Athletics: World Championships 2015 - day five

Summary

South Africa's Van Niekerk wins 400m in 43.48 seconds
Gatlin (19.87) & Bolt (19.96) win their 200m semis
GB's Zharnel Hughes wins his semi in 20.14
Eilidh Child sixth in 400m hurdles final
Dina Asher-Smith fastest qualifier in 200m heats

Live Reporting

Aimee Lewis

Van Niekerk wins 400m goldpublished at 14:28
LaShawn Merritt explodes out of the blocks like a firecracker. Can anyone chase him down? Yep. South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk gets him at the bend and is home and dry in 43.48.
That puts the South African fourth in the all-time list. Merritt takes silver in a personal best 43.65, while Olympic champion Kirani James ends up with a bronze in a season's best 43.78.
Brit Rabah in actionpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Men's 400m finalpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Michael Johnson
400m world record holder on BBC TV
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This is the highest quality field of 400m runners I have seen in a long time. Six of the eight athletes in the field have under 44 seconds, we haven't see that in the 400m for quite some time.
Men's 400m finalpublished at 14:25
Olympic champ Kirani James was beaten by LaShawn Merrit in the 2013 World Championships final, of course, and the American is in contention again, in Beijing to defend his title.
Britain's Rabah Yousif Bkheit, who set a personal best in the semi-final, crosses his fingers as he's announced.
"I'm going to declare war now. I'm going to chase after a medal," he said after progressing to the final.
Image source, Getty Images
Men's 400m finalpublished at 14:24
That hour is now upon us. The curtain will close on day five of the World Championships when the 400m final concludes.
The one-lap kings set quick times in the heats, not so quick in the semi-finals, so how fast will they go today?
It's very much seen as a battle between Olympic champion Kirani James and South Africa's Wayde van Niekerk.
'There's energy left in the tank'published at 14:22
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I am a bit tired and need some rest, but I am feeling OK. I tried to preserve some energy for the final. The 200m is my best event and I believe I will do well."
Usain Bolt after winning his 200m semi-final
Image source, Getty Images
200m lane draw - Bolt in six, Gatlin in fourpublished at 14:21
The draw for Thursday's 200m final has been revealed and Britain's Zharnel Hughes has drawn the short straw. He's in lane five, which doesn't sound so bad, but he's got Justin Gatlin inside him in lane four and training partner Usain Bolt outside him in lane six.
Jepkemoi digs deep for steeplechase goldpublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Allison Curbishley
BBC athletics expert on Radio 5 live
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That looked like it was going to be a German victory but what a run from the Kenyan athlete. She didn't take the water jump the prettiest but she wanted the gold the most.
Postpublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Postpublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Andrew Cotter
BBC Sport commentator
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Kenya are collecting gold after gold, what a championship they are having.
Jepkemoi is world steeplechase championpublished at 14:10
Image source, Getty Images
What a finish. There were three in contention... swaying, running like they've been on the hard liquor such punishment their legs have taken.
But it was Kenya's Hyvin Jepkemoi who had the speed to pull clear of the rest, winning in 9:19.11.
Tunisia's Habiba Ghribi had to make do with second, while Germany's Gesa Felicitas Krause was third.
Gold for Silvapublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Silva wins pole vault goldpublished at 14:07
The pole jump final is reaching a conclusion and, on her final attempt, Cuba's Yarisley Silva clears 4.90m! Bravo. Her team are cock-a-hoop and who can blame them. Their lady has one hand on the gold medal.
Image source, Getty Images
Women's 3,000m steeplechasepublished at 14:00
The next gold medal will be awarded to the best female 3,000m steeplechaser in the world. Kenya's Virginia Nyambura, victorious in three Diamond League races this year, is one of the favourites.
The others to keep an eye on are Tunisia's Habiba Ghribi and Ethiopian duo Hiwot Ayalew and Sofia Assefa.
Seventh for Bradshawpublished at 13:52
Holly Bradshaw fails all three attempts at 4.80, which means the Briton has no chance of winning a medal in the pole vault.
She did vault a season's best 4.70m, though, and can say she's the seventh best pole vaulter in the world
Image source, Getty Images
Bolt in 'cruise mode'published at 13:50
Colin Jackson
Two-time world 110m hurdles champion on BBC TV
Image source, Reuters
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Bolt was just in cruise mode and did enough to come off the bend in first place. He has so much spare. He is maybe looking to do something special in that final.
Can Gatlin beat Bolt in the 200m?published at 13:49 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Darren Campbell
Former British sprinter on BBC Radio 5 live
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"Gatlin will have to jump all over Bolt around the bend. The lane draw will be so important in the final. Can Gatlin put Bolt under pressure? This is getting more and more exciting.
Bolt wins 200m semi in 19.96published at 13:47
Usain Bolt closes in on Danny Talbot coming into the bend and it's easy for the six-time Olympic champion, who wins in a season's best 19.96.
Talbot was sixth, producing a personal best 20.27.
The two other automatic qualifiers were South Africa's Anaso Jobodwana (20.01) and Turkey's Ramil Guliyev (20.10).
Image source, Getty Images
Bolt centre of attentionpublished at 13:45
'Worrying for the rest'published at 13:45 British Summer Time 26 August 2015
Michael Johnson
400m world record holder on BBC TV
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19.87 secs is worrying for everyone in the 200m, that is faster than most athletes in the field and Gatlin cruised to it.