World Athletics Indoor C’chips 2024: Lyles leads big names into semifinals, Mitton wins shot put

Noah Lyles, Karsten Warholm and Femke Bol, three pin-ups of the world indoor championships, safely negotiated their opening rounds on the first day of competition in Glasgow on Friday.

The first gold of 26 on offer at the three-day champs at the Emirates Arena went to Canada as Sarah Mitton, the world outdoor silver medallist, managed a best of 20.22 metres on her sixth and final effort to win the women’s shot put.

Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye took silver with 20.19m, while reigning two-time outdoor champion Chase Jackson of the United States rounded out the podium with 19.67m.

There was no drama on the track as six-time world outdoor gold medallist Lyles timed 6.57 seconds to win his heat.

Lyles, seeking 60m gold as a springboard to treble gold at this summer’s Paris Olympics, has little time to regroup, with semifinals (1945) and final (2145) scheduled for Friday’s evening session.

“It was the first time I got to hear ‘six-time world champion’ in front of a world crowd. Every time I get to hear that, it gets me pretty excited,” Lyles said.

“It’s definitely different (from outdoors). The crowd is way closer, the energy is contained which makes it a lot more enjoyable.

“It’s a lot more energetic,” he said, adding that he had been back working on his 200m training since winning the US national championships.