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Happy who like Felix

His very long journey to the top of world athletics ended in Eugene.

At 36, the American said goodbye to competition after adding two more medals to her impressive record, silver in the mixed 4x400m and gold in the women's 4x400m.

A last title by proxy, since she participated in the series but not in the final, the final race of the Worlds-2022 on Sunday evening.

With twenty World Championship medals, including 14 gold!, Felix is ​​a legend in her sport, but she sees herself above all as the mother of Camryn, her three-year-old daughter.

"My best memory of Eugene's week is seeing my daughter applauding me and young women thanking me for taking a stand for them," smiled the seven-time Olympic champion who,

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McLaughlin on his planet

It is undoubtedly THE race of the Worlds-2022 and for many one of the greatest performances in history.

Big favorite after his Olympic title in Tokyo a year earlier, Sydney McLaughlin flew over the final of the 400m hurdles.

The American relegated her runner-up, the Dutch Femke Bol to more than a second and a half and pulverized her own world record of 73/100th to bring it to 50 sec 68/100th.

This is the fourth time in just over a year that McLaughlin has broken the world record, which she made jump by 1 sec 58/100th!

And she has not finished revolutionizing athletics: after the 400m hurdles, she could turn her attention to the 110m hurdles or the 400m.

And why not do away with Marita Koch's old and sulphurous lap world record (47.60),

Sydney Mclaughlin proudly displays alongside her 400m record smashed at the Worlds in Eugene, July 22, 2022 ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP / Archives

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"Mondo" really crazy

At 22, Armand Duplantis offered himself the last title that was missing from his list: the 2018 European champion and 2021 Olympic champion did it with style by beating the world record - for the 5th time in his career. career, the 3rd time this year -- to raise it to 6.21 m.

Even stronger, he is the first since the legend Sergei Bubka (6.14 m in 1994) to beat the outdoor world record.

And yet, "I didn't really think about the world record this Sunday. Usually it's always in a corner in my head, but not there, I just wanted to win", assured the Swede who grew up and lives in the United States.

Flying Swede Armand Duplantis record winner in the pole vault at the Eugene Worlds, July 24, 2022 Ben Stansall AFP

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Jacobs will have to wait

He wanted to silence critics and skeptics, but the Italian Marcell Jacobs, who became Olympic champion in the 100m and the 4x100m relay to everyone's surprise in Tokyo, did not go beyond the series.

Touched in a thigh for several weeks, he forfeited just before the semi-finals, epilogue of an almost white 2022 outdoor season.

In his absence, the United States monopolized the 100m podium, with Fred Kerley, Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell.

"Team USA" did it again for the 200m with Noah Lyles, crowned in 19 sec 31/100th (to become the third best performer in history), ahead of Kenneth Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton.

The United States flew over "their" Worlds with a total of 33 medals, including 13 gold.

© 2022 AFP