In the latest of our series in which athletes recall their World U18 Championships memories, USA's 2011 world 110m hurdles champion Jason Richardson reflects on winning the rarely achieved 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles double at the 2003 edition in Sherbrooke, Canada.
<h3>Before</h3>
&ldquo;Fun&rdquo; was the simple recipe for the tremendous success Jason Richardson enjoyed during an unforgettable 2003 campaign. The versatile hurdler &ndash; adept at both the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles &ndash; recalls experiencing an overwhelming feeling of excitement in the countdown to the 2003 IAAF World U18 Championships in Sherbrooke as he committed to competing in both hurdle events.
&ldquo;I was having so much fun on the track and I liked the fact, at that point in my career, I didn&rsquo;t have to pick an event,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;I just remember I had the ambition to run both events and it became a bit of a storyline and narrative of the championships.&rdquo;
Aged just 17 at the time, he recalls the thrill of receiving his first US team uniform.
&ldquo;It is an amazing feeling to represent your country at any level, but especially at such a young age,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;It gave me a preview that a professional career was a possibility.&rdquo;
<h3>During</h3>
Setting himself a demanding schedule of five races across three days of intense age-group competition was far from easy but the camaraderie enjoyed by Richardson and his fellow US teammates eased the burden of expectation.
&ldquo;There was a lot of crazy antics going on off the track, which you get with a bunch of adolescents,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;There was a lot of high school energy and I can say of all the teams I have made it was one of my favourites. I remember exchanging uniforms and doing a lot of off-track stuff you cannot really do at a senior level. It made for a much fuller and richer experience.&rdquo;
Yet he had one major factor he needed to contend with should he deliver on his ambitions of double gold: the height of the hurdles were lower in both events than he had been accustomed to that season.
&ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t used to the height, which meant I wasn&rsquo;t familiar with the rhythm and I had to find a way to navigate the speed and the different changes of height position. This was tough to do.&rdquo;
On his opening day of competition, Richardson made the perfect start, winning his 400m hurdles heat in a PB of 50.95 and later setting a lifetime best of 13.39 to place first in his first-round heat of the 110m hurdles. On day two he started out with a third successive victory, this time coming in the semi-final (51.30) of the 400m hurdles. But by the time of his 110m hurdles later that day, he started to feel the physical exertions of his demanding schedule.
&ldquo;I was cramping pretty badly when we had a false start,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;But it allowed me to stretch out the leg and shake out the cramp by the time I got back down on the blocks.&rdquo;&nbsp;
It was to prove his saving grace. In an electric final, Saudi Arabian hurdler Mubarak Al-Mabadi got off to a slick start and Richardson trailed over the first few hurdles until he established his full rhythm. By just beyond halfway he assumed control of the race and flashed across the line in a PB of 13.29 to strike gold by a victory margin of 0.12 from Al-Mabadi.
&ldquo;At the time, I probably didn&rsquo;t know what it meant to win, but in hindsight I had a much greater appreciation,&rdquo; he admits.
With the 400m hurdles to come the following day and feeling like the pressure was removed following his gold medals success in the 110m hurdles, he went into his second final of the championships in a relaxed state of mind.
He then delivered his second gold in a PB of 49.91 &ndash; a mark which still stands today as U18 No.3 all time for the 400m hurdles (competing over the 84cm hurdles).
His victory was the &ldquo;icing on the cake&rdquo; for the athlete raised in Cedar Hill, Texas, who had enjoyed an incredible meet.
&ldquo;I remember feeling really gratified and excited,&rdquo; he recalls. &ldquo;One of the team of USA coaches made sure I got back safely to the hotel and helped me recover. I made sure we all shared in the success. Back then, when you won a medal you wore it around your neck at the meet all the time!&rdquo;
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<h3>After</h3>
Describing his golden double at the 2003 World U18 Championships as &ldquo;setting the tone for the rest of my high school and the early part of my college career&rdquo;, there is little doubt the event in Quebec left a long impression on the man who would go on to win the 2011 world 110m hurdles title and 2012 Olympic 110m silver medal.
&ldquo;I ended up making lasting friendships on that team with the likes of Galen Rupp and Natasha Hastings, who are still present on the circuit today. Natasha and I would later go on to college together and so many other NCAA champions emerged from that team. In fact, so many athletes who came before or after me at the professional level enjoyed their first taste of success at the World Youth Championships.&rdquo;&nbsp;
It is an athletics competition he feels genuinely privileged to have experienced.
&ldquo;I recall being so grateful to Team USA and their coaching staff thinking, it is amazing as an American to have these resources and, because of this, I felt I had an obligation to do as well as I could. It was a great dress rehearsal for my professional career.&rdquo;
And for the athletes set to compete at the IAAF World U18 Championships Nairobi 2017 in July, Richardson has a simple message.
&ldquo;The best advice I can give is have as much fun as you can," he says. "But couple this with the seriousness of knowing that these meets have been the early steps for a lot of athletes on their path to greatness."
Steve Landells for the IAAF

In the latest of our series in which athletes recall their World U18 Championships memories, USA's 2011 world 110m hurdles champion Jason Richardson reflects on winning the rarely achieved 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles double at the 2003 edition in Sherbrooke, Canada.

World U18 memories – Jason Richardson

USA&rsquo;s 2011 world 110m hurdles champion Jason Richardson is one of the most profound and articulate athletes in the sport. Here the sprint hurdler talks about coming to terms with the realities of the business side of the sport.
<h3>The business world</h3>
&ldquo;Beyond an athletes&rsquo; ability to train and perform, another layer to track and field &ndash; which is rarely discussed &ndash; is the business side of the sport regarding coach exclusivity, sponsorship, branding and sponsor relationships.
&ldquo;The business of sport is not something you can push against; it is how the sport survives. It has allowed me to be a professional but it is something you have to navigate. It has definitely been the most difficult task I have faced in my time in the sport.&nbsp;
&ldquo;For many athletes coming out of the NCAA system into the professional, it can be a difficult transition. Often things don&rsquo;t pan out as you want them to. If you are really lucky, you will find a quality professional coach which you will have for many years. If you are fortunate to find this, you really want to bottle that magic.
&ldquo;Now I know at the end of 2013 I had to renegotiate my shoe contract and the new one I signed was starkly different to the old one. It was the right decision for me, but because of this it meant I needed to make some changes and I needed to rediscover the same magic elsewhere that I had enjoyed in LA.
&ldquo;In terms of dealing with the business side of the sport, I had to really ask myself what I wanted out of track and field. Some athletes want to make money, others want to win a lot of medals, and some are simply content to get out there and perform. The business portion impacts each of those. What was really important to me was doing the best I could in every situation, being respectful to the coaches, learning from them and fulfilling my sponsorship in the best way I could. This was to provide my framework for dealing with the business side of the sport.
&ldquo;The business of the sport can be difficult for some athletes, but it is the reality and it allows us to be professional. For me, it has been more a reminder as to how the real world works and as much as I love track and field, I can&rsquo;t run forever. It has allowed me to have a good understanding of how my post-track career might look and for that reason I am very grateful to track and field.&rdquo;
Steve Landells for the IAAF

USA’s 2011 world 110m hurdles champion Jason Richardson is one of the most profound and articulate athletes in the sport. Here the sprint hurdler talks about coming to terms with the realities of the business side of the sport.

My greatest challenge – Jason Richardson

US stars Allyson Felix and Jason Richardson have both confirmed that they are targeting making the host nation's team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships Portland 2016.Both athletes have been in the host city of the next World Indoor Championships &ndash; which will be held from 18-20 March with the pole vault competitions the day before on 17 March &ndash;&nbsp; for the past few days; firstly taking part in the production of a promotional video and then speaking to the local media.Four-time Olympic gold medallist Felix, who added the world 400m gold medal to her extensive list of accolades just over six weeks ago, said that she was examining &ldquo;what makes sense for the World Indoors&rdquo;. By her own admission, she has usually used the indoor season as a training and preparation period for her outdoor campaigns.However, she has competed at the IAAF World Indoor Championships twice before &ndash; in 2003 as a 17-year-old when she made the semi-finals of the 200m and in 2010 when she was part of the USA&rsquo;s victorious 4x400m team &ndash; and has given the championships a much higher priority this time around owing to it being on US soil for the first time since the inaugural edition of the event in 1987."I'm very excited about this event, and that it is here," she said. "I think it's about time."What event she will choose to contest next March is still undecided.<h3>Richardson looking to turn back the clock </h3>Richardson&rsquo;s event is far more clear-cut. The 2011 world 110m hurdles champion will try to qualify for his first World Indoor Championships in the 60m hurdles."The plan is to do World Indoors," he said. "But of course, the biggest goal of the year is the Olympics."Richardson has a best of 7.53 at the indoor discipline but that dates from his collegiate days back in 2008 and just making the US team will be a hard job, given the depth of talent in the USA over the barriers.Nevertheless, if he can get back to the sort of form he showed seven years ago then Richardson potentially can be a medal contender in Portland.Despite not qualifying for the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015 after finishing only sixth at the highly competitive US Championships, Richardson ran a season's best of 13.12 in the semi-finals in nearby Eugene for ninth on the 2015 world list. He also had a big win at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London last summer so the notion that the 2011 world champion outdoors could go all the way to the Portland podium is a far from absurd.Richardson added that both athletes had a lot of fun in front of the cameras on Monday."I had to get my inner-Denzel Washington on," joked Richardson. "In between takes, every now and then I had to ask myself, &lsquo;What would Meryl (Streep) do?&rsquo;"President of the Portland 2016 local organising committee, Vin Lananna, was highly optimistic that the championships will be a major success and leave a lasting legacy on US and global athletics."This is moving at a fast pace," said Lananna on Tuesday. "We're five months out, and there is a tremendous amount of buzz globally about this event."Lananna said more than half of the available tickets for the championships have already been sold.To this point, fans only have been able to purchase ticket packages for all three days of competition in the Oregon Convention Centre, which has a seating capacity of 7500, but single-session tickets will go on sale early in January 2016.Phil Minshull for the IAAF

US stars Allyson Felix and Jason Richardson have both confirmed that they are targeting making the USA team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships Portland 2016.

Felix and Richardson confirm Portland ambitions

Usain Bolt may have been the star of the non-Diamond Race action, but it was his stable-mate Zharnel Hughes who produced the sparkle in the men&rsquo;s 200m, the best of the six events with points at stake on day one of the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London on Friday (24).The filthy wet weather in east London was hardly conducive for record-breaking at the Sainsbury&rsquo;s Anniversary Games, but that didn&rsquo;t stop the Jamaica-based Briton slicing a chunk off his personal best as he stormed home in 20.05 to leap to the top of the half-lap Diamond Race.Hughes got a great start and ran a Bolt-like bend before holding off USA&rsquo;s Dedric Dukes and South African Anaso Jobodwana into the -1.4m/s wind.&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t expect the PB because last week I had a niggle in my hamstring,&rdquo; said Hughes. &ldquo;I was just thinking relax and get to the line.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s my first time in the stadium so I wanted to perform well. In the Olympics Bolt was also in lane seven, so I thought if he can do it, I can do it. I came out and I delivered. I got a PB, I got the win and I got extra points in the Diamond Race, what more can I ask for?&rdquo;Hughes has now set his sights on a podium place at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing.&ldquo;You never know what can happen but I'm going to try to go sub-20,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think I could have run it tonight but there was a minus wind. Next time I will get it probably.&rdquo;Dukes clocked 20.14 and Jobodwana 20.20 to take the minor points.World 400m hurdles champion Zuzana Hejnova ran 53.07 in this stadium en route to her undefeated 2013 season. The conditions made that sort of time difficult tonight but the Czech athlete showed that she is finally returning to top form with her second IAAF Diamond League win in a row, moving her two points behind Kaliese Spencer at the top of the standings.After clocking 53.76 in Paris, Hejnova ran 53.99 on the soggy ground to beat US pair Georganne Moline and Cassandra Tate.&ldquo;I am very happy but the weather was horrible,&rdquo; she said.Indeed it was, and the slippery circle put paid to Diamond Race leader Piotr Malachowski&rsquo;s chances in the discus. The Pole suffered a rare bad day, finishing fourth with 63.83m as Belgian Philip Milanov picked up four points after throwing 65.14m to push Robert Urbanek into second.Orlando Ortega looked all set to underline his status as the world&rsquo;s No.1 sprint hurdler when he skimmed over the puddle-strewn track to clock 13.21 in his heat. But the Cuban clattered two hurdles midway through the final and could only finish fifth in 13.32, the same time as 30th birthday boy Aries Merritt, who was fourth.Ahead of them, Jason Richardson dipped as Frenchman Pascal Martinot-Lagarde hit the last hurdle, Richardson winning in 13.19. USA&rsquo;s Ronnie Ash was third, meaning David Oliver&rsquo;s position at the top of the standings remains untouched.The women&rsquo;s triple jump was missing the year&rsquo;s top five performers, and the top five in the Diamond Race. Not that winner Olga Rypakova will mind as she picked up four points thanks to her winning leap of 14.33m.The Olympic champion stole victory in the last round from Kimberly Williams who had led from the first round. The Jamaican improved to 14.15m on her final jump but it wasn&rsquo;t enough to regain the lead.Mutaz Essa Barshim suffered his third IAAF Diamond League defeat in a row as Italy&rsquo;s Marco Fassinotti produced a clean sheet to take four points in the high jump.Fassinotti won the competition with a first-time clearance at 2.31m as Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi bowed out after clearing 2.28m.Tamberi, sporting a half-shaved beard, was second on countback thanks to his first-time clearance at that height, although Barshim stays at the top of the standings despite finishing third in Oslo and fifth in Paris.Matthew Brown for the IAAF

Usain Bolt may have been the star of the non-Diamond Race action, but it was his stable-mate Zharnel Hughes who produced the sparkle in the men’s 200m, the best of the six events with points at stake on day one of the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London on Friday (24).

Hughes provides London’s sparkle – IAAF Diamond League

The 2011 world 110m hurdles champion Jason Richardson is regarded as one of the most charismatic athletes on the circuit. Here the US sprint hurdler answers our work, rest and play questions. <h3>Jason at work</h3> What is your favourite session?Jason Richardson: My favourite mixes up a little bit of sprinting and hurdling because I love to do the two. Anything that makes me feel Bolt-ish but also Nehemiah-ish and Kingdom-ish is what I like to feel. What is your least favourite session?JR: That would be 150s. I find 150s are like the end of a loaf of bread &ndash; unnecessary; 150s are neither too long or too short. I'm from a 400m hurdles background, so 300m and 500m are fine but for some reason running 150s is the session that wipes me out. What are your three favourite things about being an athlete?JR: My favourite thing is it allows me to able to retain a nice body. The second thing is it allows me to travel the world, so I now have more stamps on my passport than many people. The third thing is the family I've created through athletics both at a collegiate and professional level. What is the worst thing about being an athlete?JR: This sounds a really weird answer, but in some ways track and field is an arrested development in that sometimes we don't have a chance to grow up as normal individuals. We often don&rsquo;t have to face those real-world issues. For example, many athletes have never been fired from a job or had to work long hours for a boss they hate. Many of us (athletes) have never learned how to compromise because we never have to. Sometimes that makes it difficult to navigate through a world that isn't always roses.The other downside is it is hard to maintain relationships when you are competing on the circuit. Now there are definitely athletes that have strong relationships and healthy marriages on the circuit, but it is tough. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder but I don&rsquo;t know if that is true. It is really hard when you are dating and trying to establish a meaningful relationship and then you say, &lsquo;bye, I&rsquo;m going to be gone for three months.&rsquo; Do you have an all-time favourite training partner?JR: Carmelita Jeter for the reason her and I have trained and travelled alongside each other for a long time. We often support each other when practise gets really hard. There are times when both of us have been on the edge of breaking down in practise but both of us know the right thing to say to calm the other down.<h3>Jason at rest </h3> Do you have a favourite place to relax?JR: Where I find true serenity is in the comfort of my bed sheets. If it was up to me, I would sleep more hours than I would be awake. Rest is important for track and field and training, but rest is important for life. You have to reset yourself at some point. When I get stressed I tend to go to sleep. Describe your perfect non-training day.JR: I would wake up without an alarm clock, let my body wake up and go up to the curtains and dramatically open them to great sunlight, like in the movies. I would shower and spend the morning buying a couple of luxury items. I&rsquo;d then spend time with my friends and maybe have something to eat. I like to eat healthily. If it is the off season, I might grab a couple of cocktails and have a bit of a party. If you could pick one person from the world of track and field to spend a day to relax with, who would it be?JR: I&rsquo;m big friends with Carmelita Jeter, she&rsquo;s as crazy as I am! Allyson Felix and Brianna Rollins are two of the most calm, peaceful people I know, so they would have a calming effect. Another person would be Ryan Wilson. He&rsquo;s a real urban hippy. Nothing ever bothers him. He&rsquo;s always chilled. I&rsquo;ve never known him get angry in all the time I&rsquo;ve known him. What are your favourite TV shows to relax to?JR: I don't watch a lot of TV but when I do I enjoy watching any of the reality TV shows because they are just ridiculous and don&rsquo;t require me to think. Another programme I really enjoy is Downton Abbey, Jenny Simpson put me on that.<h3>Jason at play </h3> When did your passion for fashion begin?JR: It started when I was at high school. Back then I was incredibly skinny and it became difficult to shop for clothes. Yet when I went to shop at a couple of high-end stores the fit was better. European fit is always slimmer. When I went pro and started to make more money, I shopped for more European brands and developed more of a European style. Do you have a favourite fashion label?JR: My favourite men&rsquo;s label would be Rick Owens. He has a good blend of European style, which is still pretty clean. I have a beard and dreads but I need to keep it polished so that I look employed! Celine make the best jewellery and I also include my adidas boost shoes. They are the most comfortable shoes I&rsquo;ve ever put on. They are like a warm Christian hug. I know I&rsquo;m paid to say that but, even if I wasn&rsquo;t, I would still say it! Do you have a favourite store to shop in?JR: The store would be Barneys in LA. I go in so often that the shop assistants greet me by name. It is sad when I&rsquo;ve been overseas and when you return the shop assistants say we haven&rsquo;t seen you in a while! I spend a serious amount of time in Barneys. I love it because they have really good sales. You can get some great stuff at 50 or 70 percent off. &nbsp;&nbsp; Have you had any fashion disasters?JR: Anyone that is willing to experiment and make a statement with fashion will go a little off message every now and then. The way I dressed at college was definitely sad, even though it worked at the time. Back then I wore baggier clothes, very different to how I dress now. Who is the most fashionable person in track in field?JR: The most fashionable person I have ever seen and who makes my eyes stand up is Murielle Ahoure. The clothes she wears are never loud but if you know your labels, the pieces she wears are really tailored and really well made. Steve Landells for the IAAF

The 2011 world 110m hurdles champion Jason Richardson is regarded as one of the most charismatic athletes on the circuit. Here the US athlete answers our work, rest and play questions. 

Work, rest and play – Jason Richardson

US Olympians Christian Taylor, Jason Richardson, and Aries Merritt met with the press at Hayward Field after the morning session on Friday (25) at the IAAF World Junior Championships, Oregon 2014.The three expect to compete in a one-hour “high performance” meeting to run after the close of Saturday’s competition at the championships.Taylor, the 2012 Olympic triple jump champion, Richardson, the 2011 world champion in the 110m hurdles, and Merritt, the Olympic champion and world record-holder in the 110m hurdles, all competed at the World Junior or World Youth Championships.Merritt was the 110m hurdles champion at the 2004 World Junior Championships, Richardson won the hurdles double at the 2003 World Youth Championships, and Taylor was a world youth triple jump champion in 2007 and world junior 4x400m champion in 2008.“Just have fun,” Taylor said when asked about his advice to today’s junior athletes. “It’s so much fun to travel and compete with a team. You lose that at the professional level. If you’re not getting out and meeting people, it’s easy to find yourself alone in a strange city. You have to enjoy what you’re doing.”“I was confused, I didn’t know what I was doing,” said Merritt about his junior memories. “I had to go back and look at the results to realise that Dayron Robles and Garfield Darien were in that race.”“I remember pure and utter naiveté,” added Richards. “I was a crazy American thinking I could do it all. Since then I’ve had to work at approaching track with the same innocence I had when I was young, because in a way that’s the most interesting thing about sports.”Both Richards and Merritt weighed in on Wilhelm Belocian’s world junior record of 12.99, which the French hurdler ran on Thursday. “The time doesn’t translate to the senior hurdle heights,” said Merritt.“There are mechanical differences at the senior height, but the real signal is his willingness to get out and compete. France and Jamaica are in the race now,” added Richardson. “Anyone who comes out and adds to the talent level of the sport is welcome.”Parker Morse for the IAAF

US Olympians Christian Taylor, Jason Richardson, and Aries Merritt met with the press at Hayward Field after the morning session on Friday (25) at the IAAF World Junior Championships, Oregon 2014.

Taylor, Richardson and Merritt welcome Belocian to the world junior medallists club

Every lane is set to be shining with medallists in the 110m hurdles on 31 May at the Prefontaine Classic, the third leg of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League.Some of the world’s best-ever sprint hurdlers are confirmed, as well as the world’s greatest all-around athlete. The two fastest hurdlers in the field have raced each other more than 50 times, and neither is ready to concede anything to the other.David Oliver is the reigning world champion and the only athlete to have won the Diamond Trophy more than once in the 110m hurdles, winning in 2010 and 2013.Oliver knows Eugene well, having won the Pre Classic twice. In the first of those wins, in 2010, he equalled the US record with the still-standing stadium record of 12.90. He was the meeting’s first sub-13-second hurdler and remains the only one to accomplish that feat twice.Aries Merritt is the world record-holder at 12.80 and Olympic champion. His time made him the first US Olympic gold medallist in the event since 1996 and the first US sprint hurdler to own the world record since 1989.No one in the field has more world records (four) or major gold medals (four) than the best athlete in the world, Ashton Eaton. He is a fan favourite who will be at home in Eugene, where he set the decathlon world record of 9039 points in 2012. Eaton has run as fast as 13.35 (plus a wind-aided 13.34) in this event.Jason Richardson is another in the field with a sub-13 best at 12.98. He won the 2011 World Championships and is the reigning Olympic silver medallist.Reigning national champion Ryan Wilson was the closest to Oliver last year, cementing his best season ever with a silver medal at the World Championships in Moscow.Omo Osaghae is the newly-minted world indoor champion, winning in Sopot with a lifetime best of 7.45. A three-time US indoor champion, Osaghae will be making his Pre Classic debut.The two youngest entrants come from Europe. Sergey Shubenkov, 23, is already Russia’s fastest ever at 13.09 and won the bronze in last summer’s World Championships. He is also the reigning European champion indoors and out.France’s Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, 22, won the silver medal at the recent World Indoor championships. His country produced the Pre Classic’s first winner in this event in 1975 with Guy Drut. A year later Drut won Olympic gold in Montreal.Organisers for the IAAF2014 IAAF Diamond League calendar Doha, QAT – 9 May Shanghai, CHN – 18 May Eugene, USA – 31 May Rome, ITA – 5 Jun Oslo, NOR – 11 Jun New York, USA – 14 Jun Lausanne, SUI – 3 Jul Paris, FRA – 5 Jul Glasgow, GBR – 11-12 Jul Monaco, MON – 18 Jul Stockholm, SWE – 21 Aug Birmingham, GBR – 24 Aug Zurich, SUI – 28 Aug Brussels, BEL – 5 Sep

Every lane is set to be shining with medallists in the 110m hurdles on 31 May at the Prefontaine Classic, the third leg of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League.

Gold and records everywhere in sprint hurdles at Eugene – IAAF Diamond League

If the opening round heats had a distinctly American odour,
the fragrance was unmistakably Russian after the semi-finals as Sergey Shubenkov
led the qualifiers for the final later tonight.The European champion took a couple of good scalps in heat
two en route to victory in a time of 13.17 and will fancy his chances of
landing precious metal when it most counts a little later.Predictably, the USA qualified all four men into the final –
the first time the world’s most pre-eminent 110m Hurdles nation have done so
since the Helsinki edition in 2005.Yet question marks hang over all the form of the entire
quartet in a far-from-vintage showing.An incident-packed first semi-final witnessed a pair of DNFs,
a sloppy but ultimately successful qualification performance by the Olympic
champion and the elimination of a former World champion in a race high on
drama, if not pure quality.Defending champion Jason Richardson made a lightning start,
but by contrast his US team-mate Aries Merritt crawled out of the blocks and
had already conceded a lot of ground by the first hurdle.Home favourite Konstantin Shabanov’s hopes of a place in the
final were over by the first hurdle as he crashed out in pain clutching his
leg. Out front, Richardson retained his lead with Thomas Martinot-Lagarde
of France and Jamaica’s world No.2 Hansle Parchment, who had only scraped into
the semi-finals as a fastest loser, also prominent in lane two.Merritt, however, was struggling and mid-race had a lot of
work to do if he was to secure a top-three placing. Gradually, though, the World
record-holder slowly started to claw back the gap and his top-three mission was
made a little easier when Parchment rather agriculturally ploughed through the
top of hurdle nine and he slumped to the surface of the track in pain.Richardson maintained his control of the semi-final to stop
the clock in a fairly mediocre 13.34. Martinot-Lagarde of France snagged second
(13.39) and a relieved Merritt found a route to the final by just 0.02 in third
(13.44).Trinidad’s Mikel Thomas was the unlucky fourth-place
finisher with four-time Hungarian champion Balazs Baji (13.49) in fifth.There was also disappointment for 2009 World champion Ryan
Brathwaite of Barbados, who finished sixth and last in a modest 13.64.In the second semi-final, USA’s David Oliver – who had
looked so impressive in yesterday’s heats after blitzing to a 13.05 heat
victory, the fastest ever non-final 110m hurdles time in World Championships
history – struggled out of the blocks and it was Wayne Davis of Trinidad and
Tobago who held a slight lead over the first hurdles.By mid-race there was little to separate Davis, Oliver,
Shubenkov and US champion Wilson with the true picture of the semi only
emerging in the second half of the race. It was here that Shubenkov, roared on
by the home crowd, came to prominence and held on to the marginal advantage
over the last hurdles to win in 13.17 – 0.01 ahead of Oliver, who looked no way
as convincing as he did in the first-round heats.Wilson was just a fraction behind in third (13.20) and such
was the superior quality of this semi-final that the two next fastest – Andrew
Riley of Jamaica (13.30) and Great Britain’s William Sharman (13.34) – also
qualified for the final. In the case of Sharman it was the third time in
succession he had achieved the feat at a World Championships.Spare a thought for sixth-placed Artur Noga, who was eliminated.
Poland’s European bronze medallist stopped the clock in 13.35 – a time quicker
than Merritt achieved in qualifying automatically from the first semi-final.Steve Landells for
the IAAF

Report: Men’s 110m Hurdles semi-finals – Moscow 2013

If the opening round heats had a distinctly American odour, the fragrance was unmistakably Russian after the semi-finals as Sergey Shubenkov led the qualifiers for the final later tonight.

Last season, the men’s 110m Hurdles was all about the brilliance of Aries Merritt, but the 2013 campaign has been much less clear cut and at least half a dozen top athletes will have designs on winning the gold medal in Moscow. Merritt, who described 2012 as the 'perfect year' as he landed the Olympic title and shattered the World record, strained a hamstring at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shanghai back in May and has been playing catch up ever since.The 28-year-old athlete only just squeezed into the US team for Moscow, finishing third at the National Championships in June, although his form has gradually improved in recent weeks. He recorded an encouraging season’s best of 13.09 to win in Paris. However, he suffered a setback in his last pre-Moscow outing in London at the end of last month, crashing out at the midway stage of the final, so his current shape is difficult to assess. Merritt’s countryman Jason Richardson is bidding to become the third man in history, after compatriots Greg Foster and Allen Johnson, to mount a successful defence of this hurdles title following his success in Daegu two years ago. We have not yet seen the best of the Olympic silver medallist so far in 2013. His season’s best time stands at a relatively modest 13.20 and his last victory came in Shanghai.The US challenge is further bolstered by a resurgent David Oliver, the fastest man in the world this year with 13.03.Oliver, the fourth fastest man in history and former US record-holder with 12.89, has shaken off the calf problems which bedevilled him during 2011 and 2012. With Diamond League wins behind him in Lausanne and London he should also be among the contenders again after finishing a frustrating fourth at the 2011 World Championships.The four-strong US contingent is completed by Ryan Wilson, the surprise winner of the US Championships. The 32-year-old ran 13.08 in Des Moines to make his first major championship team and should not be discounted, although he could place no higher than fourth during his three Diamond League outings in July.Beyond the men wearing a USA vest, Jamaica's 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Hansle Parchment has obvious medal winning pedigree. He ran a national record of 13.05 to win in Eugene, which marked him out as a genuine gold medal threat in Moscow. However, in his next competition, Parchment twisted an ankle while warming up at his National Championships and he has not competed since. He is entered for Moscow but has obviously not enjoyed ideal preparation.He is joined on the Jamaican team by national champion Andrew Riley and veteran Dwight Thomas, who makes his sixth World Championship appearance.Another with questions marks against his current form is 21-year-old Cuban prodigy Orlando Ortega. Tipped as Cuba's next Dayron Robles, Ortega ran 13.08 behind Parchment in Eugene but had a hiatus from competition for more than a month and on his return to competitive action he failed to finish in London at the end of last month. The 2009 World champion Ryan Brathwaite has been a modicum of consistency this season and set a confidence-boosting Barbados record of 13.14 in Paris. Coupled with a good championship record, he could be in the mix again.The European challenge is led by France’s World indoor bronze medallist Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, and the 21-year-old made a huge advance by setting a personal best 13.12 in Paris. His older brother, Thomas, with a best of 13.26 is also entered.Russia’s European outdoor (110m Hurdles) and indoor (60m Hurdles) champion Sergey Shubenkov of Russia will not want for home support and is capable of a good performance, having already run 13.19 this season.Great Britain’s William Sharman set a best of 13.26 in London and has finished fourth and equal fifth, respectively, at the past two editions of the World Championships, and he could also feature.Click&nbsp;<a href="http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-championships/14th-iaaf-world-championships-4873/athletes" style="color:#0000aa;font-family:Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:100;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:18px;orphans:auto;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:auto;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:#ffffff;">here</a>&nbsp;for OFFICIAL ENTRIES in the Moscow 2013 Athletes section.Steve Landells for the IAAF

Men's 110m Hurdles – Preview

Last season, the men’s 110m Hurdles was all about the brilliance of Aries Merritt but the 2013 campaign has been much less clear cut and at least half a dozen top athletes will have designs on winning the gold medal in Moscow. 

Nine reigning World champions and 20 individual Olympic medallists from London will lead the US team at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow from 10-18 August.Athletes seeking to defend their 2011 World titles are 110m hurdler Jason Richardson, triple jumper Christian Taylor, high jumper Jesse Williams, long jumper Dwight Phillips, decathlete Trey Hardee, 100m sprinter Carmelita Jeter, 1500m runner Jenny Simpson, 400m hurdler Lashinda Demus and long jumper Brittney Reese.Along with the reigning World champions, four athletes enjoyed automatic selection after winning their respective event in the 2012 Diamond League. These athletes are Charonda Williams in the 200m, Dawn Harper in the 100m Hurdles, Chaunte Lowe in the High Jump and Reese Hoffa in the Shot Put.While more than 20 athletes on the team own US records indoors or outdoors, the team also boasts five athletes with World records to their names: decathlete Ashton Eaton, 110m hurdler Aries Merritt, pole vaulter Jenn Suhr and sprinters Allyson Felix and Carmelita Jeter.The team features a mix of experienced athletes with a large class of newcomers to the senior world stage with three athletes yet to celebrate their 20th birthdays: 17-year-old Mary Cain in the 1500m, 19-year-old Arman Hall in the 400m and 19-year-old Ajee Wilson in the 800m.USATF for the IAAFUS TEAM FOR MOSCOWMen 100m: Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers, Charles Silmon 200m: Curtis Mitchell, Isiah Young, Wallace Spearmon 400m: Arman Hall, Tony McQuay, LaShawn Merritt 800m: Brandon Johnson, Duane Solomon, Nick Symmonds 1500m: Matthew Centrowitz, Lopez Lomong, Leo Manzano 5000m: Ryan Hill, Bernard Lagat, Galen Rupp 10,000m: Chris Derrick, Dathan Ritzenhein, Rupp Marathon: Jeffrey Eggleston, Daniel Tapia, Carlos Trujillo 3000m Steeplechase: Daniel Huling, Evan Jager, De'Sean Turner 110m Hurdles: Aries Merritt, David Oliver, Jason Richardson, Ryan Wilson 400m Hurdles: Kerron Clement, Bershawn Jackson, Michael Tinsley High Jump: Dustin Jonas, Erik Kynard, Keith Moffatt, Jesse Williams Pole Vault: Jeremy Scott, Brad Walker, Jack Whitt Long Jump: Marquis Dendy, George Kitchens, Dwight Phillips Triple Jump: Will Claye, Omar Craddock, Christian Taylor Shot Put: Reese Hoffa, Zack Lloyd, Cory Martin, Ryan Whiting Discus: Lance Brooks Hammer: AG Kruger Javelin: Riley Dolezal, Sam Humphreys Decathlon: Ashton Eaton, Trey Hardee, Gunnar Nixon, Jeremy Taiwo 20km Race Walk: Tim Seaman 50km Race Walk: John Nunn 4x100m Relay*: Jeff Demps, Gatlin, Dentarius Locke, Rodgers, Rakieem Salaam, Silmon 4x400m Relay*: Hall, James Harris, Josh Mance, McQuay, Merritt, David VerburgWomen 100m: Alexandria Anderson, Octavious Freeman, English Gardner, Carmelita Jeter 200m: Kimberlyn Duncan, Allyson Felix, Jeneba Tarmoh, Charonda Williams 400m: Natasha Hastings, Francena McCorory, Ashley Spencer 800m: Brenda Martinez, Alysia Montano, Ajee Wilson 1500m: Mary Cain, Cory McGee, Treniere Moser, Jenny Simpson 5000m: Kim Conley, Molly Huddle, Shannon Rowbury 10,000m: Shalane Flanagan, Jordan Hasay, Amy Hastings Marathon: Jeannette Faber, Deena Kastor, Dot McMahon 3000m Steeplechase: Nicole Bush, Ashley Higginson, Shalaya Kipp 100m Hurdles: Nia Ali, Dawn Harper, Queen Harrison, Brianna Rollins 400m Hurdles: Lashinda Demus, Georganne Moline, Dalilah Muhammad, Christine Spence High Jump: Brigetta Barrett, Chaunte Lowe, Inika McPherson Pole Vault: Becky Holliday, Kylie Hutson, Jennifer Suhr Long Jump: Janay DeLoach Soukup, Funmi Jimoh, Tori Polk, Brittney Reese Shot Put: Tia Brooks, Michelle Carter, Alyssa Hasslen Discus: Whitney Ashley, Gia Lewis-Smallwood, Elizabeth Podomonick Hammer: Amanda Bingson, Amber Campbell, Jeneva McCall Javelin: Brittany Borman Heptathlon: Erica Bougard, Sharon Day, Bettie Wade 20km Race Walk: Erin Gray, Miranda Melville, Maria Michta 4x100m Relay*: Anderson, Freeman, Gardner Barbara Pierre Aurieyall Scott, Tarmoh 4x400m Relay*: Rebecca Alexander, Joanna Atkins, Jessica Beard, Hastings, McCorory, Spencer *Relay pools are composed of the 100m and 400m rosters, the athletes listed in each pool, plus any athlete already on the team in any other event

USA’s nine reigning World champions named on team for Moscow

Nine reigning World champions and 20 individual Olympic medallists from London will lead the US team at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow from 10-18 August.

A double gold medallist at the IAAF World Youth Championships is quite rare, but there are a few athletes who look capable of achieving that feat at this year’s edition in Donetsk, Ukraine on July 10-14.Across the seven past IAAF World Youth Championships, there have been just six athletes to win two gold medals in individual events at the same championships.The first of those came at the inaugural event in 1999 with China’s Hong Mei taking gold in the girls’ Shot and Discus. Both contests were close, too, as she only won the Shot on count-back as both she and silver medallist Natallia Mikhnevich putted 15.57m. Hong then won the Discus by a margin of just 35cm.USA’s Jason Richardson was the star of the 2003 IAAF World Youth Championships. He dominated both the 110m Hurdles (13.29) and 400m Hurdles (49.91) before making just as big an impact off the track with his eloquent post-race interviews. Eight years after his World Youth exploits, Richardson became World 110m Hurdles champion.The same year that Richardson achieved his double, Romania’s Christine Spataru took gold in both horizontal jumps. After a narrow victory in the Long Jump, winning by just one centimetre with 6.41m to equal the Championship record, she won the Triple Jump by almost one metre with 13.86m to break the Championship record.The first athlete to win the 100m-200m double at the IAAF World Youth Championships was Harry Aikines-Aryeetey in 2005. The Briton defeated team-mate Alex Nelson by just 0.01 in the 100m, 10.35 to 10.36, before taking surprise gold in the 200m in 20.91.That same year, a unique double was very nearly achieved by Ebony Collins. The US athlete won gold in the 400m Hurdles and was just 0.06 away from the same colour medal in the 100m.It would be another four years before another double was achieved at the IAAF World Youth Championships, and two athletes accomplished the feat in 2009, both in the sprints.Grenada’s Kirani James dominated the 400m, winning by almost one second in a championship record of 45.24. He then comfortably won the 200m in 21.05.Britain’s Jodie Williams pulled off the same double that compatriot Aikines-Aryeetey did four years prior, winning the 100m and 200m. She won the 100m in 11.39, then took the 200m in a photo-finish in 23.08. Uniquely, the same three athletes won the same colour medals in both sprint events with Allison Peter taking double silver and Ashton Purvis double bronze.On the subject of double champions, there have been two occurrences of athletes winning gold medals at two successive championships – a feat even rarer than winning double gold in one year. Russian race walker Tatyana Kalmykova and Hungarian hammer thrower Bianca Perie both won gold medals in 2005 at the age of 15, then successfully defended their titles in 2007.Looking ahead to this year’s edition, there’s a handful of athletes who could potentially come away from Donetsk with two gold medals in their pocket.US sprinter Ariana Washington leads the 2013 world youth rankings in the 200m and is second in the 100m, so could be in line to replicate Williams’ double from 2009. Likewise, Denmark’s Kristoffer Hari has posted impressive times in both sprints.Washington’s team-mate Marlon Humphrey is a clear leader of the 400m Hurdles rankings and also features highly on the 110m Hurdles lists, making him a contender to repeat Richardson’s Hurdles double from 2003.There are two girls who could potentially repeat Spataru’s horizontal jumps double. China’s Wang Rong is ranked third in the Long Jump and first in the Triple Jump, and conversely Romania’s Florentina Marincu is third in the Triple Jump and tops the Long Jump lists.Australia’s Matthew Denny could become the first boy at the World Youth Championships to win two gold medals in the throwing events. He tops the Discus rankings and is a close second on the Hammer lists.IAAF

Will 2013 see additions to list of double winners? – IAAF World Youth Championships

A double gold medallist at the IAAF World Youth Championships is quite rare, but there are a few athletes who look capable of achieving that feat at this year’s edition in Donetsk, Ukraine on July 10-14.

Olympic and European Pole Vault champion Renaud Lavillenie may not yet have the same extensive medal collection as the legendary Sergey Bubka, but on Thursday (4) in Lausanne at Athletissima 2013, the eighth leg of the IAAF Diamond League, the Frenchman could achieve something that even the great World record-holder did not manage.A victory on Thursday would make Lavillenie a four-time winner in Lausanne, having notched up three consecutive wins between 2010 and 2012. But he wants to go beyond simply winning by breaking the meeting record.“My goal for tomorrow is to break the meeting record of 5.91m,” he said. “I’ve had a good start to 2013, one of my best ever starts. I have already broken 5.90m twice, and I’ve won a few times. In terms of technique, it’s been going rather well.“I’m stronger this year because I’ve reduced my quantity and improved the quality of my training. There’s still a little bit of fine tuning to do to ensure I make it to the World Championships in the best possible form and get that gold medal.“This year the opposition is very strong, so I can’t relax. I have to be 100 per cent in Moscow. I don’t fear them [Bjorn Otto and Raphael Holzdeppe] at all. In fact, they give me great motivation. The quality of opposition has been high for the past four years, but not as high as it is now.”Another Athletissima defending champion is Sally Pearson. The Australian World and Olympic champion won the 100m Hurdles when it was last held here in 2011, but enters this year’s race in a different frame of mind, having had to miss a large chunk of the early season due to injury.“I tore my hamstring twice this year, and it’s hard to come back from that,” she said. “But I’m now really fit, fast and strong. It’s just a matter of doing more races, getting faster and getting my rhythm back; that’s the most important thing.“I may not be winning every race, but that doesn’t bother me, so long as I can keep getting better with each race. Hopefully by the World Champs I’ll be in my best shape.“I was having a hard time through rehab and I was looking to return in Oslo. But I then had a scare in training when my hamstring tightened. It frightened me a bit, so I decided I needed to get away from it all for a few days to unwind and not think about athletics. I had a two-day break in Paris, which really helped me mentally. I came back more motivated and more excited.“Brianna Rollins has run an amazing time, so it’s going to be very interesting when we come up against each other for the first time. It’s hard for me, because I’m not 100 per cent yet and she’s in good shape. I wish she’d have broken through last year when I was in good shape, but I’ve got to focus on my own race and ensure I’m getting the best out of myself. Hurdlers never shy away each other, she’s another athlete in the field, and I look forward to the challenge.”One athlete who has made a successful return to the top after a long battle with injury is USA’s Tyson Gay. The 2007 triple World champion goes into Thursday’s 100m race as the world leader in both the 100m and the 200m.“I wouldn’t say I had been expecting to run as fast as I have done at this stage, I’m just taking things slowly and hoping everything goes well,” he said. “Fortunately I’ve ran a couple of good times and I’m ranked No.1 in the world right now.“I think my strength and confidence comes from training, knowing that I’ve put the work in. I haven’t set a PB [in the 100m or 200m] for four years, so I’m hoping I can do that this year.“In Moscow I hope every athlete is healthy. We all know Usain performs well at major championships. I’m just hoping I’m at my best and I give it my all, whatever the outcome may be. It’s been a long time since I doubled at a major championships, so it’s good to be able to do that again.“My plan now is to stay healthy, not only for this year but the next three years. It was very difficult mentally and physically being injured. But it’s good that it’s over and done with. No excuses, no pain, and over the mental strain of always being injured. I think I’ve got a few more years in my body because I’ve missed a lot of time being injured.”Athough it is one of the non-Diamond League events, the 110m Hurdles on Thursday has a great field that includes three of USA’s best ever athletes in the event. Current World champion Jason Richardson is one of the favourites to win, but his main goal for the year is defending his title in Moscow.“With having the wild card [for the World Championships], my coach and I decided that this year we'll aim to peak just once. The US team is the hardest one to make in the 110m Hurdles, so I'm glad that I made it.“I think the selection policy is fair. The World Championships is decided by one race, so making the team should be based off one race.”When asked about the likelihood of going under 13 seconds on Thursday, Richardson didn’t rule it out.“For us, running sub-13 is like having a really large bouncer outside a club and he really doesn't want to let you in. I was 13th person go under 13 seconds, so I got a tattoo to reflect that – because that's what Americans do. Hopefully Ryan [Wilson] will be the next person to join the club.”Team-mate Ryan Wilson was a surprise winner of the US title two weeks ago, and he too is hoping to soon become a member of the sub-13 club.“It’s always exciting to compete here,” he said. “It’s an excellent field with everyone rounding into form. Lausanne is a very special place and is accustomed to fast times, so I think there’s a strong possibility that there could be a sub-13 run. You can never exactly tell, but if history has anything to do with it, then it's as good a place as any to have the first sub-13 of the year.”In the third hurdles event of the meeting, the men’s 400m Hurdles, London 2012 Olympic Games champion Felix Sanchez knows that he is playing catch-up with the rest of the field.“I only started training seriously in March,” said the man from Dominican Republic. “I was overweight from celebrating after winning gold last year. I also missed a lot of training from having to travel a lot.“I had a messed-up race in Birmingham. Hopefully this competition will be better. I usually always run well in Lausanne, and I’ve only had one bad run here. I’m hoping to at least run a season’s best.“When I first started in athletics, my goal was to win a gold medal. I did that in 2001, then again in 2003. Winning Olympic gold in 2004 was also very special. But after that, my goal was to become the first 400m hurdler to win three gold medals at the World Championships.“When I lost my winning streak after 43 wins, I knew that I couldn’t match Ed Moses’ record, so I wanted to make my mark in the event in another way. I want to be the most decorated 400m hurdler in World Championships history.“Very few athletes can say they’re arguably the best ever in their event. I still have a few years left to achieve more, but I’m on my way to getting there.”Sanchez’s opponent Javier Culson, meanwhile, would be content to win his first World Championships gold medal this year, The Puerto Rican having taken silver at the past two editions.“I have learned a lot from my experiences in recent years; how an athlete can dominate all season but not win gold at a major championship,” he said. “This year I’ve prepared differently so I can fulfil my dream of becoming a World champion.“One thing I am pleased about is that I've always won a medal, so I've never been far away from gold.”Kimberlyn Duncan is still a relatively new name on the circuit, but she is favourite to win the 200m on Thursday after winning the US title two weeks ago and beating 2012 Olympic champion Allyson Felix.“I was just trying to make the team, so when I found out I’d won, I was very excited,” she said.“I’ve been pushing harder and harder each year in training. I’m just trying to execute my race as best as possible. I’ll probably run a few 100m races before Moscow.”US team mate Carmelita Jeter could have been expected to challenge Duncan for the victory, had it not been for the injury she picked up earlier in the season.“Getting injured caused me to have to do more rehab and therapy, which meant my legs still felt a bit heavy in Birmingham, but we simply wanted to make sure the leg was okay,” she said. “I love running in Lausanne, and now I’m here I hope to run a lot better.“Right now I’m excited by the depth the US has in the 100m. It’s great for our medal chances in both the individual and the relay. When we get to the World Championships, we’ll all line up and see what happens.”Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF

Lausanne press conference highlights – IAAF Diamond League

Olympic Pole Vault champion Renaud Lavillenie may not yet have the same medal collection as the legendary Sergey Bubka, but on Thursday (4) in Lausanne at Athletissima 2013, the eighth leg of the IAAF Diamond League, the Frenchman could achieve something that even the great World record-holder did not manage.