18.08.2009

Berlin 2009 Day 4 - Evening session - LIVE

Women's 100m hurdles - Heats - LIVE

The women's 100m hurdles is set to be one of the closest fought battles of these world championships with only one tenth of a second separating seven of the main challengers for the title.

American Michelle Perry is the odd one out, with her best of 12.74 being 14 hundredths adrift of the slowest of that top group. Perry, however, cannot be discounted as she ran a wind-aided 12.48 in the preliminary rounds of the US trials in June. Perry, knows what it takes to win here having won the last two world titles. McLellan meets Perry in the third heat.

The hurdles are set and the competitors in heat one appear on the track. Running in this heat will be Olympic champion Dawn Harper from the USA. She will again be tough to beat this year coming in with a season's best of 12.53.

McLellan made the semi-finals at the last world championships in Osaka running 12.82 for fifth to just miss out on the final by one place. In an interesting coincidence, the 22-year-old meets Perry for the third consecutive time at the worlds, having been drawn alongside the reigning champion in the heat and semi-final last time.

The first four in each heat will automatically advance to the semi-finals plus the next four fastest times.

Harper just wins the heat from Delloreen Ennis-London (Jamaica), both easing down across the line to record 12.70 and 12.73 respectively. Ennis-London is a three-time finalist and dual medallist at the world championships.

Next up in heat two is another American Damu Cherry, who won on this track in June at the Berlin Golden League. There will be a big roar from the crowd in this one, but not for Cherry. German Carolin Nytra goes in lane five. With a season's best of 12.78 she should easily progress. A tense moment for the German as she false starts. The entire field is now on a warning.

Cherry did not get a good start but came through strongly over the second half and looks good winning in 12.71. Lacena Golding-Clark from Jamaica is second in 12.90. Nytra qualifies as expected in third to the delight of the crowd.

McLellan's up now for the third heat in lane two and completes her preparation by doing a practice start over the first two hurdles. Hurdle three and four are down and the Queenslander runs over the top of them. She looks very determined. Perry goes in lane six.

Close up of McLellan on the big screen showing her giving herself some last minute positive thoughts. Smiles and waves as she is introduced.

McLellan out to her customary fast start and wins easily in 12.82. Perry is gone! The 2005 and 2007 champion runs in strapping tape, showing a damaged body not ready to defend. She languishes in seventh place (13.68).

Next up in heat four is the Canadian who shared in McLellan's memorable medal winning celebrations at the Olympics last year, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep. The Canadian won the bronze medal.

A fast 12.57 for Lopes-Schliep. The muscle-bound Canadian is an imposing sight on the track and showed that barring incident she will be there when the medals are handed out on Wednesday night. Ginny Powell, the fourth American, was second in 12.77.

McLellan has the sixth fastest time of the heats so far with the fifth and final heat about to start. Former champion Perdita Felicien (Canada) and 2006 Commonwealth champion from Jamaica Brigitte Foster-Hylton go head-to-head in this one.

The Jamaican takes it out in 12.67 with Felicien second in 12.77. McLellan will go to the semi-finals with the equal eighth fastest time, but today wasn't about running fast, it was all about getting trough to the next round. Job done.

McLellan was not satisfied with her performance in the heat.

"Pretty terrible. I haven't raced since Stockholm Super Grand Prix so it wasn't my best race. Just getting the cobwebs out."

"Hopefully tomorrow night I can come out and run something better than 12.8. I can't promise anything, but I will do my best."

On what she will do between now and the semi-finals" "I have no idea, I will go ask my coach and analyse the race."

Women's 400m - LIVE

Sanya Richards is out to prove that she is not just a one-day meeting specialist. The American is almost unbeatable on the international circuit but is yet to win a major title.

Brit Christine Ohurougu owns the last two majors. But Richards will not be denied, 49.00 for the American and she finally wins a big one.

The Brit was never a factor and trailed home in fifth place (50.21). Shericka Williams set a new personal best 49.32 in second and Russian Antonina Krivoshapka proved her breakthrough season was no fluke, coming third in 49.71.

Women's Javelin - Final

It was a night of elation for German Steffi Nerius in the women's javelin final. The 37-year-old seemed doomed to end her career with a small footnote indicating her unique place as a three-time bronze medallist at this level, but tonight the throwing gods shined on her.

She launched her opening throw out to a season's best 67.30m, a distance she had thrown further than on only five other occasions.

Considering three of the top four throwers of all time were competing, it was a surprise that her opener held on for victory.

Olympic gold medallist Barbara Spotakova (Czech Republic) struggled to find the form that saw her throw a world record 72.28m in 2008 and only managed 66.42m for second place.