Rojas leads familiar gold rush as Qatar's Barshim soars to third men's high jump title at worlds

EUGENE, OREGON: Untouchable Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas led a raft of familiar faces to glory when she claimed her third straight triple jump title at the World Athletics Championships on Monday.

Day four of action at Hayward Field in Oregon saw experience count as multiple gold medalists from the Tokyo Olympics followed up on their efforts in the Japanese capital with more podium topping.

Rojas was the first of three female two-time Olympic champions to strike gold in Eugene.

Belgium’s Nafi Thiam earlier claimed a last-gasp victory in the heptathlon over Dutch rival Anouk Vetter, while imperious Faith Kipyegon of Kenya won her second 1500m title.

Not to be left out, there were two male champions from the Tokyo Games who triumphed.

Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar won a thriller of a high jump competition for his third world title.

And there was more gold for the Arab world in the shape of Morocco’s Soufiane El-Bakkali, the Olympic champion producing a tactical masterclass as he brought an end to Kenya’s 15-year dominance of the 3000m steeplechase.

The evening session kicked off, however, with all eyes on the track as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, fresh from winning a record fifth world 100m title on Sunday, went in round one of the 200m.

“Oh man, it was hard!” said Fraser-Pryce, who coasted into Tuesday’s semifinals. “It was a late night and I needed to come back and try to qualify as easy as I can to preserve my strength for tomorrow.

“I am feeling OK so far. Just have to go home and get some recovery done and see how it goes tomorrow. I need to eat some food, get a massage, some compression, and just rest, get some sleep.”

Joining the 35-year-old, a world 200m champion in 2013, in Tuesday’s semifinals will be her two