(8-16-09) From USATF Press Release - Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay put on a remarkable display of speed and power in the men's 100m final Sunday evening at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics at the 1936 Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany.
In the most anticipated event at these Championships, Bolt, the reigning Olympic champion in the 100m and 200m from Jamaica, grabbed the lead early in the race and held it throughout before crossing the finishing line first and lowering his own world record from 9.69 seconds to a hard to imagine 9.58.
Gay (Clermont, Fla.), whose reaction time was slightly better than Bolt's (0.144 to 0.146) shattered his American record when he crossed the finish line in 9.71 seconds. Gay's previous AR was set at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene when he finished in 9.77 seconds.
Former Jamaican world record holder Asafa Powell finished third in a season's best 9.84, with 2008 Olympic Games finalist Darvis "Doc" Patton (Grand Prairie, Tex.) finishing eighth, as he did at the Beijing Olympics, in 10.34.
2009 USA Indoor and Outdoor champion Michael Rodgers (Round Rock, Tex.) bowed out of the 100m competition this evening after the first semifinal when he finished fifth in 10.04 seconds. 2009 USA Outdoor Championships third-place finisher Monzavous "Rae" Edwards (Kansas City, Ks.) finished sixth in the second semi in 10.14, and did not advance.
Day leads Team USA heptathletes
2008 Olympian, 2009 USA Outdoor heptathlon runner-up and 2005 NCAA high jump champion Sharon Day (Costa Mesa, Calif.) finished 10th this evening in the women's heptathlon. Day, who finished with a total of 6,126 points, posted a huge personal best in the javelin with a toss of 44.14 meters/144 feet 10 inch, which easily bettered her previous best of 40.62m/133-3 set at the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships in Eugene. Day will next compete in women's high jump qualifying on Tuesday morning.
2008 Olympian and 2009 USA champion Diana Pickler (Sachse, Tex.) finished 11th with 6,086 points, with 2009 USA Champs third-place finisher Bettie Wade (Northville, Mich.) 24th with 5,134 points
Women's shot put final
Two-time USA Outdoor champion Michelle Carter (Ovilla, Tex.) finished sixth in the final of the women's shot put with her third round throw of 18.96 meters/62 feet 2.50 inches. For Carter it was a huge step forward after placing 15th at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Clement, Jackson advance to men's 400m hurdles final
Reigning world champion and 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist Kerron Clement (Gainesville, Fla.) ran comfortably in heat 1 of the men's 400m hurdles semifinals, winning the race in his fastest time this year of 48.00 seconds. Clement, whose time was the fastest in two semifinals, will look to defend his world crown in Tuesday night's final.
Joining Clement on Tuesday will be 2005 world outdoor champion, 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and reigning USA Outdoor champion Bershawn "Batman" Jackson (Savoy, Ill.), who posted a win in the second semifinal in 48.23. 2009 USA Outdoor Championships runner-up Johnny Dutch (Clayton, N.C.) finished sixth in that race in 49.28 and will not advance.
Jeter, Williams, Lee move on
2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter (Los Angeles) flew out of the blocks in heat 4 of the women's 100m quarterfinals and was never challenged throughout the race. She crossed the finish line in 10.94 seconds (-0.4 mps), just missing her personal best time of 10.92 from her win in London on July 25. Jeter's performance was the second-fastest in round 2.
2005 world champion and '07 silver medalist Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.) got out well in heat 2 of the women's 100m quarterfinals and grabbed the lead halfway through the race. She gradually extended the lead the rest of the way before finishing first in 11.06 seconds, which is her fastest time this season.
Also turning in a season's best this evening was two-time Olympian Muna Lee (College Station, Texas), who finished third in heat 3. Lee crossed the finish line in 11.13 seconds, finishing just behind Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown (1st-10.99) and Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (11.08). The women's 100m semifinals and final will take place tomorrow evening.
Richards and Dunn aren't done yet
2008 Olympic bronze medalist and world ranked #1 Sanya Richards (Austin, Tex.) ran a blistering first 200 meters in heat 3 of the women's 400m semifinals. Richards built a huge lead before easing off the accelerator late in the race and crossing the finish line first in 50.21 seconds. Richards will move on to Tuesday evening's final along with 2009 USA Outdoor Championships runner-up Debbie Dunn (Norfolk, Va.), who finished third in the first semifinal in a new personal best time of 49.95. 2008 World Junior silver medalist Jessica Beard (College Station, Tex.) finished fifth in the first semifinal in 51.20 and will not advance.
Men triple jump qualifying
Reigning USA Indoor and Outdoor champion Brandon Roulhac (Tallahassee, Fla.) finished 14th in men's triple jump qualifying with a best of 16.94 meters/55 feet 7 inches.
Two-time Olympian and 2005 world outdoor champion Walter Davis (Baton Rouge, La.) qualified 22nd with a best of 16.62m/54-6.50 and Two-time Olympian and two-time Olympic finalist Kenta Bell (Decatur, Ga.) was 30th with a top effort of 16.32m/53-6.50.
Team USA Medal Table - 2009 World Championships in Athletics
Gold (1) Christian Cantwell (Columbia, Mo.), men's shot put, 22.03m/72-3.50
Silver (1) Tyson Gay (Clermont, Fla.), men's 100 meters, 9.71
For complete results, quotes and Team USA reports, visit www.usatf.org. Fans can watch Team USA on national television broadcasts on NBC and Versus, or online via live, daily Webcast at www.universalsports.com. For complete TV listings, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships/mediaCoverage.asp.
For more information on Team USA at the World Outdoor Championships, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships/.
