BEIJING, China (AFP) — Olympic champion Ashton Eaton broke his own world record as he retained his world decathlon title in Beijing yesterday.

The American threw a season’s best 63.63 metres in the javelin before clocking four minutes, 17.52 seconds in the 1500m to finish with a new world best total of 9,045 points, eclipsing his previous mark by six points.

Canada’s Damian Warner took silver behind Olympic champion Eaton, posting a national record of 8,695 points and German Rico Freimuth the bronze with a personal best of 8,561.

Gold flush as Toth wins first Slovak world title

BEIJING, China (AFP) – Slovakian Matej Toth captured the world title in the men’s 50 kilometres walk on yesterday with a crushing victory as his rivals wilted under a brutal Beijing sun.

Toth, the European silver medallist, won the iron man event in 3 hours, 40 minutes 32 seconds, crossing the line at the Bird’s Nest stadium draped in a Slovakian flag to land his country’s first ever world championship gold.

“I feel like a champion,” said Toth, who hugged his father after his emotional win. “I have to say that this 50km was maybe the easiest race of my whole life. I made history today. I was thinking about my two little daughters at home and my wife all the time.”

Farah defends world double with 5000m gold

BEIJING, China (AFP) – Mo Farah retained his world distance double yesterday when he stormed to victory in the 5000 metres in Beijing.

The Briton, who won 10,000m gold on the opening weekend of action, was in control of the race throughout, producing a devastating final 80 metres to romp home in 13min 50.38sec.

Kenyan Caleb Ndiku, in 13: 51.75, held on for silver after making a valiant break with 800m to run. Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet took bronze.

Farah’s victory was an unprecedented seventh successive win in the 5,000 or 10,000m at a World Championships or Olympics for the Somali-born 32-year-old, stretching back to 2011.

Arzamasova stuns Sum to win 800m world title

BEIJING, China (AFP) – Marina Arzamasova of Belarus stunned defending champion Eunice Sum to win the women’s 800 metres world title in a thriller yesterday.

The European champion blew past Sum with 200 metres to run and held on in a tight finish to win in one minute, 58.03 seconds and pip fast-finishing Canadian Melissa Bishop at the line.

Sum, who has dominated the event since winning gold in Moscow two years ago, settled for bronze in 1:58.18 minutes.

Russia’s Kuchina wins high jump gold

BEIJING, China (AFP) – Russia’s Maria Kuchina produced a personal best when it counted as she won women’s high jump gold at the World Champs yesterday.

The reigning world indoor champion cleared 2.01 metres for the title at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium, winning on countback from Croatia’s two-time world champion Blanka Vlasic.

Russia’s Olympic and 2011 world champion Anna Chicherova finished in the bronze medal position.