Rate it!

0 votes

Olympic bronze medallist Bershawn Jackson ran the fastest 400 metres hurdles of the year at the US world athletics trials., 48.03 seconds, then predicted an American sweep at the world athletics championships in August.

"Most definitely a sweep," said the head-band wearing Jackson after his victory at the US trials.

"We have the greatest hurdlers in the world. I don't think other countries in the world can compete with America."

Young collegian Johnny Dutch claimed second with a lifetime best 48.18 with Olympic champion Angelo Taylor third in 48.30.

They will be joined on the US team for Berlin by world champion and Olympic silver medallist Kerron Clement, who has a bye to Berlin as the defending global champion. Clement finished third in the 400 metres.

Olympic heptathlon silver medallist Hyleas Fountain and sprint hurdler Lolo Jones crashed out of the world championships after failing to finish events.

Fountain, who had a big lead in the heptathlon, dropped out after re-aggravating a neck injury in the long jump, the fifth of the competition's seven events, meet officials said.

She hurt her neck during the high jump on Saturday.

Jones locked arms with world champion Michelle Perry at the fourth barrier and failed to finish her 100 metres hurdles semi-final.

Both will miss the Berlin championships since only the top three finishers in the US trials and defending world champions qualify for the American team.

"That just threw me off balance," Jones said.

"Probably if I had more race experience maybe I would have been able to control it and not been affected."

It was another heart-breaking moment for last year's top-ranked hurdler who stumbled at the penultimate hurdle while leading the Olympic final and finished seventh.

She has struggled with a hamstring injury this year but was expected to make the American team.

Damu Cherry had the fastest semi-final time, a wind-assisted 12.44 seconds, with Perry second in 12.48. Olympic champion Dawn Harper won the second semi-final in 12.53 seconds.

Reuters