Britain’s hopes of continuing its medal rush in the middle-distance races at the World Athletics Championships suffered a massive blow when Max Burgin pulled out of his 800metre heat with a calf injury.
Despite his lack of championship experience, the 20-year was the fastest man in the world this year over two laps of the track and heavily fancied to follow in the footsteps of Jake Wightman and Laura Muir in picking up a medal in Eugene.
In his absence, his British teammates Daniel Rowden and Kyle Langford both qualified for the semi-finals, Langford finishing second in his heat and Rowden going through as a fastest loser in fourth in his heat.
Langford afterwards said he had been inspired by the double medals by his middle-distance teammates. “It’s been amazing,” he said. “Laura winning a medal gave the team a boost and then Jake winning just sparked us.
“We were all cheering watching in the lounge, crying, tearing up. For me, it really lit a spark up and I wasn’t really too bothered for the whole week… right up until Jake’s race and then, after it, I felt ‘ok, I’m excited to go now’.”
Matthew Hudson-Smith, meanwhile, warned he had the ability to win a second gold for the British team after finishing second behind the fastest man this year, Michael Norman, in their 400m semi-final.
Hudson-Smith, who has come through all manner of injury problems to produce some of his best and most consistent form in 2022, led going into the home straight and was neck and neck to the line before Norman just edged clear.
“I went long and he capitalised on that,” said Hudson-Smith. “He got the victory because of that. I can win this. I had something left but I messed up big time on the last 50. If I correct those things I’m on my way through.”
Aimee Pratt was the only Briton in a final on day six of the championship but shattered her own national record in the 3000m steeplechase with a storming run down the home straight for seventh place.
The 24-year-old’s time of 9:15.64 took three seconds of her previous best after which she said, “I don’t know what’s just happened – I’m just a bit overwhelmed”.
She said: “I knew it was going to go out really hard so I just tried to be sensible and work my way back to the field which I feel like I did quite well. I feel like I still had juice left in my legs at the end. I wasn’t on the floor so I think there is more to come.”
