Arop starts strong, De Grasse under pressure at track worlds

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The 2022 men's 800-metre bronze medallist began his push for gold today in Budapest by comfortably winning his opening-round heat to advance to the semifinals. Despite slowing up near the end, Arop posted the second-best overall time, behind Kenyan teenager Emmanuel Wanyonyi.

Reigning world and Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir of Kenya, hampered by a calf injury this season, failed to advance after placing fourth in his heat. The semifinals go Thursday and the final Saturday.

WATCH l Edmonton's Marco Arop easily qualifies into the men's 800m semifinals:

In other notable Canadian results from Day 4, Jean-Simon Desgagnés placed eighth in the men's 3,000m steeplechase final while promising 400m hurdler Savannah Sutherland was eliminated in the semifinals in her world championships debut. Michelle Harrison qualified for the semis in the women's 100 hurdles.

In the marquee event of the day, Kenyan star Faith Kipyegon won the women's 1,500m world title for the third time. The back-to-back Olympic champion and world-record holder has not lost a 1,500m race in two years. Ethiopia's Diribe Welteji took silver while the Netherlands' Sifan Hassan made a late charge to grab bronze after losing her 10,000m title on Saturday when she fell while leading with about 20 metres left.

Qatar's Mutaz Barshim's bid for a fourth straight world title in the men's high jump was denied by his Italian pal Gianmarco Tamberi — the guy Barshim agreed to share the Olympic gold with in 2021. Tamberi won his first world championship while American JuVaughn Harrison took silver and Barshim got the