Wrapup: Love for athletics stays in China as curtain falls on Beijing worlds

In the first athletics world championships ever held in China, the most populous country in the world tried really hard to be both strong competitor and thoughtful host.

Historic moments presented themselves once and again in the nine-day tournament for the host where athletics was a small sport and the only well recognized international star was retired hurdler Liu Xiang.

Not any more, at least for the 1.3 billion Chinese. The fervor of spectators on the spot Saturday evening almost ripped off the roof of the iconic Bird's Nest Stadium as the team of Zhang Peimeng, Su Bingtian, Xie Zhenye and Mo Youxue clinched a historic silver for China in the men's 4x100m final.

Su, the first Chinese to reach the worlds' men's 100m final last Sunday and ever clock 9.99 seconds, and his teammates became instant celebrities in China.

Chinese men's long jumper also had their moment of glory as Wang Jianan took an unprecedented bronze while Gao Xinglong and Li Jinzhe followed in fourth and fifth. Britain's London Olympic champion Greg Rutherford won.

Same into the limelight is world record holder Liu Hong who bagged the host's sole gold medal, winning the women's 20km race walking and Lyu Xiuzhi had silver a few steps off Liu's pace.

On the last day, Zhang Guowei wrapped up the Chinese team's history-making journey by winning a silver in the men's high jump. The previous best is a third-place finish in 1983 by Zhu Jianhua, Zhang's idol. Derek Drouin took Canada's second gold here after Shawnacy Barber's win in the men's pole vault.

China also bagged silvers in the women's javelin throw, shot put and hammer throw as well as men's 20km race walking.

The only world record of this championships was born after seven days of gripping action. American Ashton Eaton collected a total of 9,045 points in decathlon, bettering his own world mark set in Eugene three years ago by six points. His wife Brianne Thiesen-Eaton won a bronze medal in heptathlon where Claudia Rath claimed one of the two gold medals of Germany. Veteran Kathrina Molitor seized the women's javelin throw title from Lyu on her last attempt.

Captain A Ashton led the American charge that started to gain momentum in the latter half of the championships where London Olympic winner and 3-time world champion Allyson Felix won the women's 400m. And their men's 4x400m relay team retained the title on the last day.

Jamaican great Usain Bolt remained center of the stage every time he showed up in the Bird's Nest and every time he walked away with a gold medal. The 29-year-old, whose appearance was even in doubt just a few months before Beijing 2015, underlined his unshakable position as the sprint king.

"My aim is to be No. 1 until I retire. And therefore I am pushing myself and pushing myself," said Bolt after last Sunday's 100m win. He already collected 11 championships titles plus six Olympic gold medals that ensure him a legend in the sport.

Apart from Bolt's three gold medals in 100m, 200m and 4x100m, Jamaica as a whole continued their dominance in sprint events as they won women's 100m and 4x100m, women's 100m hurdles and two silver from 110m hurdles as well as women's 200m whose title went to unheralded Dutch youngster Dafne Schippers.

But as far as balance concerned, medal table leader Kenya proved it is more than just long distance running.

Great distant runners well showcased their stamina as they swept the podium in men's 3,000m steeplechase, had a one-two finish in men's 1,500m and won women's 10,000m, men's 800m and women's 3,000m steeplechase.

What was unexpected was Kenyan Julius Yego's big win in men's javelin throw and Nicholas Bett's victory in men's 400m hurdles.

However, Kenya's top performance was marred by the fact that two of Kenya's runners -- Joyce Zakary and Francisca Koki -- tested positive for banned substances in pre-competition tests.

Other highlights of the championships that opened on Aug. 22 includes that men's marathon champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, 19, created his own piece of athletics history by becoming the youngest ever winner of a road event at the IAAF world championships and the first Eritrean athlete to win a gold medal at the championships.

Men's 50km race walking saw history made as well when 32-year-old Matej Toth bagged the first ever world championships gold medal for Slovakia, which competed up to the third world championships in 1991 as part of Czechoslovakia.

Britain's Mohamed Farah, single-handedly challenged Kenya and Ethiopia's reign in long distance running, as the double London Olympic champion defended his 5000m title for the second time and retained the 10,000m crown.

As the championships drew to a successful close, the organizers should be pleased as their job received wide praise.

"I'm delighted. China staged a wonderful championships and it's been sensational," said newly elected IAAF president Sebastian Coe who formally takes over the job on Aug. 31.

"I left the stadium last night with people who have been to many championships before saying: Arguably the best world championships ever! Great crowd, full stadium, passionate and noisy people, in-form athletes that are competing at the highest level," the 58-year-old Briton told reporters on Sunday.

"The athletes are always a good judge. They are reporting that they have been looked after extremely well. Everybody is happy, it's a great, great championships," he added.

After the men's high jump qualification on Friday morning, Eike Onnen of Germany was deeply impressed with enthusiasm in the stadium.

"Being here in Beijing feels like a comeback to me because I had less good years before. Meeting old athlete friends again is super, really feels great. This stadium is amazing and there are so many spectators here already in the morning," Onnen said.

Onnen's opinion was shared by Gennaro Bozza, a journalist from La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

"The world championships in Beijing has been nearly prefect. It is much better than previous editions," he said. Endi