VOA常速英语:World Athletics Championships Wrap up With 8 Medal Events on Final Day

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The 12th World Athletics Championships in Germany wrap up Sunday with the final eight events of the competition. And gold medals are at stake in every event on Day Nine.

The women's marathon opens the final day of competition, but that 42.2 kilometer race, which begins and ends at the historic Brandenburg Gate, is only the beginning.

The women go for the gold in three other events, including the long jump, and four-by-400 meter relay and 1,500 meters. Anna Willard of the United States is one of three Americans to make the 400-m finals and she told VOA Sports about her plan for Sunday.

"Same sort of strategy - you have to keep yourself in a mobile position," she said. "And know that I have a lot in that last 250 [meters]. Haven't hit it yet so I've got to hit it next time. If I wasn't in the final it would have been a huge disappointment. So, I mean, I have been looking all year for a medal, so this isn't a surprise to me."

The men will also be busy Sunday with four gold medal events. They begin with the javelin throw, followed by the 1,500- and 800-meters. American Nick Symmonds won his 800-m semifinal heat, despite having three runners in front of him trip and fall down.  

"I'm in the finals, it feels great," he said.  "I knew that I was ready to run fast and I knew regardless of what happened I could win this race. And that is exactly what I set out to do."

The last event of the Championships will be the final of the men's four-by-400-meter relay.