Canada’s Shawn Barber will get the chance to defend his world pole vault title after advancing to the final on Sunday at the IAAF track and field world championships in London.
Barber’s successful attempt at 5.70 metres sealed his spot in the final.
Defending world champ Shawn Barber advances to pole vault final in London0:31
Joining Barber in the final are 11 other competitors, including Renaud Lavillenie of France, American Sam Kendricks, and the youngest pole vaulter to appear in a world championship fina, 17-year-old Swede Armand Duplantis.
Hughes moves on
Canada’s Matt Hughes is through to the steeplechase final, finishing in 8:24.79.
Evan Jager of the United States was the top qualifier and is trying to break the 30-year stranglehold of Kenyan and Kenyan-born runners on the event.
Jager was in control all through and finished in 8:20.36 seconds. The top Kenyan in Jager’s heat was fourth and Ezekiel Kemboi, a four-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion, qualified only as one of the fastest finishers outside the three automatic qualifying spots.
The last runner who was born outside Kenya to win was Francesco Panetta of Italy at the 1987 world championships in Rome.
Cabral continues
Canadian hurdler Johnathan Cabral advanced to the semifinals of the men’s 110m hurdles, scoring a qualifying time of 13.53. American Aries Merrit led all qualifiers with a time of 13.16.
Johnathan Cabral qualifies for 110-metre hurdles semis at IAAF worlds5:24
