LaShawn Merritt again proved his big-meet moxie to lead Americans to
four wins Saturday during day 1 competition at the World Athletics Final
in Stuttgart, Germany. He was joined on the winner's stand by fellow
Americans Sanya Richards, Bernard Lagat and Kerron Clement.
The Olympic Games and Olympic Trials men's 400m champion, Merritt in
2008 had won three times against 2004 Olympic gold medalist Jeremy
Wariner, with Wariner also winning three. On Saturday, Merritt broke the
tie and kept his big-meet victories going, adding the World Athletics
Final to his yearly achievements to take the three biggest titles of the
year. Trailing Wariner in the straight, Merritt dove at the finish line
to beat Wariner by .01, with a time of 44.50 to Wariner's 44.51 in
somewhat chilly and gray conditions. Olympic 400m hurdles gold medalist
Angelo Taylor was fourth in 45.37.
Olympic 400m bronze medalist Sanya Richards won over a strong field in
the women's 200, taking the victory easily in 22.50 over Olympic Trials
third-place finisher Marshevet Hooker in second (22.69) and Olympic
silver medalist Kerron Stewart of Jamaica third in 22.72. Carmelita
Jeter was fifth (22.98) and Lauryn Williams sixth (23.30).
Double world champion Bernard Lagat posted another strong performance in
winning the men's 3,000m in 8:02.97, taking a technical race that came
down to Lagat's kick in the final 250 meters. Matt Tegenkamp was third
in 8:03.56 and Chris Solinsky was seventh in 8:04.78.
Olympic silver medalist Kerron Clement took the men's 400m hurdles in
48.96 seconds, just ahead of Danny McFarlane of Jamaica (49.00).
Americans Reuben McCoy (51.38) and LaRon Bennett (52.02) were seventh
and eighth, respectively.
World indoor champion Lolo Jones was narrowly nipped in the women's 100m
hurdles, placing second in 12.56 behind Josephine Onyia of Spain
(12.54). Olympic gold medalist Dawn Harper was fourth in 12.67, and 2004
Olympic gold medalist Joanna Hayes was eighth in 13.06.
Other American finishes included Olympic silver medalist Christian
Cantwell second in the men's shot put (20.73m/68-0.25), Dan Taylor third
(20.38m/66-10.5), Reese Hoffa fourth (20.37m/66-10) and Garrett Johnson
eighth (19.24m/63-1.5) behind gold medalist Tomasz Majewski of Poland
(20.88m/68-6). Jesse Williams was third in the men's high jump at
2.29m/7-6. Grace Upshaw was fifth in the women's long jump
(6.48m/21-3.25) and Funmi Jimoh eighth (6.00m/19-8.25) in the women's
long jump. Olympic Trials champion Shannon Rowbury was fifth (4:08.16)
and Erin Donohue eighth (4:08.64) in the women's 1,500. USA indoor
champion Michael Rodgers was sixth (10.27) in the men's 100; 2005 world
champion Walter Davis was fifth (16.94m/55-7) in the men's triple jump.
Elsewhere in competition, Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic set a
world record in the women's javelin with her throw of 72.28m/237-2 as
she won the competition by nine meters.
For complete results and event reports, visit IAAF.org.
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