finals of the women’s 100m Hurdles were expected to turn in fine performances but what we witnessed tonight was even more than expected.
With no fewer than four athletes with all-time personal bests of under 12.55 drawn in the first of two semi-finals, race one was expected to be the most closely fought and as events unfolded it was.
Jamaican champion Delloreen Ennis-London, one of only two women to defeat World champion Perdita Felicien this year, was the fastest out of the blocks with Felicien, drawn in the lane just outside, following like a shadow.
More powerful and amazingly quicker in her hurdle-clearance the Canadian slightly edged Ennis-London coming off the first obstacle and was never to lose the lead.
Felicien’s time was a fine 12.49, the second best ever for the Canadian, which makes us think that the 16-year-old Olympic record of 12.38 might well fall in tomorrow’s final.
Behind Felicien, Sydney bronze medallist Melissa Morrison of the US came back from a mediocre start to pull even with Ennis-London who had held on to second until the 7th hurdle. A faster finisher, Morrison went through the finish line in an equalling personal best of 12.53, her fastest time since 1998.
As the athletes came off the final obstacle it looked like Ennis-London had done enough to take one of the two remaining spots for the final but it was without counting on fast finishing Olena Krasovska of Ukraine who set a personal best 12.58 from lane 1 and Russian championships runner up Mariya Koroteyeva who also improved her personal best to 12.60.
Ennis-London was also timed in 12.60 but did not make the cut – it is the first time ever in global athletics championships that such a performance fails to qualify for the final.
Such was the depth of this race that sixth placer Glory Alozie of Spain (12.62) – the defending silver medallist then running for Nigeria – and seventh placer Susanna Kallur of Sweden (12.67 PB) would have advanced to the final had they been drawn in the second semi final.
Eighth across the line Nadine Faustin of Haiti set a new National record of 12.74.
This is not to say that the second race was any less awesome although it was certainly a much easier affair for US Trials runner up Joanna Hayes who cruised to the line in a personal best 12.48.
Commonwealth champion Lacena Golding Clarke sped out of the blocks and held on to the lead until the sixth hurdle after which she had to give in to Hayes’ superior speed.
Unlike her compatriot in the previous race, Golding-Clarke managed to held on to a qualifying position as she finished third in a equalling PB 12.69.
Russian champion Irina Shevchenko finished fastest and took second in 12.67 – yet another equal personal best – out-dipping Golding-Clarke in the run-in.
The last qualifying spot was taken by Felicien’s compatriot Angela Whyte in 12.69 - needless to say, a personal record – who was very lucky to have been drawn in the second semi-final.
Only seven women crossed the finish line in the second race as World silver medallist Brigitte Foster did not start. According to reporters, the Jamaican injured her left calf muscle during warm up.
Injury also struck Kirsten Bolm of Germany who limped through the finish line after failing to clear the last obstacle and holding her hamstring in visible pain.
A heat winner yesterday Reina Flor Okori, the only French woman in the semi-final, was out of contention right from the start as the inexperienced 24-year-old failed to react to the gun. She nevertheless equalled her personal best in 12.81.
An impressive ten personal bests, including one national record, were registered in tonight’s semi-finals.
As a comparison, 12.90 was the time needed to advance to Sydney's Olympic final four years ago!
LA
