Day Four of the World Athletics Championships, currently taking place in Tokyo Japan, that was held Tuesday 16 September 2025, was an eventful one that saw Kenya win its latest Gold medal, with Faith Kipyegon taking gold in the women's 1500 metres race.
Hammer star Ethan Katzberg also successfully defended his title at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 with displays of pure dominance.
By contrast, the other finals on day four – the men’s high jump and 110m hurdles – were incredibly competitive and went down to the wire. New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr added the world high jump title to his Olympic gold, equaling his own Oceanian record with a world-leading 2.36m. USA’s Cordell Tinch, meanwhile, emerged from the sprint hurdles with victory in 12.99.
Katzberg, the Olympic champion, started strongly in the men’s hammer final with an opening effort of 82.66m. But moments later, Germany's Merlin Hummel threw 82.77m to end the first round in pole position.
Katzberg responded well in round two, sending his hammer out to 84.70m - the longest throw in the world for 20 years - to break the championship record and his own North American record. It remained the best mark of the day as the Canadian secured his third global title in as many years.
Hummel held on to second place ahead of Bence Halasz (82.69m) and Mykhaylo Kokhan (82.02m), marking the first time four men have thrown beyond 82 metres in one hammer competition.
Gold again for Kipyegon
Faith Kipyegon maintained her reign in the 1500m, winning her fourth world title at the distance.
The three-time Olympic champion from Kenya clocked 3:52.15 to add another title to her sensational CV, finishing well clear ahead of her compatriot Dorcus Ewoi, who ran a 3:54.92 PB to secure silver, and Australia’s Jess Hull, who got bronze in 3:55.16.
Kipyegon becomes only the second woman to win four world titles in the same track event after Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce who has won five 100m titles.
Result: 1 Faith Kipyegon (KEN) 3:52.15, 2 Dorcus Ewoi (KEN) 3:54.92, 3 Jessica Hull (AUS) 3:55.16
Kerr completes set of global gold medals
In the men’s high jump, Kerr shared the lead up to 2.28m, but world indoor champion Woo Sanghyeok took it with his second-time clearance at 2.31m. Both Woo and Kerr got over 2.34m on their third tries with Woo still leading on countback. But a flawless clearance at 2.36m gave Kerr the outright victory as Woo was unable to go any higher.
Czechia's Jan Stefela and Ukraine's Oleh Doroshchuk tied for bronze with 2.31m.
Result: 1 Hamish Kerr 2.36m WL, 2 Woo Sanghyeok (KOR) 2.34m, 3 Jan Stefela (CZE), Oleh Doroshchuk (UKR) 2.31m
Tinch takes first major title
Two years after joining the sub-13 club in the 110m hurdles, USA’s Cordell Tinch delivered on his huge promise to win his first world title.
The heats and semifinals had been incredibly close with no one emerging as an outright favourite ahead of the final. Defending champion Grant Holloway didn’t make it through to the final, but Tinch ensured the title stayed on US soil.
He got off to a superb start and held off the strong challenge from Jamaican duo Orlando Bennett and Tyler Mason, crossing the line in 12.99. Bennett and Mason held on for silver and bronze, running PBs of 13.08 and 13.12 respectively.
Result: 1 Cordell Tinch (USA) 12.99, 2 Orlando Bennett (JPN) 13.08 PB, 3 Tyler Mason (JAM) 13.12 =PB
The heats
The women’s 400m semifinals witnessed record depth, but Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone produced the standout performance. The world 400m hurdles record-holder, competing in just the flat here, smashed the US record with 48.29, moving her to seventh on the world all-time list. Defending champion Marileidy Paulino (49.82) and 2019 winner Nalwa Eid Naser (49.47) also advanced.
While the women’s event went largely to the formbook, the men’s 400m semifinals threw up several surprises. Collen Kebinatshipi of Botswana strode to victory in his semifinal in a world-leading national record of 43.61. US champion Jacory Patterson was fourth (44.19) but advanced on time. Olympic medallists Matt Hudson-Smith and Muzala Samukonga didn’t make the cut, but Japan’s Yuki Joseph Nakajima made it through (44.53), much to the delight of the crowd.
Two years to the day that she last competed in a triple jump contest, four-time world champion Yulimar Rojas showed little sign of rust as she qualified for the final with her first jump of the qualifying round, leaping 14.49m.
All of the big contenders made it safely through the first round of the men’s 800m with the likes of Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Donavan Brazier and Mohamed Attaoui all winning their respective heats.
