BEIJING (AP) — Ashton Eaton is closing in on another decathlon world title, and is keeping the world record in sight, too.
The American has 7,423 points, 45 outside his world-record pace, after scaling 5.20 meters in the pole vault. He could well bounce back with a strong javelin throw later Saturday, leaving it up to the 1,500 meters at the end of the grueling two-day, 10-event competition.
With his wife, heptahlon silver medalist Brianne Theisen-Eaton, watching from the stands at the Bird’s Nest, a gold medal for Eaton seems assured with Damian Warner of Canada vaulting 4.90 to see the gap grow to 254 points.
On a busy day with eight finals, Usain Bolt will stand out again in the evening session.
The double sprint gold medalist sat out the 4×100 heats, but his Jamaican teammates got the baton around in the fastest time of 37.41 seconds. Justin Gatlin, who has twice finished with silver behind Bolt in Beijing, helped the Americans win their heat.
“We are hungry,” said Gatlin, who will go into the final with seven races in eight days under his belt — one more than Bolt. “I hope he’s tired, too.”
If Jamaica wins, Bolt will extend his record gold medal haul at the world championships to 11. On Saturday, Allyson Felix made sure she could catch him by the time the competition ends.
Winning the 400 on Thursday gave the American a ninth gold in a decade-long career. Since she helped qualify the 4×100 team for the final, and because she is expected to run in the 4×400 on Sunday, Felix could also reach 11 with a pair of American victories.
On a road just outside the Bird’s Nest, Matej Toth of Slovakia won the longest event at the championships, taking gold in the 50-kilometer walk in 3 hours, 40 minutes, 32 seconds. More than a minute later, Jared Tallent of Australia continued to specialize in silver, adding another to his two Olympic runner-up places.
Takayuki Tanii took bronze for Japan’s first medal at the championships.
Adding to Russia’s walking woes, Alexander Yargunkin did not start the 50K race amid reports that he didn’t travel to China because of the recent doping scandal in his country.
Also on the track, Mo Farah will be seeking to join Bolt with a third straight double in individual events since winning the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the London Olympics. After defending the 10,000 title on the opening day last weekend, he is going for his third straight world title in the 5,000.
Anna Chicherova will be looking to give Russia some relief during its dismal performance at the championships. The Olympic champion will be facing European opposition from Blanka Vlasic of Croatia and Ruth Beita of Spain, still going strong at 36.
There are also golds at stake in the men’s discus and the women’s 800.
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