breaking her own national record with a 7.07m jump in the third round.

She tried to respond with the last leap of the competition but the 26-year-old Anguilla-born athlete could only register a foul and had to settle for silver.

The bronze medal was won by Ivana Spanovic, of Serbia, who took an early lead and set a national record 7.01m with her opening jump.

Bartoletta, 29, last won the world title 10 years ago in Helsinki, competing under her maiden name of Madison.

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