India's Asian marathon champion Gopi Thonakal has qualified for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Doha in September-October after finishing 11th in the Seoul International Marathon.

The 30-year-old Gopi clocked his personal best time of 2 hours 13 minutes 39 seconds in the marathon race on Sunday, bettering the World Championships qualification mark of 2:16:00. His earlier best was 2:15:16 last year.

Gopi's time is the second best ever by an Indian after the four-decade-old national record of 2:12:00, which is held by Shivnath Singh.

Seoul International Marathon is a world-class IAAF Gold label event.

Gopi won the Asian marathon title in Dongguan, China in 2017. He finished 25th in the 2016 Olympics. The following year, he took part in the World Championships in London and finished 28th.

India's Asian marathon champion Gopi Thonakal has qualified for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Doha in September-October after finishing 11th in the Seoul International Marathon.

India's Asian marathon champion Gopi Thonakal has qualified for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Doha in September-October after finishing 11th in the Seoul International Marathon. The 30-year-old Gopi clocked his personal best time of 2 hours 13 minutes 39 seconds in the marathon race on Sunday, bettering the World Championships qualification mark of 2:16:00. His earlier best was 2:15:16 last year. Gopi's time is the second best ever by an Indian after the four-decade-old national record of 2:12:00, which is held by Shivnath Singh. Seoul International Marathon is a world-class IAAF Gold label event. Gopi won the Asian marathon title in Dongguan, China in 2017. He finished 25th in the 2016 Olympics. The following year, he took part in the World Championships in London and finished 28th.

Marathon runner Gopi Thonakal qualifies for Doha Worlds

American Kori Carter pulled off another of the growing number of shocks at the World Championships on Thursday, achieving the rare feat of winning the 400 metres hurdles title from the outside lane.

All eyes had been on Carter&#39;s US&nbsp;team mate, Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad, who had been the strong favourite, but it was the former American champion in lane nine who maintained her form best to race to victory in 53.07 seconds.

Muhammad, the fastest woman in the world this year, earned the silver in 53.50 to complete an American one-two while Jamaican Ristananna Tracey, an Olympic finalist last year, took the bronze in a lifetime best 53.74.

Czech Zuzana Hejnova, who had been seeking to achieve an unprecedented third successive one-lap hurdles victory, had to settle for fourth, being overhauled by Tracey on the run-in despite clocking a season&#39;s best 54.20.

&quot;I am on top of the world right now. What a blessing to be world champion. This is just an incredible feeling like I&#39;ve never experienced,&quot; the 25-year-old Carter told the crowd.

&quot;When you work so hard and sacrifice so much for something, for it to pay off, in the end, is so satisfying. It&#39;s a surreal experience right now.

&quot;It&#39;s always great to run against great athletes because it brings the best out in you, going up against Team USA at trials really prepared me for this.&quot;

Few, though, could have expected the Los Angeles-based Carter, who had won the US&nbsp;title three years ago, to prevail from the outside lane where the race becomes a test of blind faith.

Wayde van Niekerk, famously, achieved his Olympic 400 metres win last year from that position, breaking the world record in the process, but that was a wholly unprecedented feat.

Muhammad, who ran 52.64 seconds this year when she beat Carter into third place in a high-quality US&nbsp;trials race, had led through seven hurdles in lane four.

But Carter, who started her athletic career as a soccer player before falling in love with the hurdles, dug deep over the last 30 metres and pulled away from Muhammad.

Hejnova was also quickly running out of steam and twice Jamaican champion Tracey took advantage.

&quot;I feel sorry for my performance tonight,&quot; Hejnova said. &quot;I am disappointed. I kicked it too much at the start and I was missing the energy in the last metres. I think I just let myself be blown away by this amazing atmosphere at the stadium.&quot;

Muhammad talked of having suffered a &quot;shaky&quot; season even though she had been imperious in Sacramento at the US&nbsp;Championships.

&quot;I really wanted to win, of course, but I&#39;ve had so many ups and downs this season. To come out with a silver, I&#39;m proud of that,&quot; the 27-year-old said.

&quot;I&#39;m just happy to even get on the podium - it&#39;s been a shaky year. I am very proud of Team USA, we come out and show out.&quot;

'I am on top of the world right now. What a blessing to be world champion. This is just an incredible feeling like I've never experienced'

American Kori Carter pulled off another of the growing number of shocks at the World Championships on Thursday, achieving the rare feat of winning the 400 metres hurdles title from the outside lane. All eyes had been on Carter's US team mate, Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad, who had been the strong favourite, but it was the former American champion in lane nine who maintained her form best to race to victory in 53.07 seconds. Muhammad, the fastest woman in the world this year, earned the silver in 53.50 to complete an American one-two while Jamaican Ristananna Tracey, an Olympic finalist last year, took the bronze in a lifetime best 53.74. Czech Zuzana Hejnova, who had been seeking to achieve an unprecedented third successive one-lap hurdles victory, had to settle for fourth, being overhauled by Tracey on the run-in despite clocking a season's best 54.20. "I am on top of the world right now. What a blessing to be world champion. This is just an incredible feeling like I've never experienced," the 25-year-old Carter told the crowd. "When you work so hard and sacrifice so much for something, for it to pay off, in the end, is so satisfying. It's a surreal experience right now. "It's always great to run against great athletes because it brings the best out in you, going up against Team USA at trials really prepared me for this." Few, though, could have expected the Los Angeles-based Carter, who had won the US title three years ago, to prevail from the outside lane where the race becomes a test of blind faith. Wayde van Niekerk, famously, achieved his Olympic 400 metres win last year from that position, breaking the world record in the process, but that was a wholly unprecedented feat. Muhammad, who ran 52.64 seconds this year when she beat Carter into third place in a high-quality US trials race, had led through seven hurdles in lane four. But Carter, who started her athletic career as a soccer player before falling in love with the hurdles, dug deep over the last 30 metres and pulled away from Muhammad. Hejnova was also quickly running out of steam and twice Jamaican champion Tracey took advantage. "I feel sorry for my performance tonight," Hejnova said. "I am disappointed. I kicked it too much at the start and I was missing the energy in the last metres. I think I just let myself be blown away by this amazing atmosphere at the stadium." Muhammad talked of having suffered a "shaky" season even though she had been imperious in Sacramento at the US Championships. "I really wanted to win, of course, but I've had so many ups and downs this season. To come out with a silver, I'm proud of that," the 27-year-old said. "I'm just happy to even get on the podium - it's been a shaky year. I am very proud of Team USA, we come out and show out."

World Athletics Championships: America's Kori Carter wins 400m hurdles

Davinder Singh Kang has become the first Indian to qualify for the finals of the javelin throw event at the World Athletics Championships in London.

The Indian team was banking on 19-year-old junior world champion Neeraj Chopra to qualify but&nbsp;Kang sprang a surprise attaining the qualifying mark of 83m with his third and final throw that cleared a distance of 84.22m.

Chopra&#39;s best effort was slightly short of the mark at&nbsp;82.26m.

&quot;After I came to know that Neeraj did not qualify, I wanted to qualify for the final round. I wanted to do something for the country, I wanted to do something which no Indian has done before. By the grace of God, I did something for the country,&quot; Kang told PTI.

Kang&#39;s participation in the World Championships was earlier in doubt after he tested positive for marijuana in June but he was named in the 25-member Indian team as the banned substance was in the specified list of the WADA Code and does not attract automatic suspension.

&quot;I have been carrying a right shoulder injury which I sustained in May during the Indian Grand Prix but it is not that a big problem. Our team masseur put these straps today and I am OK. But I had to ask my friend Sri Lankan competitor (Waruna Rankoth Pedige) to help me with some stretching before my third and final throw,&quot; Kang told PTI.

&quot;It (injury) will be all right after a day&#39;s rest. I want to give my best in the final round on August 12 and win a medal for the country,&quot; Kang added.

26-year-old Kang&#39;s best effort of 84.22m put him in the seventh position among the final round qualifiers.

Davinder Singh Kang has become the first Indian to qualify in the javelin throw finals at the World Athletics Championships

Davinder Singh Kang has become the first Indian to qualify for the finals of the javelin throw event at the World Athletics Championships in London. The Indian team was banking on 19-year-old junior world champion Neeraj Chopra to qualify but Kang sprang a surprise attaining the qualifying mark of 83m with his third and final throw that cleared a distance of 84.22m. Chopra's best effort was slightly short of the mark at 82.26m. "After I came to know that Neeraj did not qualify, I wanted to qualify for the final round. I wanted to do something for the country, I wanted to do something which no Indian has done before. By the grace of God, I did something for the country," Kang told PTI. Kang's participation in the World Championships was earlier in doubt after he tested positive for marijuana in June but he was named in the 25-member Indian team as the banned substance was in the specified list of the WADA Code and does not attract automatic suspension. "I have been carrying a right shoulder injury which I sustained in May during the Indian Grand Prix but it is not that a big problem. Our team masseur put these straps today and I am OK. But I had to ask my friend Sri Lankan competitor (Waruna Rankoth Pedige) to help me with some stretching before my third and final throw," Kang told PTI. "It (injury) will be all right after a day's rest. I want to give my best in the final round on August 12 and win a medal for the country," Kang added. 26-year-old Kang's best effort of 84.22m put him in the seventh position among the final round qualifiers.

World Athletics Championships: Davinder Singh Kang first Indian to qualify for javelin finals

Botswana&#39;s star run machine Isaac Makwala was denied entry to the London stadium which is hosting the World Athletics Championships after the runner was reportedly hit by the norovirus bug in his hotel.

&nbsp;&quot;Isaac Makwala was withdrawn from the men&#39;s 400m (Final) due to a medical condition on the instruction of the IAAF medical delegate,&quot; world athletics&#39; ruling body said in a statement.

However, Makwala tried to get into the warm-up track at the London stadium ahead of the final but was denied entry by security personnel leading to huge furore during the event.

&quot;There have been no medical tests at all, it&#39;s just generalised assumptions because of the outbreak of sickness and he has just one of those symptoms,&quot; he told the BBC.

The IAAF issued a second statement later on Tuesday saying Makwala had been diagnosed with an &quot;infectious disease&quot; following an examination by a doctor in the warm-up medical centre on Monday.

&quot;The team doctor, team leader and team physio had been informed following the medical examination that the athlete should be quarantined for 48 hours and would, therefore, be missing the 400m final on Tuesday,&quot; it said.

&quot;The IAAF is very sorry that the hard work and talent of Isaac Makwala won&rsquo;t be on display tonight but we have to think of the welfare of all athletes.&quot;

The Botswana&#39;s athletics federation chief, Falcon Sedimo hit back, saying, &quot;There has been no official communication, no formal communication from the IAAF at all.&quot; However, the IAAF in its statement denied the allegation, reiterating the player had been informed prior to the event.

Meanwhile, at least 30 athletes at the world athletics championships have been infected in a suspected outbreak of norovirus, reports said.

Botswana's star run machine Isaac Makwala was denied entry into the stadium after he was reportedly hit by the norovirus bug

Botswana's star run machine Isaac Makwala was denied entry to the London stadium which is hosting the World Athletics Championships after the runner was reportedly hit by the norovirus bug in his hotel. "Isaac Makwala was withdrawn from the men's 400m (Final) due to a medical condition on the instruction of the IAAF medical delegate," world athletics' ruling body said in a statement. However, Makwala tried to get into the warm-up track at the London stadium ahead of the final but was denied entry by security personnel leading to huge furore during the event. "There have been no medical tests at all, it's just generalised assumptions because of the outbreak of sickness and he has just one of those symptoms," he told the BBC. The IAAF issued a second statement later on Tuesday saying Makwala had been diagnosed with an "infectious disease" following an examination by a doctor in the warm-up medical centre on Monday. "The team doctor, team leader and team physio had been informed following the medical examination that the athlete should be quarantined for 48 hours and would, therefore, be missing the 400m final on Tuesday," it said. "The IAAF is very sorry that the hard work and talent of Isaac Makwala won’t be on display tonight but we have to think of the welfare of all athletes." The Botswana's athletics federation chief, Falcon Sedimo hit back, saying, "There has been no official communication, no formal communication from the IAAF at all." However, the IAAF in its statement denied the allegation, reiterating the player had been informed prior to the event. Meanwhile, at least 30 athletes at the world athletics championships have been infected in a suspected outbreak of norovirus, reports said.

IAAF denies Botswana's Isaac Makwala entry into London Stadium

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Marathon runner Gopi Thonakal qualifies for Doha Worlds

World Athletics Championships: America's Kori Carter wins 400m hurdles

World Athletics Championships: Davinder Singh Kang first Indian to qualify for javelin finals

IAAF denies Botswana's Isaac Makwala entry into London Stadium