<
>

Caster Semenya, Hellen Obiri win on big night for Africa

Caster Semenya AP Photo/Matt Dunham

Caster Semenya ran a personal best to clinch gold in the women's 800m on the final night of IAAF World Championships action on Sunday evening.

Coming into the home stretch in third place, the South African obliterated the field to finish in a national record time of 1:55:17s, ahead of Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba and Ajee Wilson of the United States.

The 26-year-old South African was last beaten in the 800m two years ago, and Sunday's time was her 16th sub-two minute. It was also her second World Championships title after clinching gold back in 2009.

There was also an African one-two in the 5 000m, where Kenyan star Hellen Obiri produced a brilliant run to clinch gold ahead of defending champion Almaz Ayana. Obiri finished in a time of 14:34:86s, a good 16 seconds outside her personal best, but enough to see of Ethiopian Ayana and Sifan Hassan, who was born in Ethiopia but who now represents the Netherlands.

Kenya also took the honours in the men's 1 500m, with Elijah Motonei Manangoi edging compatriot Timothy Cheruiyot on the line to win gold in a time of 3:33:61s.

Norway's Filip Ingebrigsten dived over the line to land bronze ahead of Adel Mechaal of Spain, but it was a disappointing evening for the other Kenyan in the field, Asbel Kiprop, who finished ninth - some four seconds behind Manangoi.