PARIS: Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez clinched Olympic gold for Spain in the inaugural marathon race walk mixed relay in Paris on Wednesday as Jakob Ingebrigtsen licked his wounds to qualify for the 5,000m final.

The mixed relay was making its Olympic debut to replace the 50km race walk. Martin and Perez timed 2hr 50min 31sec for victory almost a minute ahead of silver medallists Ecuador, with Australia claiming bronze.

“This is amazing, this is history, not only for us but for Spanish race walking as well,” said Martin. Perez, having now won golds at the Olympics, world and European championships, said she felt “very special because that triple crown is the first time that has been achieved by a Spanish athlete, and I’m fortunate enough to have shared it with Alvaro.”

After misjudging his pace in the opening two laps of the men’s 1500m on Tuesday, Ingebrigtsen failed in the defence of his title when finishing fourth. The Norwegian was back on the track Wednesday in the 5,000m, however, an event in which he is a twice world champion, and he made no mistake in winning his semi-final in 13:51.59.

“I’m lucky because I get a second chance to show what I’m capable of. It’s just about keeping the focus on this race and being smart when using my powers,” Ingebrigtsen said. “It’s going to be an exciting fight.”

Skittles, but Mills through

A dramatic first semi-final first saw Canada’s reigning silver medallist Mohammed Ahmed fall and then four others go down with the line in sight after France’s Hugo Hay pushed Britain’s George Mills into traffic.

“We were all going down like skittles. It seemed crazy out there,” said Mills, who exchanged angry words with the Frenchman after the race. “I was tucked in on the inside on the last lap, which was where I wanted to be. I knew some sort of gap would open up in the straight. It did, and I was ready to put my foot down. Then all of a sudden, ‘boom’, down I went.” Mills and the three other fallers were retrospectively given qualification for Saturday’s final.

That semi was won by Ingebrigtsen’s teammate Narve Gilje Nordas, coached by Jakob’s estranged father Gjert. There was also drama in qualification for the men’s high jump as Qatari Mutaz Essa Barshim seemingly suffered a left calf injury in a run-up to one of his efforts.

Barshim shared gold at the Tokyo Games with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, a decision that caught the imagination of an expectant audience across the world, which was at the time ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was Tamberi first on hand to tend to Barshim as he sat on the infield clutching his leg before receiving medical treatment. Both jumpers qualified for Saturday’s final, but health constraints might well limit their medal expectations.

Tamberi was pictured in hospital this week having cited a high temperature and kidney pain. Algerian Djamel Sedjati, who has Kenyan David Rudisha’s 800m world record of 1:40.91 in his crosshairs, safely negotiated heats in the two-lap race.

In what promises to be one of the most competitive events in Paris, also going through were the likes of world champion Marco Arop of Canada, France’s Gabriel Tual, Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Italy’s Catalin Tecuceanu.

The semi-finals are scheduled for 0930 GMT on Friday, with the final at 1725 a day later. World record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria and defending champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn both sailed into the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles on Friday, with the final slated for Saturday.

Amusan clocked 12.49sec to win her heat, while the Puerto Rican timed 12.42sec, while Jamaica’s current world champion Danielle Williams also went through as a heat winner in 12.59sec. — AFP