 Botswana's Amantle Montsho, left, edgues out Allyson Felix of the United States to win the women's 400-meter final at the World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, Monday. / AP-Yonhap |
By Yoon Chul
DAEGU – The 13th IAAF World Championships took another unexpected turn Monday as Dayron Robles, the favorite for the gold medal in the men’s 110-meter hurdles was later disqualified after crossing the finish line first.
The Cuban but sailed over the hurdles to finish with a time of 13.14 seconds, followed by Jason Richardson of United States who was only .02 second back. Former world record holder Liu Xiang of China clocked in at 13.27.
Robles was a gracious winner, embracing his rivals after the race. But he was disqualified for crossing into Liu’s lane and making contact with Liu’s hand.
"Robles has been disqualified by the track referee under rule 163.2 for obstruction on the track," an IAAF official was quoted as saying.
These world championships have produced a number of shocks and upsets since they began Saturday. On Sunday, to the dismay of all watching, the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt of Jamaica was disqualified in the men’s 100-meter final after a false start.
But the championships have also seen some personal glories. Carmelita Jeter of the United States recovered some of her nation’s reputation as a sprint powerhouse, winning the women’s 100 meters title Monday.
Jeter finished in 10.90 seconds, just .07 second ahead of second-placed 2007 world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown.
Campbell-Brown led Jeter 17-6 in head-to-head meetings coming into the final.
Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago took the bronze with a time of 10.98.
In the women’s 400-meter final Amantle Montsho of Botswana ran away from Allyson Felix and her chase for double gold, clocking in at 49.56 seconds.
Montsho took the lead coming off the final bend but Felix narrowed the gap in the home stretch but had to be satisfied with silver and a personal best of 49.59
Russian Anastasiya Kapachinskaya came third in 50.24
Defending champion Sanya Richards-Ross of the United States finished seventh.
In the field events, Valerie Adams threw a championships record of 21.24 meters in the women’s shot put for gold. Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Bulgaria won the silver with 20.05 meters and J. Camarena-Williams of United States grabbed bronze with a 20.02 throw.
Japanese Olympic gold medalist Koji Murofushi snatched the gold in the men’s hammer. The 36-year-old veteran threw for 81.24 meters, earning his country’s first gold at the worlds. Murofushi earned silver and bronze in 2003 and 2001. Krisztian Pars of Hungary followed him with 81.18 and Primoz Kozmus of Slovakia claimed bronze with 79.39. All three medalists had season-best throws.
Pawel Wojciechowski of Poland won the gold in the men’s pole vault. The Pole managed a best vault of 5.90 meters and won on a countback from Cuban Lazaro Borges, with Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie taking bronze (5.85 meters).
Meanwhile Oscar Pistorius of South Africa failed make the men’s 400-meter final after coming last in Heat 3 of the semifinals.
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