Athletics-Thiam stands tall in 800m to win world heptathlon gold

Athletics - World Athletics Championships - Women's Shot Put - Heptathlon - Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - July 17, 2022 Netherlands' Anouk Vetter in action during the women's shot put heptathlon REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

EUGENE, Ore. (Reuters) -Belgium's double Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam reclaimed the world heptathlon title in emphatic style on Monday when she produced a personal best in the final 800 metres to see off the challenge of Dutch rival Anouk Vetter.

Vetter, who won silver behind Thiam in Tokyo last year, had gone into the final event 19 points ahead, equating to 1.3 seconds over 800m, but her personal best was more than two seconds slower than Thiam's.