Sarah Lavin has been run out of a place in another final of the 60 metres hurdles, finishing seventh in her semi-final in the closing session the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China, clocking 8.14 seconds.
After finishing fifth last time, Lavin had high hopes of progressing, but after a close and, in the end, messy race couldn’t quite get herself into a qualifying position – clipping her first hurdle, before part of a flying hurdle appeared to slightly impede her last dash for the line.
After safely negotiating her heat in the morning session, Lavin was drawn in the first of three semi-finals, with only the top two in each, plus the two fastest times, making the final just over an hour later (1:01pm Irish time), the last individual track final of the championships.
Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska took the win in 7.79, having finished second in the European Indoors earlier this month, where Lavin had finished fourth.
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Ackera Nugent from Jamaica took the second automatic spot in 8.00, with Yanni Wu from China taking third in a national record of 8.01, though not enough to qualify; however part of a stray hurdle did veer into Lavin’s path in the last dash for the line, and Lavin did raise her hands crossing the line in clear frustration.
It will be a disappointment for Lavin, the 30-year-old from Limerick looking to make her fifth consecutive major indoor final, having previously finished fifth and seventh in the World Indoors (2022 and 2024), and fourth and sixth at the last two European Indoors.
Given she ran 7.92 at the European Indoors two weeks ago, Lavin will be especially disappointed with her time, especially when 8.00 in second place in her semi-final qualified automatically.
The event however has moved on, six of the seven fastest performances in history have been achieved in just the past 13 months. Defending champion Devynne Charlton, who set a world record of 7.65 when winning in Glasgow last year, will face Ditaji Kambundji, who came within 0.02 of Charlton’s world record when winning the European indoor title earlier this month.
