- The US team suffered a double blow on the opening day of the IAAF World Championships on Friday when pole vaulter Jennifer Suhr and long jumper Jeff Henderson, both Olympic champions and among the favourites in London, failed to qualify for their respective finals. Suhr, who won gold in London in 2012, and is the reigning world indoor champion, failed to clear a height as just one vaulter, Ekaterina Stefanidi of Greece, went over the official qualification mark of 4.60m. "Maybe I'll have some time off because it has been a long 12 months. I just need a little bit of time to relax and come back stronger," said the 35-year-old Suhr. Henderson, who won gold at last summer's Rio Olympics, managed a best of only 7.84m, far off his personal best of 8.58 set in 2015 and season's best of 8.28.

Source: AFP