Novlene Williams
STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters):
American Sanya Richards left Jamaican bronze medallist Novlene Williams and world champion Christine Ohuruogu trailing to win the 400 metres at the World Athletics Final yesterday, before Dayron Robles of Cuba stole the show with a brilliant 110 metres hurdles victory.
The Jamaican-born Richards, who scooped half the million-dollar Golden League jackpot in Berlin last weekend, ran 49.27 seconds again to match the season's best time and finish clear of Jamaican Williams and Briton Ohuruogu in third.
On a day when another Jamaican - Melaine Walker in the women's 400m hurdles - claimed a top-three finish, Williams, who lost in a blanket finish to Ohuruogu at the Worlds, clocked 50.12 for second ahead of the Briton who was timed in 50.20 seconds.
Senegal's Amy Mbacke Thiam finished fourth in 50.33, while another Jamaican, Shericka Williams, was sixth in 50.64.
Ended with a bang
The two-day competition at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion ended with a bang as the 20-year-old Robles ran a blistering 12.92, just four hundredths of a second outside Xiang Liu's world record, in the final event on the green track.
Robles, who missed out on a medal in Osaka, had the crowd on their feet as he beat a field including the Americans Terrence Trammell and Allen Johnson.
"There was a lot of tension and everyone was well prepared, I knew it was going to be fast," Robles said at a news conference.
Richards did not make the U.S. team for the 400 metres in Osaka but she has been untouchable ever since.
"The number one goal now is to get the Olympics gold," Richards said. "Anything else would be the icing on the cake."
SPRINT SUCCESS
Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (left) crosses the finish line to win the men's 200 metres competition in a national record time of 19.89 seconds during the IAAF World Athletics Final at the Gottlieb-Daimler stadium in Stuttgart, Germany, yesterday. Left is the United States' Wallace Spearmon and at right is Jamaica's Christopher Williams who placed fifth. - AP photos
Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, who finished second in the 100 metres on Saturday, went one better in the 200, winning in 19.89 to set a national record and beat Americans Wallace Spearmon (20.18) and Rodney Martin (20.27).
Jamaica's Christopher Williams, the 2001 World silver medallist, finished fifth in 20.39 seconds.
There was an upset in the 400 metres hurdles when the Pole Anna Jesien took advantage of a mistake from Australian world champion Jana Rawlinson to win in 54.17 seconds.
Rawlinson almost crossed the line at the same time, finishing second in 54.19, while Jamaica's Walker took third in 54.31.
Walker's teammate Sheri-Ann Brooks could only manage sixth in the women's 100 metres after clocking 11.33 seconds, well beaten by Carmelita Jeter, who won in 11.10 seconds ahead of her countrywoman, 200 metres world champion Allyson Felix, who returned 11.15 for her effort. France's Christine Arron was third in 11.20.
Outstanding effort
The other outstanding effort came from Kenya's Edwin Cheruiyot Soi, who won the 3,000 metres on Saturday and returned to take the 5,000 yesterday.
On a good day for Kenya, Paul Kipsiele Koech won the 3,000 metres steeplechase in 8:00.67 ahead of two countrymen, Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong and world champion Brimin Kiprop Kipruto.
Daniel Kipchirchir Komen outsprinted Frenchman Mehdi Baala to win a great 1,500 metres in 3:37.96, while Janeth Jepkosgei was at her peerless best to win the women's 800 metres in a championship record 1:57.87 ahead of Spain's Mayte Martinez.
The only non-Kenyan to win a distance event yesterday was Meseret Defar of Ethiopia, who ran a championship record 8:27.24 to win the women's 3000 metres.
German favourite Franka Dietzsch won the discus with her second throw of 62.58, while the American Brad Walker won an entertaining tussle in the pole vault by going over at 5.91, beating Germany's Bjoern Otto into second spot.
