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Rediff.com  » Sports » Sports Shorts: Muhammad sets 400m hurdles world record

Sports Shorts: Muhammad sets 400m hurdles world record

July 29, 2019 10:29 IST
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Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday

Dalilah Muhammad poses with scoreboard after winning the women's 400m hurdles in a world record 52.20 during the USATF Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa in USA on Sunday

IMAGE: Dalilah Muhammad poses with scoreboard after winning the women's 400m hurdles in a world record 52.20 during the USATF Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa in USA on Sunday. Photograph: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad smashed one of athletics' oldest world records when she stormed to the women's 400 metres hurdles title in 52.20 seconds at the United States championships in Iowa on Sunday.

The blistering run shaved more than a tenth of a second from the previous mark of 52.34 seconds set by Russian Yuliya Pechonkina in 2003.

"I'm just shocked," said the 29-year-old Muhammad, who suffered concussion after a fall during training two weeks ago.

 

"I've been kind of hitting that time in practice consistently and my coach was like, 'There's no way you can't do it'."

Teenager Sydney McLaughlin was second in 52.88, just 0.13 shy of her personal best, with Ashley Spencer third in 53.11, as all three runners made the US team for September's world championships in Doha.

The record could fall again there, said Muhammad, who trains in Los Angeles.

"That 52 is going to get broke," Muhammad said.

"If not by me by the other women."

The first American Olympic gold medallist in the event, she had entered the American championships with a personal best of 52.64 seconds.

Twice a world silver medallist but never the champion, she went out hard in the final and was clearly the leader by the final straight.

She smiled, put her hands on her hips and slumped down after crossing the finish line.

Despite her Olympic gold medal, Muhammad had been overshadowed by the rapidly improving McLaughlin since the Rio Games.

In fact, many had expected McLaughlin, who went to the Rio Olympics as a 17-year-old, would be the to break the world record.

Asked if she thought she was underrated with all the attention McLaughlin had received, Muhammad said, "I do."

"I felt like the underdog in the race," she said.

"It definitely kept me humble this year, and even motivated me more."

The stunning record overshadowed what had been expected to the highlight of the closing day of the four-day meeting --100 metres winner Christian Coleman challenging wunderkind Noah Lyles in the 200 metres.

Lyles, the fastest man at the distance since Usain Bolt won the Olympics gold in 2012, got the victory in 19.78 seconds with Coleman running 20.02 to make the world championships in a second event.

The two were side-by-side before Lyles pulled away in the last 60 metres.

"Tons of joy," said Lyles, who danced down the track after winning.

"This is the hardest team to make, and the saying is, once you make the U.S. team, you better come away with a medal."

The odds are that the medal will be gold after his superb 19.50 seconds clocking in Lausanne.

The women's race went to Dezerea Bryant in 22.47 seconds.

Craig Engels edged Olympic champion Matthew Centrowitz in the men's 1,500m by four-hundredths of a second, winning in 3:44.93.

The men's 110m hurdles was the reverse of the U.S. collegiate final with Daniel Roberts winning over Grant Holloway in 13.23. Holloway clocked 13.36.

World indoor champion Sandi Morris cleared 4.85 metres to win the women's pole vault. The 37-year-old Jenn Shur also made the Doha team, placing third (4.70m)

World champion Emma Coburn won her sixth consecutive U.S. 3,000m steeplechase title in 9:25.63 and Lopez Lomong used a late surge to defeat Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Paul Chelimo and claim his second title of the meet after winning the 10,000.

Lomong will not be doubling up in the 5,000 and 10,000 at Doha, however, because he lacks the standard in the shorter distance.

Retired baseball star David Ortiz released from hospital after shooting

Retired Boston Red Sox baseball player David Ortiz has been released from the hospital after he was shot in the Dominican Republic last month, a representative for the Red Sox said.

Ortiz, known as "Big Papi," was recovering in Massachusetts GeneralHospital from wounds he suffered when he was shot at an open-air nightclub in the capital of his native country on June 9.

"We understand that David has been released from the hospital. The family will be issuing a statement on his condition this week," the Red Sox representative said in an email late Saturday.

Dominican authorities have concluded that Ortiz was not the target of the attack and the shooter meant to kill somebody else -- a friend of Ortiz, identified as Sixto David Fernandez.

Television host Jhoel Lopez was also wounded in the shooting.

Several arrests have been made in the case.

Ortiz, 43, is revered in Boston for helping the Red Sox win three World Series championships, including the memorable 2004 title that broke an 86-year drought for the club.

He retired after the 2016 season while still one of the best hitters in the game, making the Major League Baseball All-Star team that season while leading the league in several statistical categories.

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