American Ealey wins shot put gold again, Gong claims eighth successive medal

BUDAPEST :American Chase Ealey successfully defended her women's shot put crown at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday, winning her second successive gold medal while China's Gong Lijiao won a record eighth straight individual medal.

Ealey, who was competing with a new technique, produced her season-best throw in her fifth attempt to win the gold with a 20.43 metres effort while Canada's Sarah Mitton took the silver with 20.08.

Gong, the 2017 and 2019 world champion who is competing at her ninth consecutive global championships, was chasing her eighth successive medal and she clinched bronze after producing a throw of 19.69, pipping Portugal's Auriol Dongmo on countback.

"It's even more satisfying than last year because this year I've struggled to get my technique sorted and get everything right. So for it to come together at the right time is perfect," Ealey said.

"I've been training really well and I was really confident. I was early in the series so I wanted to set a good mark and set the pace. I think I did that.

"I risked this gold because I changed my technique to get better for Paris and the Olympics. That was what the change was for. So hopefully in the future I will have more consistent throws like tonight."

Ealey had earlier complained about having the qualification round and the final on the same day, but she quickly became the hot favourite when she laid down an early marker with a 20.35 metre throw on her first attempt.

The 29-year-old soon became the only woman to breach the 20-metre mark multiple times in the final.

"I started crying with my mum," she added. "I ran to her and she started crying so I started crying. And now my face is a mess!"

GONG GOES INTO RECORD BOOKS

Gong was initially pushed down to