Kiwi shot-putter Tom Walsh has fallen agonisingly short in his world outdoor title defence, forced to settle for bronze in Doha on Sunday (NZ time).
Walsh looked set to retain his title, after breaking the world championships record with his first-round throw of 22.90m - the fourth-best performance of all-time.
Walsh's previous best throw was 22.67m, set in Auckland last year.
The 27-year-old held the gold-medal position until near the end of the competition, when American Joe Kovacs stepped up, heaving 22.91m to snatch the lead.
Fellow American Ryan Crouser then threw 22.90m, relegating Walsh to bronze on a countback. Walsh recoreded five no throws, after setting the pace with his opener.
Crouser had also broken the event record with a 22.36m first-round throw.
Kovacs' throw was the third-equal best in history and the best since 1990, when American Randy Barnes set the world mark. Barnes was later banned twice for doping offences.
Kovacs was the 2015 world champion, and silver medallist at the Rio Olympics and the 2017 world championships.
Fellow Kiwi Jacko Gill finished seventh, thanks to his 21.45m in the final round - 2cm shy of his personal best.
Elsewhere, Camille Buscomb set another personal best in the 5000m final, crossing in 14m 58.59s to place 12th overall.
Buscomb has already secured a spot at the Tokyo Olympics in the 10,000m and 5000m races.
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