Ryan Crouser Claims Third World Shot Put Title as Tokyo 2025 World Championships Open in Style
The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo got underway with a spectacular opening day highlighted by Ryan Crouser’s triumphant return to the circle. The world record holder and Olympic champion captured his third consecutive world outdoor shot put title with a commanding 22.34 m, marking his first competition since last September and tying the legendary mark of three world golds held by John Godina and Werner Günthör. The day also delivered historic moments across the stadium, from Beatrice Chebet’s golden 10,000 m debut to Marta Perez’s dominant defense in the 35 km race walk, setting the stage for an electrifying nine days of competition in the Japanese capital.
World record holder and Olympic champion Ryan Crouser made a successful come-back by winning his third consecutive world outdoor title in the men’s shot put with 22.34m in his first competition since last September’s Diamond League final in Brussels. Crouser had been sidelined by an elbow injury for most of the season. Crouser tied John Godina and Werner Gunthor’s record of three world gold medal. His fourth medal overall moved him to all-time numbe 1 in the men’s shot put.
Uziel Munoz from Mexico improved his PB to 21.97m in the final round to win a surprising silver medal. Munoz won Mexico’s first field event medal ever. European champion Leonardo Fabbri from Italy won the bronze medal beating 2017 world champion Tom Walsh on countback. Fabbri won his second world medal two years after claiming silver in Budapest 2023. Both Fabbri and Walsh threw 21.94m but the Italian shot putter won the medal thanks to his second best mark of 21.83m.
Ryan Crouser: “This is my first time throwing hard since September last year, so I really didn’t know what kind of shape I was in. It was kind of a ‘fake it until you make it’ today," Ryan Crouser.
Leonardo Fabbri: “This is my favourite competition. I had the worst warm-up ever. I am an explosive guy and I did not feel good after this morning. I must be explosive and quick in order to throw far. I threw well in the first round, but when I saw Tom Walsh throwing 21.94mI knew I needed to throw 22m to win a medal.”
Men’s shot put qualifying round:
Tom Walsh led the men’s shot put qualifying round with 21.74m. USA’s Adrian Piperi produced the second best qualifying mark of 21.47m. Ryan Crouser safely got through to the final with 21.37m in his opening competition of he season. Swedish indoor record Wictor Peterson threw beyond the 21 metres barrier with 21.14m Scott Lincoln from Great Britain threw 21.00m becoming the first British shot putter to qualify for a World Championships final since Carl Myerscough in Berlin 2009. Leonardo Fabbri qualified for the final with the sixth best mark of 20.95m. Payton Otterdahl did not advance to the final with 19.78m.
Women’s 10000 metres:
Olympic champion and world record holder Beatrice Chebet won the world gold medal in the women’s 10000 metres in 30:37.61 on her World Championships debut in the 10000 metres. Chebet added this title to her Olympic gold medal in Paris.
European champion Nadia Battocletti won the world silver medal improving her Italian record to 30:38.23, repeating the same result she achieved at the Olympic Games in Paris where she finished second to Chebet. Defending champion Gudaf Tsegay from Ethiopia won bronze medal in 30:39.65.
Chebet, Battocletti and Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich tracked Tsegay at the bell. Chebet waited the final bend to launch her kick.
Beatrice Chebet: “It was a tough and very tactical race, but I ran the last 800 metres really hard. Tsegay pushed hard and I had to keep going. I ran the 1500m in Silesia, so my mind was like I was at 1500m race. I had to push and follow and motivate myself, but I wanted the gold so much. I have never won a medal at the world championships.”
Nadia Battocletti: “I am starting to like silver medals. This year was tough, after the Olympic Games las year, but I knew that I was ready to run fast. It’s really big for a European girl to win in this event with all the African girls. In the last lap I realized I was a bit too far from the leading athlete.
Women’s 35 km walking race:
Defending champion Marta Perez from Spain won the 35 km walking race crossing the finish-line inside the Tokyo National Stadium in 2:39:01 in humid conditions. Perez added this title to her collection that includes gold medals in the 20 and 35 km at the World Championships in Budapest. Winning margin of 3:23 by Perez is the largest ever for the 35 km. Perez becomes the second walker to win multiple medals I the 35 km walking race.
Marta Perez: “I wanted to win a medal in two races here so I am happy. I wanted to go for the world record but the weather did not help. I want to thank all the Japanese people. They learned and said my name on the last lap. Although I am so far away from home, it felt like home."
Perez broke away at 23 km from a leading group formed by Kimberly Garcia, Leon, Li Peng, Paula Torres and Antonella Palmisano.
Perez finished more than three minutes ahead of Tokyo 2021 Olympic 20 km champion Antonella Palmisano, who placed second in 2:42:24. Palmisano collected the third world medal of her career after finishing third in the 20 km in London 2017 and Budapest 2023.
Paula Milena Torres from Ecuador won the bronze medal in 2:42:44. Li Peng from China finished fourth in a PB of 2:43:29. Kimberly Garcia from Peru, who won the 20 and 35 km race at the World Championships in Eugene 2022, crossed the finish-line in tenth place in 2:50:37.
Perez set a world leading time of 2:38:59 last May when she won the European Race Waling race in Podebrady ahead of Palmisano.
Perez met her close friend Palmisano with a warm embrace as the Italian walker crossed the finish-line.
Antonella Palmisano: “This silver means a lot for me and my country: This is the first event of the championships, so I hope the silver will be a lucky start for the rest of my team. This race was very difficult for me. Already at 10 km I got cramps and my stomach was not in good condition. My mother was my biggest motivation for me to continue after the Olympic Games. She supported me a lot, repeating that I am a fighter I am happy to win this medal, that was missing in my collection. I was not able to follow Perez, when she launched her attack. Perez is a true friend. She gave me the motivation to continue my career after last year’s Olympic Games. We trained together. We are like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz of race walking.”
Men’s 35 km walking race:
Canada’s Evan Dunfee won the men’s 35 walking race in 2:28:22 claiming his first global title at the age of 34, although he suffered from cramps in the final stages. Dunfee added this title to his collection which includes two bronze medals in the 50 km at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021 and at the World Championships in Doha 2019. He finished in the top six in seven appearances at major championships. Dunfee won by half a minute over Caio Bonfim from Brazil, who won the silver medal in 2:28.55. Hayato Katsuki finished third in 2:29:18 winning the first medal for home team Japan ahead of Yingcheng Zhou from China (2:29:31) to the delight of Japanese fans inside the Tokyo Olympic Stadium.
Dunfee set a world record of 2:21:40 in Dudince last March. Massimo Stano improved this record at the European Team Championships in Podebrady, but he was forced to pull out of the World Championships due to a harmstring injury.
Evan Dunfee: “My coach and I have been together since I was 10 years old and then we set down and set goals to become world champions and to set the world record. We managed to do both this year and it really is a dream come true. I am turning 35 this year but I just feel like I am getting better and better. I was just patient today. I was really struggling and I was thinking that maybe the gold was not going to happen today. The last two kilometres felt like the hardest ones I have ever done. I had to channel all my strength for all the people back home, the ones who supported me. I was just thinking, ‘one more step’ and it paid off.”
Mixed 4x400 relay:
The USA retained the world title in the mixed relay in 3:08.80 equalling the championship record set in Budapest 2023. Alexis Holmes anchored the US team to the win holding off world 400 metres hurdles champion Femke Bol.
South Africa’s Gardeo Isaacs ran the fastest opening leg in 44.57. Lynna Irby Jackson, who won the Olympic gold medal in the 4x400 relay in Tokyo 2021 in the same stadium, put the US team into the lead with a leg in 49.18. Lieke Klaver clocked 49.55 in the third leg, but USA’s Jenoha McKiver extended the US lead with a 49.31 on the third leg. Holmes maintained the US lead until the end to cross the finish-line in 3:08.80. Bol clocked 50.06 on the anchor leg to win silver in 3:09.96 ahead of Belgium (3:10.61). Poland finished fourth just outside the medal in 3:10.63. Great Britain took fifth place in 3:10.84. The British team ran faster than the time they ran at the World Championships in Budapest 2023 when they won the world silver silver medal. South Africa finished sixth in 3:11.89 ahead of Italy (3:15.82) and Japan (3:17.53).
Alexis Holmes: Every time we come out here, we want to leave with the gold medal. I am excited with the victory.”
4x400 mixed relay heats:
The US team formed by Bryce Deadmon, Lynna Irby Jackson, Jenoah McKiver and Alexis Holmes ran the fastest qualifying time of 3:10.18 holding off Great Britain (3:10.22). South Africa finished third in the African record of 3:11.16 ahead of Italy, who qualified in fourth place with 3:11.20. The Belgian team featuring Jonathan Sacoor, Imke Vervaet, Dylan Borlée and Helena Ponette won the second heat in 3:10.37 ahead of the Netherlands (3:11.11).
Men’s 100 heats:
Noah Lyles and Kishane Thompson both clocked 9.95 to win their respective 100 metres heats.
Noah Lyles: "This is the best form I have ever been in my life," he said. "I am bringing special things here. Running 9.95 in the first round is exactly what I wanted to warm up my body."
US 100 metres champion Kenny Bednarek won the fourth heat in 10.01 ahead of Jerome Blake from Canada (10.05) and Jeremiah Azu (10.10). Bednarek holds the second fastest time in the world this year with 9.79 behind only Thompson, who won the Jamaican title in a world lead of 9.75.
Oblique Seville fought back from a slow start to secure the third automatic qualifying spot in 9.93 in the first heat behind Gift Leotlela from South Africa and Kayinsola Ajayi from Nigeria, who improved their respective PBs to 9.87 to 9.88.
Oblique Seville: “It’s not pretty scary. I’m not doubting anyone and their performance, it’s just for me to take it a step at a time. I’m in the semi-final, I’m just going to take it from here and do my best.”
Letsile Tebogo won the fifth heat in 10.07 ahead of André De Grasse (10.16) and Courtney Lindsey (10.19).
Israel Okon won the sixth heat in 10.04 ahead Zharnel Hughes (10.06). Marcel Jacobs qualified for the semifinal with his third place in 10.20.
Women’s 100 metres heats:
Olympic champion Julien Alfred cruised through to the 100 metres semifinals in 10.93, the fastest time of the first round. European 200 metres champion Daryl Neita clocked the second fastest time with 10.94. Olympic bronze medallist Melissa Jefferson Wooden won the first heat in 10.99 ahead of Zoe Hobbs (11.16). Jefferson Wooden became the first US sprinter since 2003 to win the 100m and the 200m at the US Championships. Tina Clayton won the third heat in 11.01 ahead of Dina Asher Smith (11.07) and Ewa Swoboda (11.16).
Melissa Jefferson Wooden: "I've been here for about a week so I'm just trying to stay focused, live in the moment and not anticipate too much of being here at the world championships”.
Women’s discus throw qualifying round:
Two-time Olympic and world champion Sandra Elkasevic from Croatia led the qualifying round in the women’s discus throw with 66.72m. Jorinde Van Klinken from the Netherlands and two-time Valarie Allman threw beyond the 66 metres barrier with 66.39m and 66.07m respectively.
Women’s long jump:
Olympic champion Tara Davis Woodhall led the qualifying round in the women’s long jump with 6.88m Hilary Kpatcha from France produced the second best mark of 6.85m. Agate De Sousa from Portugal safely got through to the final with 6.81m.
Men’s pole vault qualifying round:
Emmanuel Karalis, Renaud Lavillenie, Armand Duplantis and Sondre Guttormsen cleared all heights until 5.75m in their first attempts until 5.75m to lead the men’s pole vault qualifying round.
Women’s 1500 metres:
Freweyni Hailu from Ethiopia led the 1500m first round by clocking the fastest time In the third heat with 4:01.23. Nikki Hiltz placed second in 4:01.73.Three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon won the fourth heat in 4:02.55 ahead of Sarah Madeleine (4:02:66) and Sarah Healy (4:02.67) and Marta Zenoni (4:02.67). Jessica Hull wn the first heat in 4:04.40 ahead of Sinclaire Johnson (4:04.59) and Gaia Sabbatini (4:04.93). Nelly Chepchirchir won the second heat in 4:07.01.
Men’s 3000 metres steeplechase:
Edmund Serem won the first heat in in 8:29.97 holding off Getnet Wale, who place second in 8:27.14. Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali won the first heat in 8:26.99 in the fourth heat to advance safely to the final. Lamecha Girma recovered from a fall to finish second in 8:27.99. Salaheddine Ben Yazide won the second heat in 8:27.21. Geordie Beamish also fell but he recovered to take second place in 8:27.23.
