The 29-year-old two-time Olympic champion and now four-time world champion clinched gold with a leap of 17.92 meters.

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Christian Taylor of the United States completed a superb hat trick of World Championship triple jump titles here Sunday after surviving near elimination to take the gold medal.

The 29-year-old two-time Olympic champion and now four-time world champion clinched gold with a leap of 17.92 meters.

That was good enough to fend off the challenge of compatriot Will Claye, who took silver with a best jump of 17.74 meters. Burkina Faso’s Hugues Fabrice Zango claimed bronze with a jump of 17.66 meters.

Taylor, the world champion in 2011, 2015 and 2017, flirted with elimination at the start of the final after fouling his first two jumps.

Long-time rival Claye meanwhile had taken the lead with a second jump of 17.72 meters.

Needing to complete a jump to stay alive, Taylor finally got on the board with a leap of 17.42 meters on his third attempt.

The 2012 and 2016 Olympic champion then took the outright lead with his fourth jump of 17.86 meters before tightening his grip with an effort of 17.92 meters.