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World Championships: Dafne Schippers defends her 200m title

Dafne Schippers celebrates after winning gold in the women's 200 metres final
Image: Dafne Schippers celebrates after winning gold in the women's 200 metres final

Holland's Dafne Schippers won gold in the women's 200 metres on day eight of the World Championships in London.

Schippers, who took Olympic silver in Rio behind Jamaica's Elaine Thompson, retained the title she won in Beijing two years ago.

The Dutchwoman told the BBC: "I fought for that. I have worked so hard this year so I am so happy. It's so cool. Two times in a row is very special too.

"It was so, so cool, I was walking around and saw all the orange so it was amazing."

Schippers, the 100m bronze medallist, clocked 22.05 seconds to finish 0.03secs ahead of Ivory Coast's Marie-Josee Ta Lou, who again had to settle for silver after finishing second to Tori Bowie of the United States in the 100m.

Bahamas' Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who stumbled to finish fourth in the 400m, took bronze in 22.15, with Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain fourth.

The USA won two gold medals on Friday to take their overall tally to eight, with 23 medals in all.

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Brittney Reese won long jump gold with a best leap of 7.02 metres.

Just five centimetres separated the medal places as Darya Klishina took silver with a best of 7.00m and Reese's fellow American Tianna Bartoletta took bronze in 6.97.

Klishina - the only Russian to compete in track and field at last August's Rio Olympics - was thrilled with her performance.

"I didn't jump seven metres for six years," said Klishina, competing as an Authorised Neutral Athlete as Russia remains banned by the IAAF, athletics' world governing body.

Emma Coburn of the United States celebrates victory in the 3000m steeplechase
Image: Emma Coburn of the United States celebrates victory in the 3000m steeplechase

"I wanted to show this result in an Olympic Games, but I did not have a chance with the whole situation around me."

Emma Coburn led Courtney Frerichs in a US one-two in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Coburn won in a championship record of 9:02.58, with Frerichs second in 9:03.77 and Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi of Kenya third in 9:04.03.

Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech, the pre-race favourite, finished fourth after forgetting to divert to the first leap over the water jump.

Pawel Fajdek won gold for Poland in the hammer, throwing a best of 79.81m.

Authorised Neutral Athlete Valeriy Pronkin took silver with 78.16 and bronze went to Wojciech Nowicki of Poland with 78.03.

South Africa's Caster Semenya, the Olympic champion, qualified quickest for Sunday's 800m final.

South Africa's Caster Semenya looks on after competing in the 800m
Image: South Africa's Caster Semenya is safely through to the 800m final

Semenya, the 2009 world champion, won her semi-final heat in 1:58.90.

There was controversy behind her as Briton Lynsey Sharp was disqualified for body checking USA's Charlene Lipsey.

Lipsey advanced as a fastest loser and Sharp did so too, but only after successfully appealing against her initial disqualification.

Jakub Holusa of the Czech Republic led the qualifiers for the men's 1,500m final on Sunday, clocking 3:38.05.

Australia's Sally Pearson led the qualifiers for the 100m hurdles finals in 12.53.

World record holder Kendra Harrison edged into the final as the second of two fastest losers after clattering the first hurdle in her semi-final.

Nine years after becoming Olympic champion USA's Dawn Harper-Nelson qualified for the final in 12.63.

But defending champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica is out after a poor start and hitting five hurdles.

France's Kevin Mayer led at the halfway point of the decathlon with 4478 points, 57 more than nearest rival Kai Kazmirek of Germany.

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