Olahraga

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Japan assembles a 57 strong Berlin squad

Japan is sending a team of 31 men and 26 women to the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15–23 Aug).

As well as the traditionally strong marathon squad, and Koji Murofushi in the Hammer Throw, the best medal hope for Japan, perhaps, is Yuki Yamazaki, a 50Km Race Walker. He is coached by Tsugumichi Suzuki, marathon coach, who guided Junko Asari to the marathon gold in the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart.

Ken Nakamura for the IAAF

Team

Men

Sprints:
Masashi Eriguchi
Shintaro Kimura
Naoki Tsuakahara
Shiji Takahira
Hitoshi Saito
Kenji Fujimitsu
Yuzo Kanemaru
Hideyuki Hirose

Distance:
5000m: Yuichiro Ueno
10000m: Yuki Iwai

Marathon:
Satoshi Irifune
Masaya Shimizu
Kazuhiro Maeda
Arata Fujiwara
Atsushi Sato

Steeple Chase:
Yoshitaka Iwamizu

Hurdle:
110mH: Tasuku Tanonaka
400mH:  Kenji Narisako
Kazuaki Yoshida

Jumps:
HJ:  Naoyuki Daigo
PV: Daichi Sawano
Takafumi Suzuki
LJ: Daisuke Arakawa

Throw:
HT:  Koji Murofushi
JT:  Yukifumi Murakami

Multi:
Daisuke Ikeda

Race Walks:
Yuki Yamazaki
Koichiro Morioka
Tayakuki Tanii
Isamu Fujisawa
Yusuke Suzuki


Women

Sprints:
Momoko Takahashi
Chisato Fukushima
Mayumi Watanabe
Maki Wada
Asami Tanno
Mayu Sato
Miho Shingu

Distance:
Yurika Nakamura
Yuriko Kobayashi
Yukari Sahaku
Kayoko Fukushi

Marathon:
Yoshimi Ozaki
Yoko Shibui
Yoshiko Fujinaga
Yuri Kano
Yukiko Akaba

3000m Steeplechase:
Minori Hayakari

Hurdles
100mH: Asuka Terada
400mH:
Satomi Kubokura
Sayaka Aoki

Jumps:
PV: Takayo Kondo
LJ:  Sachiko Masumi

Throw:
JT: Yuki Ebihara

20km Race Walk:
Masumi Fuchise
Mayumi Kawasaki
Kumi Otoshi

http://berlin.iaaf.org

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Double Osaka World champions Gay and Lagat lead USA delegation to Berlin


Reigning individual World champions Tyson Gay, Bernard Lagat, Allyson Felix, Jeremy Wariner, Kerron Clement, Michelle Perry, Reese Hoffa and Brad Walker lead a potent Team USA roster for 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15 – 23 Aug 2009).

Of note, Gay (100m / 200m) and Lagat (1500m/5000m) were double individual event winners in Osaka 2007, while Wariner (400m), Felix (200m) and Perry (100m Hurdles) come to Berlin having won consecutive World titles in their events in the last two editions (2005 / 2007).

The full Team USA roster by event:

Men

100m: *Tyson Gay (Clermont, Fla.); Michael Rodgers (Round Rock, Texas); Darvis Patton (Grand Prairie, Texas); Monzavous "Rae" Edwards (Kansas City, Kan.)

200m: *Tyson Gay (Clermont, Fla.); Shawn Crawford (Los Angeles, Calif.); Charles Clark (Virginia Beach, Va.); Wallace Spearmon (College Station, Texas)

400m: *Jeremy Wariner (Waco, Texas); LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk, Va.); Gil Roberts (Oklahoma City, Okla.); Lionel Larry (Compton, Calif.)

800m: Nick Symmonds (Springfield, Ore.); Khadevis Robinson (Santa Monica, Calif.); Ryan Brown (Seattle, Wash.)

1500m:  *Bernard Lagat (Tucson, Ariz.);  Lopez Lomong (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Leonel Manzano (Austin, Texas); Dorian Ulrey (Port Byron, Ill.)

3000m Steeplechase:  Josh McAdams (Cordova, Tenn.); Dan Huling (Geneva, Ill.); Kyle Alcorn (Fresno, Calif.)

5000m: *Bernard Lagat (Tucson, Ariz.); Matt Tegenkamp (Portland, Ore.); Chris
Solinsky (Madison, Wis.); Evan Jager (Beaverton, Ore.)

10,000m: Galen Rupp (Portland, Ore.); Dathan Ritzenhein (Eugene, Ore.); Tim Nelson (Redding, Calif.)

Marathon: Dan Browne (San Diego, Calif.); Nate Jenkins (Lowell, Mass.); Justin Young (Superior, Colo.); Matt Gabrielson (Minneapolis, Minn.); Edwardo Torres (Boulder, Colo.)

110m hurdles:  David Payne (Covington, Ky.); Terrence Trammell (Atlanta, Ga.); Aries Merritt (Bryan, Texas)

400m hurdles:  *Kerron Clement (Los Angeles); Bershawn Jackson (Savoy, Ill.); Johnny Dutch (Clayton, N.C.); Angelo Taylor (Atlanta, Ga.)

High Jump:  Tora Harris (Chula Vista, Calif.); Andra Manson (Austin, Texas); Keith Moffatt (Atlanta, Ga.)

Pole Vault:  *Brad Walker (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.); Jeremy Scott (Brookland, Ark.); Derek Miles (Tea, S.D.); Toby Stevenson (Chula Vista, Calif.)

Long Jump:  *Dwight Phillips (Snellville, Ga.); Brian Johnson (Zachary, La.); Miguel Pate (St. Francisville, La.)

Triple Jump:  Brandon Roulhac (Tallahassee, Fla.); Walter Davis (Baton Rouge, La.); Kenta Bell (Decatur, Ga.)

Shot Put: *Reese Hoffa (Athens, Ga.); Christian Cantwell (Columbia, Mo.); Dan Taylor (Mesa, Ariz.); Adam Nelson (Charlottesville, Va.)

Discus Throw: Casey Malone (Ft. Collins, Colo.); Jarred Rome (Chula Vista, Calif.); Ian Waltz (Chula Vista, Calif.)

Hammer Throw:  A.G. Kruger (Ashland, Ohio); Thomas Freeman (Westbury, N.Y.); Mike Mai (Santa Clara, Calif.)

Javelin Throw:  Chris Hill (Athens, Ga.); Mike Hazle (Chula Vista, Calif.); Sean Furey (San Diego, Calif.)

Decathlon:  Trey Hardee (Austin, Texas); Ashton Eaton (Eugene, Ore.); Jake Arnold (Tucson, Ariz.)

4x100m Relay Pool: Tyson Gay (Lexington, Ky.); Michael Rodgers (Round Rock, Texas); Darvis Patton (Grand Prairie, Texas); Monzavous "Rae" Edwards (Kansas City, Kan.); Travis Padgett (Marietta, Ga.); Shawn Crawford (Los Angeles); Terrence Trammell (Atlanta, Ga.); Wallace Spearmon (College Station, Texas)

4x400m Relay Pool: Jeremy Wariner (Waco, Texas); LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk, Va.); Gil Roberts (Oklahoma City, Okla.); Lionel Larry (Compton, Calif.); David Neville (Valencia, Calif.); Kerron Clement (Los Angeles); Bershawn Jackson (Savoy, Ill.); Angelo Taylor (Atlanta, Ga.)

Women

100m: Carmelita Jeter (Inglewood, Calif.); Muna Lee (College Station, Texas); Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.)

200m: *Allyson Felix (Los Angeles); Muna Lee (College Station, Texas); Marshevet Hooker (Pflugerville, Texas);  Charonda Williams (Richmond, Calif.)

400m: Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas);  Debbie Dunn (Norfolk, Va.);  Jessica Beard (Euclid, Ohio)

800m: Hazel Clark (Knoxville, Tenn.); Geena Gall (Ann Arbor, Mich.); Maggie Vessey (Soquel, Calif.)

1500m: Shannon Rowbury (San Francisco, Calif.) Christin Wurth-Thomas (Springdale, Ark.); Anna Willard (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.)

3000m Steeplechase:  Jenny Barringer (Boulder, Colo.); Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio); Lindsey Anderson (South Ogden, Utah)

5000m: Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.); Julie Culley (Arlington, Va.)

10,000m: Amy Yoder Begley (Beaverton, Ore.);  Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.);  Katie McGregor (St. Louis Park, Minn.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Marathon: Kara Goucher (Portland, Ore.); Desiree Davila (Rochester Hills, Mich.); Paige Higgins (Flagstaff, Ariz.); Zoila Gomez (Alamosa, Colo.); Tera Moody (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

100m hurdles:  *Michelle Perry (Santa Clarita, Calif.); Dawn Harper (Los. Angeles, Calif.); Ginnie Powell (Los Angeles, Calif.); Damu Cherry (Winter Garden, Fla.)

400m hurdles:  Lashinda Demus (Palmdale, Calif.); Sheena Tosta (Chula Vista, Calif.); Tiffany Ross-Williams (Kissimmee, Fla.)

20km race walk: Teresa Vaill (Gainesville, Fla.)

High Jump:  Chaunte Howard (Snellville, Ga.);  Amy Acuff (Isleton, Calif.); Sharon Day (Costa Mesa, Calif.)

Pole Vault:  Jenn Stuczynski (Churchville, N.Y.); Chelsea Johnson (Atascadero, Calif.);  Stacy Dragila (Chula Vista, Calif.)

Long Jump:  Brittany Reese (Gulfport, Miss.); Brianna Glenn (Chula Vista, Calif.);  Funmi Jimoh (Stanford, Texas)

Triple Jump:  Shakeema Welsch (Charlotte, N.C.); Erica McLain (Menlo Park, Calif.); Shani Marks (Brooklyn Park, Minn.)

Shot Put: Michelle Carter (Ovilla, Texas); Jillian Camarena (Tucson, Ariz.); Kristin Heaston (Opelika, Ala.)

Discus Throw: Stephanie Brown Trafton (Galt, Calif.); Aretha Thurmond (Opelika, Ala.); Becky Breisch (Chula Vista, Calif.)

Hammer Throw:  Jessica Cosby (Mission Hills, Calif.); Amber Campbell (Myrtle Beach, S.C.); Erin Gilreath (Munice, Ind.)

Javelin Throw:  Kara Patterson (West Lafayette, Ind.); Rachel Yurkovich (Eugene, Ore.)

Heptathlon:  Diana Pickler (Sachse, Texas); Sharon Day (Costa, Mesa, Calif.); Bettie Wade (Northville, Mich.)

4x100m Relay Pool: Carmelita Jeter (Inglewood, Calif.); Muna Lee (College Station, Texas); Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.); Alexandria Anderson (Austin, Texas); Jessica Young (Fort Worth, Texas); Shalonda Solomon (Inglewood, Calif.); Marshevet Hooker (Pflugerville, Texas); Charonda Williams (Richmond, Calif.); Allyson Felix (Los Angeles)

4x400m Relay Pool: Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas);  Debbie Dunn (Norfolk Va.);  Jessica Beard (Euclid, Ohio); Natasha Hastings (Los Angeles); Lashinda Demus (Palmdale, Calif.); Allyson Felix (Los Angeles)

*Denotes IAAF Wildcard as defending world champion

http://berlin.iaaf.org

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Kipsiro the standout in Uganda's Berlin line-up of 11 athletes


Kampala, Uganda - The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) has announced a team of 11 athletes to the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15–23 Aug).

The team is lead by 2007 Osaka World 5000m bronze medallist Moses Kipsiro, who was back into fine shape last week in Monaco winning the 3000m at the Super Grand Prix meeting (28 Jul) in a national record of 7:30.95.

Men

800m - Abraham Chepkiwrok
5000m - Moses Kipsiro, Geoffrey Kusuro
10,000m - Moses Kibet, Boniface Kiprop, Martin Toroitich
3000m Steeplechase - Simon Ayeko, Kiplagat Benjamin
Marathon - Nicholas Kiprono, Amos Masai, Simon Rugut  

Women

Marathon - Jane Suuto

http://berlin.iaaf.org

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Spain sends 51 to Berlin


The Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) will send 51 athletes (35 men and 16 women) to the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15–23 Aug).

The team is led by its three medallists from Osaka 2007, silver medallist Javier ‘Paquillo Fernández’ (20km Race Walk), and bronze medallists Mayte Martínez (800m) and María Vasco (20km Race Walk).

One of the country’s other main medal chances in Berlin rest on the current world season leader in the women's 3000m Steeplechase, Marta Domínguez.

Team (Season Bests in brackets)

Men

100m: Ángel Rodríguez (10.41)
200m: Ángel Rodríguez (20.88)
800m: Manuel Olmedo (1:45.91), Luis Alberto Marco (1:46.47)
1500m: Reyes Estévez (3:38.63), Juan Carlos Higuero (3:32.59), Arturo Casado (3:34.05)
5000m: Alemayehu Bezabeh (13:10.10), Jesús España (13:10.73), Sergio Sánchez (13:21.79)
10,000m: Carlos Castillejo (27:48.80), Ayad Lamdassem (27:52.04), Manuel Penas (27:58.76)
Marathon: Chema Martínez (2h11:11), Rafael Iglesias (2h11:51), Pedro Nimo (2h12:10)
110m hurdles: Jackson Quiñónez (13.45), Felipe Vivancos (13.60)
3000m Steeplechase: José Luis Blanco (8:19.69), Eliseo Martín (8:22.63), Ángel Mullera (8:22.75)
High Jump: Javier Bermejo (2.28)
Long Jump: Luis Felipe Méliz (7.66)
Triple Jump: Andrés Capellán (16.24)
Shot Put: Manuel Martínez (20.39), Borja Vivas (20.01)
Discus: Mario Pestano (66.63), Frank Casañas (67.17)
Hammer: Javier Cienfuegos (74.77)
20km Race Walk: Javier ‘Paquillo Fernández’ (1h19:57), Juan Manuel Molina (1:23.02), José Ignacio Díaz (1h22:17)
50km Race Walk: Jesús Ángel García Bragado (3h46:27), Mikel Odriozola (3h53:13), Alejandro Cambil (3h53:51)
Decathlon: Agustín Félix (7789 p)


Women

800m: Mayte Martínez (2:00.21)
1500m: Natalia Rodríguez (4:04.82), Nuria Fernández (4:02.43), Iris Fuentes-Pila (4:05.57)
5000m: Judit Plá (15:31.68)
400m Hurdles: Laia Forcadell (57.85)
3000m Steeplechase: Marta Domínguez (9:09.39),  Eva Arias (9:32.48), Diana Martín (9:43.11)
Marathon: Alessandra Aguilar (2h29:01)
High Jump: Ruth Beitia (2.01)
Pole Vault: Naroa Agirre (4.36)
Javelin: Mercedes Chilla (61.76)
Hammer: Berta Castells (68.06)
20km Race Walk: María Vasco (1h:32.53), Beatriz Pascual (1h29:54)

http://berlin.iaaf.org

amazed

World Athletics Championships: Beijing defeat is Allyson's Berlin inspiration
2009/08/16



REIGNING world 200m champion Allyson Felix said on Friday she will use her defeat in last August's final at the Beijing Olympics to help her bid for gold at the World Athletics Championships here.

At the 2007 worlds in Osaka, Allyson defended the 200m crown she first won in Helsinki in 2005, but her arch-rival Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica has walked off with the gold medals over 200m at the last two Olympic Games.

Jamaica's sprinters swept the board at the women's 100m in Beijing and Allyson is hoping her United States team can ruin the gold and green sprint party at Berlin's Olympic Stadium when the 200m heats start on Wednesday.

"The Jamaican success in Beijing was obvious," said Allyson, who took silver in the Chinese capital behind 200m winner Veronica and Kerron Stewart in bronze.
[/table]

Allyson Felix

"I had a disappointing time at the Olympics, but I've tried to learn a lot from it and take away a few positive things.

"It made my season start a bit slowly this year, because I took a lot of time off, but I feel fit and rejuvenated and looking forward to these world championships."

While Veronica has two Olympic 200m crowns, Allyson is bidding for her third straight world title and she says the Jamaican is the biggest threat to her hat-trick attempt.

"My main competition is Veronica Campbell-Brown, she is reigning Olympic champion and I am excited about another chance to race her again," said Allyson.

Allyson comes to Berlin having run the fastest time in the world this season when she clocked 21.88 seconds in Stockholm last month, but insists Florence Griffith-Joyner's record of 21.34 set at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 is outside her reach.

"I would love to set a new world record, but it is a long way out there and you have to take baby steps at a major championships," said the American. -- AFP

[table]

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REKOD DUNIA LAGI 100m Lelaki

Usain Bolt - 9.58

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Bolt again! 9.58 World record in Berlin! - UPDATED



16 August 2009 - Berlin, Germany – With a performance that defies the imagination, Usain Bolt set a new 100m World record of 9.58 on the second evening of the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

The 22-year-old Jamaican knocked a mind-numbing 0.11 second from the 9.69 record he set at the Olympic Games in Beijing exactly one year ago today. One can only imagine where he’ll be and how fast he’ll run on 16 August of next year.

"I was definitely ready for the World record and I did it," Bolt said. "I didn't think I could run a tenth (of a second) faster than my World record, but for me, anything is possible."

His was the largest chunk ever – by far – to be sliced from the 100m World record. Previously, both he and Maurice Greene shaved 0.05 from the standard to earn the moniker of World’s Fastest Man. A few days ago, Greene suggested that Bolt and other top sprinters weren’t currently on the same planet. Bolt’s performance this evening gave Greene’s assessment an otherworldly ring of truth.

So profound was Bolt’s achievement that defending champion Tyson Gay clocked a sensational 9.71 in second, a national record, that was just 0.02 shy of the previous World mark. And the American, who is now the second fastest man in history, was nowhere near the Jamaican when the finish line was crossed.

"I'm disappointed to have lost the race, but i ran my fastest time," Gay said.

Not the quickest from the blocks, Bolt nonetheless took control some 30 metres into the race and continued onward to forge through territory not even the most passionate observers would have imagined before this evening. It was a run similar to his emphatic victory in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium a year ago, with two distinct differences: this time Bolt ran hard to the line, and this time he'll collect a $100,000 World record bonus.

But the show’s not over. Both Bolt and Gay will meet again in the 200m, which starts on Tuesday (18 Aug).

Bolt’s compatriot, the former World record holder Asafa Powell took bronze for the second consecutive championships, in 9.84.

"I'm so excited about Usain's run tonight, it is great to be part of this," said Powell, who's personal best is 9.72. "Usain showed us that it is possible."

Further back was the second wave, led by Antiguan Dan Bailey who was fourth in 9.93, just ahead of Olympic silver medallist Richard Thompson of Trinidad who was credited with the same time.

Dwain Chambers of Great Britain was sixth in 10.00, edging the second Trinidadian in the race, Marc Burns, who also stopped the clock in 10.00.

* pending the usual ratification procedures

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

amazed

Catatan 49.00s julang Richards


RICHARDS meraikan kejayaannya selepas memenangi acara 400m kelmarin.




BERLIN - Pemenang pingat gangsa Sukan Olimpik 2008, Sanya Richards mencatat masa terpantas acara 400 meter wanita tahun ini ketika menjuarai acara itu pada Kejohanan Olahraga Dunia kelmarin.

Pelari Amerika Syarikat berusia 24 tahun itu menamatkan acara sepusingan itu dengan masa 49.00 saat, sekali gus mengatasi atlet Jamaica, Shericka Williams (49.32s) dan Antonina Krivoshapka dari Rusia yang mencatat 49.71s.

Richards juga berjaya menewaskan pemenang emas Sukan Olimpik dari Britain, Christine Ohurougu yang sekadar menduduki tempat kelima dengan masa 50.21s.

"Ia adalah larian yang cukup hebat," jelas Sanya.

"Saya cukup teruja kerana saya akhirnya dapat menaiki podium utama dalam acara ini. Ia adalah satu pengalaman yang istimewa."

Sebelum ini, Richards gagal melayakkan diri ke Kejohanan Dunia tahun 2007, selain tewas kepada Ohuruogu pada Sukan Olimpik di Beijing tahun lalu.

Bagi Ohuruogu pula, catatan 50.21s yang dilakukannya kelmarin adalah masa peribadi terbaiknya untuk tahun ini.
"Saya memang kecewa dengan keputusan ini," ujarnya.

"Saya rasa, Sanya Richards berjaya mempamerkan larian menakujubkan kali ini dan dia juga telah mencatat masa yang cukup baik."

Melengkapkan hari cemerlang Amerika ialah kejayaan Kerron Clement mempertahankan pingat emasnya dalam acara 400m lari berpagar.

Clement yang juga pemenang perak Sukan Olimpik mencatat masa terbaik tahun ini dengan 47.91s untuk mengatasi pelari Puerto Rico, Javier Culson (48.09s) dan rakan senegaranya, Bershawn Jackson (48.23s).

Dengan kejayaan itu, Amerika kini melonjak ke tangga teratas pungutan pingat dengan tiga emas, diikuti Jamaica dan Rusia dengan masing-masing dua emas.
- Reuters

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BOLT pecah REKOD DUNIA LAGI dlm acara 200m Lelaki

19.19saat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Bolt again, and again! 19.19 World record in Berlin



20 August 2009 - Berlin, Germany - Just when you thought Usain Bolt could not surprise any more, he only goes and runs another World record - this time over 200m.

Bolt's winning time - 19.19* - looks more like a grandparent's year of birth than a time for the 200m, but although it may take a while to digest, those are the new World record figures.

Former 200m World record-holder Michael Johnson had said earlier in the day that he felt Bolt was too tired to improve on the record of 19.30. But then again, Bolt does not know the meaning of fatigue.

Back in 1996 when Johnson set the world record of 19.32, it was widely acknowledged as one of the toughest records on the books. Bolt bettered it in Beijing, of course, but with this latest improvement it must surely be considered one of the greatest performances of all time, along with his 9.58* in the 100m last Sunday.

When Bolt set his sprint World records in Beijing, he was clearly trying harder in the 200m compared to his easing-down exploits in his 9.69 run over 100m. But the -0.9m/s wind reading in the Beijing 200m final gave hope that, in better conditions, Bolt would be capable of improving the record in better conditions.

So with the promise of another momentous performance from Bolt - along with the highly anticipated High Jump duel between Blanka Vlasic and Ariane Freidrich - the Berlin Olympic stadium was near capacity.

And Bolt did not disappoint.

But his crack at breaking the record was almost over before it even began. Frenchman David Alerte false-started and Bolt registered a slow reaction of 0.345. Fortunately, he had another attempt to start and at the second time of asking he absolutely nailed it - 0.133, the fastest reaction of the field.

The lanky Jamaican flew around the bend and was surged into the lead as he shot into the home straight. At half way, Shawn Crawford of the USA was in a clear silver medal position.

But while Bolt maintained - and extended - his lead, Crawford was being caught by Panama's Alonso Edward and US team-mate Wallace Spearmon.

Bolt streaked ahead to stop the clock at 19.20, later rounded down to 19.19, while Edward and Spearmon succeeded in catching Crawford. Edward, who came into this year with a 20.62 PB, registered a South American Area record of 19.81 in second place and at 19 years old became the youngest ever World medallist in the men's 200m. His time is also a world age-19 best, breaking the 19.88 set by Bolt in 2006. And anyone who breaks one of Bolt's records is certainly set for a bright future.

Spearmon won his second successive World 200m bronze with a time of 19.85 - his third best ever clocking - while Crawford tightened up on the line with a time of 19.89.

It was the first time in history that four men had dipped under 19.90 in the same race and also the first time in which five men had broken 20 seconds.

Whoever said Berlin was a slow track?

Certainly not Bolt. While speaking to track-side interviewers after his lap of honour, he said: "It wasn't a good race, but it was a fast one."

Indeed it boiled down to a race between Bolt and the clock, and his winning margin of 0.62 seconds is by far the biggest in World Championships history.

Rounding out the top eight were Jamaican Steve Mullings (19.98) in fifth, Charles Clark of the USA in sixth (20.39), Azerbaijan youngster Ramil Guliyev in seventh (20.61) and Alerte in eighth with 20.68.

Bolt improved his previous 200m World record by 0.11, the same amount of time he chopped off his 100m record on Sunday. But, as was the case in Beijing, he ran tonight's race into a headwind (-0.3m/s), which again begs the question - can he go quicker in better conditions?

For his efforts here tonight, Bolt bagged $160,000 to add to his 100m winnings of $160,000 (both prize packets include the $100,000 World record bonus from TDK). That's roughly $11,123 for each second of his 100m and 200m performances combined.

Of course there will always be the speculation of what defending champion Tyson Gay could have achieved if he had accepted his place in the 200m. No doubt, he would have been Bolt's closest challenger, but even Gay himself would probably admit that 19.19 is just a little beyond what he is currently capable of.

It could prove to be beyond what any other human is capable of for years to come. Any human, that is, but the man himself - Usain Bolt.

Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF

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Women's High Jump - Final



It promised to be the most compelling head-to-head battles of the World championships, and the women’s High Jump certainly delivered in every respect.

Blanka Vlasic became just the second woman to win back-to-back World titles in the event, but it didn’t come easily and without some of the most dramatic and theatrical moments of these championships.

The Croatian’s biggest obstacle was German star Ariane Friedrich, whose national record leap of 2.06m at the ISTAF meeting at this very stadium back in June, when she defeated Vlasic, guaranteed a sell-out on the sixth day of competition.

But also arriving very prepared, as is her norm, was Russian Anna Chicherova, who finished second to Vlasic in Osaka two years ago, and third behind the Croatian in Beijing last year.

Together, the trio played lead roles in a competition that they, along with the capacity crowd in Olympic Stadium, will not soon forget.

Vlasic and Chicherova opened their competition at 1.87m, Friedrich at 1.92m, with easy first attempt clearances. While Friedrich passed the next height, 1.96m, Vlasic sailed over on her first try, while Chicherova need a second go.

At 1.99m, Chicherova was first to clear, followed by Friedrich and then Vlasic who brushed the bar but it stayed on. Italy’s Antonietta Di Martino, who shared the silver in Osaka with the Russian, needed a pair of tries, while Spaniard Ruth Beitia need all three before moving on. In between, Usain Bolt lifted the drama to a fever pitch with his mind-boggling and indescribable 19.19 World record in the 200m. With that out of the way,

2.02m would decide the medals. Chicherova forged into the lead with her first attempt clearance, putting the pressure on Vlasic and Friedrich. Vlasic didn’t fly clear until her second try while Friedrich, after a pair of sub-par efforts, went clean on her third try. The roar of the crowd was immeasurable.

While 2.04m proved too much for Chicherova, Vlasic took command with a second attempt clearance. Friedrich missed twice, forcing the only card she had left, and saved her last try for a PB-equalling 2.06m. She made a solid effort but missed by the slightest of margins, sealing the vitory for Vlasic.

“I didn’t expect 2.04m to be enough for the victory,” said Vlasic, who has sailed over 2.05 this season. “These championships were perfect and I was ready to give everything from myself.”

Chicherova, who was largely ignored in the lead-in to the championships, won her second consecutive silver in her fourth successive World championships appearance. Friedrich had to settle for the bronze on her first World championships stage.

“I had so much pressure,” said Friedrich, who was among the most prominent faces of the championships. “It was so loud in the stadium. I’ve never experience anything like it before.”

Vlasic then bowed out with three attempts at a would-be 2.10m World record, but the adrenaline was gone. But the gold wasn’t.

Di Martino had to settle for fourth, just ahead of Beitia on the countback. Topping out at 1.96m, Russian Svetlana Shkolina was sixth, with American Chaunte Howard Lowe and Swede Emma Green, the silver and bronze medallists in 2005, tying for seventh.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

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Men's 110m Hurdles - Final



Okay, hands up. Who believed before this week that Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados would win the World 110m Hurdles title?

It would not be prudent to call his victory lucky or a "fluke" - a better way of looking at it is that he simply took advantage of a situation in which World record-holder Dayron Robles and defending champion Liu Xiang of China were absent - something which other more established stars were unable to do.

US duo Terrence Trammell and David Payne had the misfortune of continuing their trend of picking up minor medals at global championships and replicated their 2-3 finish from the last IAAF World Championships in Osaka.

Brathwaite had impressed the most in the heats and semis, but he had never before made the final of a senior global championships, so it was still unknown as to how he would cope with the occasion and his new-found favourites tag.

But the 2005 World Youth silver medallist more than 'coped'. Brathwaite clipped the first hurdle and had the slowest reaction time (0.157), but his start was solid nonetheless. Payne and Trammell, who flanked Brathwaite in lanes three and five respectively, matched the man from Barbados stride-for-stride, hurdle-for-hurdle. It was a three-way battle for the three pieces of precious metal.

Coming off the final hurdle, you could have thrown a blanket over the leading trio, but on inspection of the photo finish and slow-mo replay, Brathwaite had won it on a well-timed lean.

His reward was threefold - a gold medal, a national record, and $60,000 in prize money. Trammell and Payne both clocked 13.15, but the former was awarded silver.

Britain's William Sharman was arguably the second biggest surprise performer of the race. The former decathlete came into 2009 with a PB of 13.49 which dated back to 2006. He improved that to 13.44 in late July and earned a last-minute selection to the British team.

Here in Berlin he ran 13.52 to finish third in his heat, before storming to a semi final victory in a PB of 13.38 earlier this evening. Proving it was no fluke, Sharman impressed further in the final and was just a stride behind the leaders, crossing the tape in fourth with another PB of 13.30, taking him to fifth on the UK all-time list.

Evergreen Maurice Wignall, the consummate championship performer from Jamaica, once again raised his game to clock a season's best of 13.31 in fifth place. Petr Svoboda of the Czech Republic was sixth in 13.38, while Dwight Thomas of Jamaica was seventh (13.56), one hundredth ahead of eight-placer Ji Wei of China.

Brathwaite is the first ever World champion in any athletics event from Barbados. He is also the youngest ever World 110m Hurdles champion, which is quite an accolade given the dearth of young talent we have seen in recent years - namely Xiang, Robles and Ladji Doucoure.

Robles, meanwhile, will have to wait another two years to get another chance to win his first World Championships. But given the way Brathwaite has improved in the past 12 months and raised his game here in Berlin, even a fully-fit Robles and Xiang could have their work cut out to take on Brathwaite in 2011.

Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF

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Women's 400m Hurdles - Final



In sports what people think will happen often doesn’t came true. American Lashinda Demus seemed to be the only favourite for the women’s 400m Hurdles final even with the reigning Olympic champion, Jamaica’s Melaine Walker in the race.

Walker seemed to be playing second fiddle for the whole season, but the Olympic champion came through again almost breaking the World record in 52.42, only 0.08 secs off the six-year-old 52.34 record held by Russian Yuliya Pechonkina and naturally a Commonwealth record as well as a World championships record.

The race started with Demus and Walker both going out fast followed by Josanne Lucas of Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaican Kaliese Spencer. In the final curve Demus moved to the lead and was leading at eighth hurdle, but when Walker started to catch up with her, Demus stuttered badly in the 9th and 10th hurdles and Beijing winner Walker had a clear path to take another title.

Although Walker came to Berlin only with a 54.20 season’s best from Monaco it was they way she reached that result that suggested she could ran much faster here. In Monaco, where Demus ran the previously World leading 52.63, Walker was close to the American in final curve but badly hit the seventh hurdle almost falling down and still recording a season’s best and second place in the end.

In the Berlin race Josanne Lucas finished fast to set a huge national record shaving a massive 0.78 seconds off the earlier record she set in the semis here. Kaliese Spencer set a personal best 53.56 for fourth place with American Tiffany Williams in fifth place clocking a 53.83 season’s best.

Mirko Jalava for the IAAF

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Women's 200 Metres - Final



One, two, three. Take that!

Allyson Felix made history as the first woman to land three successive individual IAAF World Championship track titles with an emphatic victory inside a chilly Berlin Olympic Stadium.

The US athlete cantered to a golden hat-trick of world 200m titles and rarely looked troubled, cruising to victory in 22.02.

Behind the dazzling Felix, Jamaica's Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown held on for a brave silver in 22.35 with Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas snatching the bronze medal in 22.41 from the American Muna Lee (22.48) in a close battle.

The performance by Felix might not have quite matched the jaw-dropping brilliance of Usain Bolt over the same distance yesterday but in many ways Felix is proving just as dominant, at least at World Championships.

She is aged just 23 yet has already amassed five world titles - besides her three 200m title she also bagged 4x100m and 4x400m gold at the 2007 edition of the World Championships in Osaka.

So which was the most memorable of her three World 200m titles?

"They are different but this one happened in a stadium with a lot of history, so this is something special for me," said Felix.

The versatile sprinter, who is also a world-class 100m and 400m athlete, has spent much of the season fine-tuning her preparations over those distances, although her world leading 21.88 clocking in Stockholm in her final pre-Berlin 200m outing suggested she was the gold medal favourite.

Her main rival, the Olympic champion, Campbell-Brown by contrast had endured a fractured season hampered by a number of injury niggles and she entered the final with heavy strapping on both legs.

As the athletes finally took to their blocks, some 45 minutes after the scheduled start time following an earlier torrential downpour, the temperature had also plummeted to a chilly 17c.

Campbell-Brown needed every advantage in her favour if she was to seriously threaten Felix and the Jamaican was at least given lane five, one inside Felix.

And it was Campbell-Brown who made a blistering start and closed down some of the stagger on her American rival during the first quarter of the race. The Jamaican duo Simone Facey and Anniesha McLaughlin also ran a solid bend but by the home stretch there was nothing to separate the 'big two.'

Behind Lee had started to make her move and advanced into the bronze medal position from lane three with Ferguson-McKenzie fourth.

With 50m to go, however, Campbell-Brown's resistance was broken as Felix opened up a slight lead and then bossed the remainder of the race.

The Los Angeles-born athlete's long, flowing stride ate up the ground and with every step she extended her advantage. It looked supremely effortless.

Campbell-Brown tied up badly over the final 30m but held on for a silver to match her performance from the last World Championships in Osaka two years ago.

Meanwhile, a terrific late charge by Ferguson-McKenzie, training partner to Campbell-Brown, gave the 2001 World 200m champion a bronze medal at the age of 33.

Lee, who had looked the likely minor medallist for the much of the home straight had to settle for a frustrating fourth - her same finishing position as at last year's Beijing Olympic Games.

Locked in their own private battle for fifth - McLaughlin edged Facey with 22.62 to 22.80, respectively. Great Britain's Emily Freeman took seventh in 22.98 with Eleni Artymata making history as the first Cypriot women to reach a World Championship final in eighth (23.05).

But this race was all about Felix, again. What price a four-timer in Daegu, South Korea in 2011?

Steve Landells for the IAAF

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Men's 400 Metres - Final



Continuing the momentum that took him to the Olympic title one year ago, LaShawn Merritt took his first world 400m title in dominating fashion.

Taking control with a superb sustained drive between 200 and 300 metres, the 23-year-old American crusied to an overwhelming victory in 44.06, supplanting his own world-leading 44.37 from the semi-finals.

While it wasn’t quite as fast, the race at the front was very much like last year’s Olympic final, with the focus clearly on the American pair of Merritt, and two-time defending World champion Jeremy Wariner, who were meeting on the track for the first time this season. The lanky Texan ran a solid first half, certainly his finest of the season, and for a moment, a fleeting one, appeared even with Merritt as the pair approached the final straight.

But, like at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest, it was over the final 85 metres where Merritt’s closing strength prevailed.

“Wariner is a great champion, but I really wanted it,” said Merritt, who dedicated the victory to Jesse Owens, his family and his friends. “At 300 I felt good and at 350 I knew I had it.” Merritt is now undefeated over the distance this season in seven competitions.

Wariner was well back in second, clocking a season’s best 44.60. But Wariner, who clocked sub-44 in each of his two previous runs to World championships gold, is a shadow of his former self this season. An ankle injury in late spring led to lost training time and a lack of race sharpness.

Fortunately for Wariner, much of the world lags well behind this season, and his silver medal position was never threatened.

Renny Quow of Trinidad was equally unpressed to take third in 45.02. For only the second time in the history of the World championships – the last was at the inaugural edition in 1983 – a sub 45 wasn’t required to take the bronze. In fairness to the runners, an hour-long delay due to torrential rains, along with rapidly cooling temperatures, didn’t make for ideal conditions.

Further back, Tabarie Henry of the US Virgin Islands was fourth ahead of Bahamian Chris Brown 45.42 to 45.47.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

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Men's High Jump - Final




The start of the men’s High Jump final did not promise much. It was probably the delay because of the rain that soaked the stadium when the competition should have started which made most of the jumpers look a bit weary to say the least.

For a moment it seemed like medals would be decided way too early with all jumpers missing their first tries at 2.28m, but fortunately the second and third rounds of attempts had four athletes clearing this height.

All of the favourites cleared 2.23m with their first jumps expect World leading (co-leader with Andra Manson and Yaroslav Rybakov) Ivan Ukhov who cleared this height with his second attempt. But 2.28m, the next height, was surprisingly too much for the Russian who had jumped 2.40m indoors to win the European indoor title this winter.

In the competition which seemed to lack something for many top names 2.28m was too high also for Swede Linus Thörnblad, Andra Manson, the American with the co-world lead 2.35m and Czech Jaroslav Baba.

With Russian, also with 2.35m this season, Yaroslav Rybakov and a real surprise name, European U23 champion, just 20-year-old Sylwester Bednarek of Poland over 2.28m with their second tries, German Raul Spank and Kyriakos Ioannou of Cyprus, the bronze medallist from Osaka 2007, joined them in third try. For Bednarek this was already an equal personal best and Rybakov was leading the competition at this stage with Bednarek in second and Spank and Ioannou tied for the third place.

The seasoned Russian did what he had to and cleared the next height 2.32m in his first jump forcing the others to go  over next height as well if they wanted to win today. Rybakov, who had so often been the best man in gold medal celebrations with three silvers from previous World championships in 2001, 2005 and 2007, was finally in the driver’s seat this time.

But the 25-year-old Cypriot Ioannou answered in the first round too clearing 2.32m and moving to second place in the competition. German Spank, jumping as first in every round, equalled his personal best with his second jump but shockingly the young Pole followed his example adding a massive four centimetres to his personal best 2.28m which he had already equalled in this competition and cleared 2.32m with his second try as well and equal third place with the German.

The competition then moved to 2.35m and although there were many good jumps none of the competitors were able to get over the bar and Rybakov finally got a golden medal in addition to the three silvers he had won earlier. The Russian did have a gold indoors 2006 and three silvers indoors as well. Ioannou now has two medals from the last two champs with Raul Spank getting his first major medal and first German medal in this event for eight years since Martin Buss won in Edmonton 2001. Bednarek, the one medallist who very few would have picked, was the first Polish high jumper to win a medal since Artur Partyka’s silver medal in Athens 1997.

Naturally the medal was a first for Bednarek as well as this was his first major championships outdoors. The Pole was very talented as a youngster too already clearing 2.22m as a 16-year-old in 2005, and won a silver medal at the 2008 World junior championships in Bydgoszcz.

Mirko Jalava for the IAAF

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Women's Discus Throw - Final



Producing one of the biggest surprises of the World championships, Dani Samuels clinched the title in the Discus Throw, the first in the event for Australia.

The 21-year-old, who took the World junior title three years ago, took the competition with a dramatic 65.44m throw in the fifth round. It was the second personal best for Samuels on the soggy evening, the first coming in the fourth round when she threw 64.76m. Before tonight, her best was 62.96m from 2008. The hour-long delay and rapidly cooling conditions obviously didn’t affect the precocious Aussie’s breakout on the world’s biggest stage.

Opening with a foul, her follow-up toss of 59.05m in the second round didn’t raise too many eyebrows, but a near-PB 62.71m in the third showed that at the very least, she was looking to impress.

In the meantime, the competition was dominated by Romanian Nicoleta Grasu from her second round 65.20m toss, a season’s best for the 37-year-old three-time World medallist.

Cuban Yarelis Barrios, the Olympic silver medallist and bronze medallist in Osaka two years ago, opened with a solid 64.44m throw showing that she arrived in the German capital very well prepared.

Grasu led until Samuels big toss in the fifth round, with the Cuban third. Samuels’ effort apparently took the wind out of Grasu’s sails, who fouled on her final throw. But conversely, Barrios kept fighting, and improved to 65.31m with her final throw to snatch the silver from Grasu.

The trio were head and shoulders ahead of the rest. Poland’s Zaneta Glanc was fourth with a 62.66m best, followed by China’s Aimin Song (62.42m) and German Nadine Muller sixth, reaching 62.04m.

The biggest disappointment was Olympic champion Stephanie Brown Trafton, who was last in the field of 12. Her best effort in two fair throws was just 58.53m.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

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Men's Pole Vault - Final



There comes a time in most athletes' careers when an injury forces them to cut their losses and forego competing in a championship. There are other times, however, when sheer guts and bloody-mindedness shines through.

Against conventional wisdom, Olympic champion Steve Hooker did precisely the latter and overcame a torn adductor and a neural problem in his upper quad to land the gold medal in a dramatic Pole Vault final.

Hooker stuck with the plan he adopted in qualifying by opting to enter at whatever height would be needed to finish in the top three. Given the severity of his injury, the Australian likely would have settled for any colour medal. But Hooker was playing a risky game - especially when six-metre-man Renaud Lavillenie was in the field.

All three Frenchman - Lavillenie, Romain Mesnil and Damiel Dossevi - were the only athletes to clear 5.55m and 5.65m at the first time of asking as they shared an early lead.

Meanwhile Derek Miles of the USA, fourth at the Olympics last year, was the first man to exit the competition, failing three times at the opening height of 5.50m.

As the bar moved up to 5.65m, five more of the 15 finalists were wiped out as Kevin Rans of Belgium, Malte Mohr of Germany, Alhaji Jeng of Sweden, Viktor Chistiakov of Russia and Daichi Sawano of Japan were made to pack away their poles. Nine men were left.

The flying Frenchman surrendered their shared lead at the next height as Ukraine's Maksim Mazuryk cleared 5.75m on his first attempt, as did Alexander Gripich, a PB for the Russian.

Lavillenie, Mesnil and Dossevi all failed on their first tries at this height, but it was Dossevi - the least favoured of the team - who cleared 5.75m on his second attempt to set a PB. Lavillenie pulled out a clutch third-time clearance, while Germany's Alexander Straub and Britain's Steve Lewis exited at this height. Mesnil skipped to the next height. Hooker did likewise.

Lavillenie regained his lead as he flew over 5.80m, but it was short-lived as Mesnil - who had a better count-back record - also cleared it and took pole position.

Former World champion Giuseppe Gibilisco failed on his first go at this height, and with two previous failures at 5.75m it was the end of the road for the Italian. Mazuryk had one miss and then skipped to 5.85m, while Dossevi and Gripich took three unsuccessful jumps and waved goodbye to the competition.

The field was down to four as the bar moved up to 5.85m. A first-time clearance at this height would put Hooker among the medals. He watched Mazuryk fail and then took his place on the runway.

With the pain from his injuries being masked by a local anaesthetic, Hooker sped down the runway, planted his pole, and got over 5.85m - but then nudged the bar on the way down. He lay on the bed, a devastated and battered figure. But he was then sent a lifeline in the form of a failure by Lavillenie.

It was then the 'other' Frenchman - Mesnil - who succeeded at this height, maintaining his lead in the competition. Mazuryk took one more try, but it was not to be, signalling the end of the competition for the Ukrainian. He was in the bronze medal position, but it would take just one good jump from Hooker to nudge Mazurk out of the medals.

Hooker and Lavillenie decided to move the bar up to 5.90m. What was Hooker thinking? Surely this would all end in tears?

And indeed it did - but they were tears of joy. In what can only be described as a Hollywood ending, Hooker nailed a perfect 5.90m vault. Against all the odds, Hooker was in the gold medal position.

Suddenly the pressure was on Lavillenie and Mesnil, but they could not respond at either 5.90m or 5.95m. Hooker, having taken just two jumps in the final, held on to his lead.

His 5.85m was the highest ever opening height in global championship history, and his 5.90m jump is the highest ever first-time clearance height. Ordinarily, of course, vaulters would not play such a risky strategy. But then again, Hooker is no ordinary athlete, as he proved tonight.

Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF

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Women's 5000m - Final



Are we seeing a gradual shift in the power of women's distance running?

Like the 10,000m on the opening day of the championships it was Kenya and not Ethiopia who took gold as Vivian Cheruiyot led home a Kenyan one-two with Meseret Defar, the dethroned champion, taking only bronze.

Cheruiyot was simply too swift for the rest down the home straight as she out-kicked the opposition to win in 14:57.97 - the second slowest winning time in the history of the event at the World Championships.

Her compatriot Sylvia Kibet passed a fading Defar to snatch silver in 14:58.33 with Defar having to be satisfied with bronze 0.08 further back.

Vivian Cheruiyot became the first ever Kenyan athlete to lift this title and coming hot off the heels of her team-mate Linet Masai's triumph in the 10,000m it represents a major triumph for Kenya's women.

Ethiopia have been the dominant force in women's distance for more than a decade but this was the first time they have failed to win either a women's 5000m or 10,000m World Championship gold since 1997.

The bulk of the race - except perhaps the final stages - will not linger long in the memory, however.

Japan's Yurika Nakamura took the field through the first kilometre in 3:06.02 before Defar and then her countrywoman Sentayehu Ejigu took their turn at the front - the latter leading them through 2km in (6:11.04).

A phalanx of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners were prominent for much of the second half of the race but the pace was modest. Cheruiyot and her team-mates Kibet and Iness Chenonge all took a turn at the front but an illustration of the far from scintillating speed at the front was the fact with four laps remaining all the field - bar Hungary's Krisztina Papp who was out the back of the field - were still bunched together.

Cheruyiot chose to control the race from the front and with 800m left she led her two Kenyan team-mates, four Ethiopians - Defar, Ejigu, Genzebe Defar and Meselech Melkamu, the World 10,000m silver medallist, with the one non-African Sara Moreira of Portugal in a lead group of eight.

In was still Cheruiyot at the bell when, predictably, the fireworks began. The long-time leader as well as Defar and Kibet kicked well clear of the remainder and it was obvious with 250m left the battle for the medals would be determined between the trio.

Defar loomed on Cheruiyot's shoulder around the final bend and by the time the 2007 World Champion entered the home straight she held a two metre lead.

However, this was not to be the Defar of old who so often regularly extended her advantage. No, she took a concerned glance behind and for her it was to be 'groundhog day' and a virtual repeat of what happened in the 10,000m final on the opening night of the championships.

On that occasion she looked favoured to win coming off the final bend but faded to fifth.

Tonight Cheruiyot, the 2007 World silver medallist, would not be denied and slowly closed the gap on the Ethiopian. With 40m remaining the Kenyan edged ahead and Defar could not respond. It was Cheruyiot, who stands at just 1.55m tall, who was to be crowned champion.

A demoralised Defar slowed towards the line and Kibet, who had finished an agonising fourth in the 2007 World and 2008 Olympic finals, just pipped the Ethiopian for the sweetest of silvers.

Some way behind the three medallists, Sentayehu Ejigu of Ethiopia took fourth in 15:03.38 with her countrywoman Melkamu fifth in 15:03.72. The third of the Kenyans Iness Chenonge took sixth in 15:06.06. The top non-African was Italy's Silvia Weissteiner, who was seventh in a season's best of 15:09.74.

Steve Landells for the IAAF

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Men's Long Jump - Final



Dwight Phillips became the first man to regain the men's World long jump title and the oldest ever winner of the event as a second round leap of 8.54m was good enough to clinch gold.

The 2003 and 2005 champion suffered a couple of years in the doldrums but has looked like a man re-born this year. The US athlete produced the longest leap for 15 years with 8.74m earlier in the season and the 31-year-old lived up to expectations to land his third World gold.

Behind him South Africa's Godfrey Mokoena, the Olympic silver medallist, added to his growing collection by earning the same colour medal in Berlin with a best of 8.47m.

Australia grabbed their first World Championship medal as 21-year-old Mitchell Watt leapt out to 8.37m one place ahead of his compatriot Fabrice Lapierre (8.21m).

But there was to be no defence of the title for Panama's Irving Saldino, who has looked below his best this season. Three fouls in the final ended his interest as he failed to make the halfway cut.

In each of his previous two World Championship victories Phillips had led after round one and he maintained that positive omen by leaping to an impressive 8.40m.

Australia enjoyed a great first round as first Commonwealth bronze medal Fabrice Lapierre 8.21m and then Mitchell Watt 8.28m occupied the two minor medal positions after round one.

Irving Saladino, meanwhile, who had looked a little sluggish during qualifying signalled with first round jump he meant business. The leap looked in excess of 8.50m but was red flagged by the officials.

In round two Phillips then built on the foundations of an impressive first jump by soaring out to 8.54m in round two to further crank up the pressure in his rivals.

However, if he was expecting an easy ride he quickly had to reassess as Mokoena, the Olympic silver medallist, hit back with his joint second best ever jump of 8.47m to catapult into the silver medal position.

Already at this early stage of the competition two men had jumped beyond 8.34m - the relatively modest distance which won Saldino Olympic gold in Beijing last year.

The only other change in the top six was that Gable Garenomotse of Botswana nudged up to fifth in the overall standings with 8.04m while the pressure was mounting on Saladino as he committed a second successive foul.

In round three Phillips failed to add to his lead, although an 8.37m effort added to his already impressive series. Mokoena added a solid 8.31m to remain in silver medal position but the real drama in this round would centre on Saladino.

Facing intense pressure after two fouls, the Panamanian cracked. His foot landed only slightly over the plasticine, and although it was well over the 7.96m distance he needed to progress a third foul signalled an end to his competition.

Besides a distraught Saldino, America's Brian Johnson (7.86m), Yahya Berrabah of Morocco (7.83m) and Louis Tstoumas of Greece (7.59m) failed to make the halfway cut.

Greg Rutherford endured a piece of good fortune to scrape into the final eight. The British athlete had disputed the fact he was given a foul but despite losing his battle with officialdom he was soon to discover that modest 7.96m was good enough for three more jumps.

A laboured round four produced few sparks, although Salim Sdiri of France moved into the top five with a 8.07m effort. Of the top four the Aussie duo Lapierre and Watt both fouled while Mokoena (8.19m) and Phillips (8.25m) broke the sand with their shortest legitimate jumps of the competition.

Rutherford moved up to fifth in the final with 8.15m in round five but the most significant effort came with Watt who further cemented his hold on the bronze medal with a 8.37m jump.

The final round proved a bit of a damp squib. Only Rutherford managed to produce his best of the day but 8.17m was never likely to advance his fifth place position. Lapierre soared out to 8.20m to add to his consistent series but the top three were all red-flagged meaning no change to the medal positions.

This meant Watt for bronze, Mokoena for silver and Phillips for gold.

But it was Phillips who climbed to the top of the podium for the third time and he now surpasses his legendary countrymen Carl Lewis and Mike Powell, who were both two-time winners of this title.

Phillips also now shares the record as winning the most World Championship long jump medals with Ivan Pedroso. Phillips has three golds and one bronze compared to Pedroso's four gold medals. What price Phillips matches Pedroso's winning World Championship tally in 2011?

Steve Landells for the IAAF