The five highlights of Doha 2019 IAAF Worlds

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich celebrates after winning the Women's Marathon at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha on September 27, 2019. (Photo by MUSTAFA ABUMUNES / AFP)

From the first ever night marathon, heart-melting sportsmanship to a married couple each winning a medal on the same night, it was a championship to boot.

Set against the background of searing heat, low attendance and spectacular architecture, the Doha 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Qatar have nonetheless fashioned memorable sporting moments.

Here, the Saturday Standard looks at the five most-gripping stories that will resonate in sporting highlight reels for many years to come from the 17th edition of the biannual track and field showpiece that closes tomorrow.

1. Ruth Chepng’etich wins the first-ever night marathon

Granting the World to the Gulf nation notorious for punishing temperatures provoked international debate of how athletes would cope with the harsh conditions.

The all-purpose refurbished Khalifa International Stadium, Doha 2019’s center-piece navigated that by having a ground-breaking cooling system but concerns about the welfare of athletes taking part in road racing and walking lingered. So, the eyes of the globe were fixed on the opening day during the running of the first-ever night marathon as organisers came up with the novel idea of starting the women’s final midnight last Friday.

Kenya erupted deep in the night when Ruth Chepng’etich, 25, conquered the challenge of endurance rather than speed as the race began in temperatures officially estimated at between 30 and 32.7C, and humidity of 73 per cent by striking gold in 2:32:43. Bahrain’s defending champion Rose Chelimo took silver on the seven-lap circuit in 2:33:46, 63 seconds, and bronze went to Namibia’s Commonwealth champion Helalia Johannes in 2:34:15 as only 39 of the 68 starters finished. As an aside, none of the three Ethiopian arch-rivals progressed past the halfway mark!

2. Guinea Bissau’s Braima Sundar Dabo heart-melting sportsmanship

The world’s best athletes came to Doha seeking their moment of glory but it was a flash of compassion during the 5,000m heats on Day One that melted even the coldest of hearts.

On the final lap of the opening race, Aruba’s Jonathan Busby began to stagger, clearly exhausted by his efforts and with 200 metres to go, he had no hope of a finish.

His rival Braima Sundar Dabo of Guinea Bissau came to his aid, first hooking his arm under Busby’s to keep him on his feet, and then stopping and placing the distressed runner’s arm over his shoulder so he could half-carry him the final 120 metres to the finish line.

The dramatic scene riveted everyone watching and the two young men, both at their first World Championships, were given a standing ovation as they fell across the finish line, Dabo for his selflessness and Busby for his determination to finish.

Busby was later disqualified for receiving outside assistance, but the moment of sportsmanship will live long after the result is forgotten.

3. Silver lining for the Oibo couple - Maicel and wife Shaunae-Miller

Nothing fascinates like a dream romance and Doha 2019 produced the perfect script for a future award-winning Hollywood production when a married couple each won the silver medal on the same night.

First,  Bahamian born Shaunae-Miller entered the women 400m final as the favourite for the gold.

However, in one of the stunning upsets of Thursday’s Day 7, 21 year-old Bahraini Salwa Eid Naser ran the astonishing time of 48.14 for one lap, the fastest time in the world for 34 years and the third-fastest in history, to defeat the prohibitive pre-race favourite.

Shaunae-Miller, undefeated at any distance for the past two years, the tall Bahamian also ran her personal best time of 48.37 but on this night it was not enough as she was forced to accept silver.

However, Shaunae-Miller could not be denied a place in history when spouse and Estonian men decathlete, Maicel finished second to Germany’s European U23 champion, another shocking winner to match his wife’s silver after accruing 8604 points. They sealed the epic moment with a kiss - each draped in their nation of birth flag - in a photo that trended worldwide.

4. Uganda’s Nakaayi produces an upset of all ages

With the withdrawal of Caster Semenya, South Africa's two-time champion, the women 800m gold was all but gift-wrapped for America’s Ajee Wilson. Through the heats and semis, the overwhelming favourite gave credence to the tag. That is until Day 4 of Doha 2019 when a minor sporting miracle was witnessed. Ugandan runner Halima Nakaayi ran the race of her life to win the title in in a national record of 1:58.04.

Nakaayi unleashed an irresistible kick in the home straight, surging past early pace-setter Wilson, and then launched into an entirely uninhibited celebration, dancing her way around the track.

Her reaction was only matched by that of the small Ugandan contingent in the grandstand, who had watched her become only the second woman from her country to win a world athletics title after Helsinki 2005 women 3000m steeplechase pioneering champion, Dorcus Inzikuru.

5. Downfall of celebrated American coach Alberto Salazar

The dark ghosts of the doping scourge are never far away from any premier track and field showpiece and Doha 2019 will go down as the event where celebrated American distance coach, Alberto Salazar, was finally unmasked as a cheat. The man, who was responsible for the American flagship Nike Oregon Project established to breed athletes who could rival the distance running excellence of East Africa, was banned for four years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.