Sprint king Gay, heptathlon queen Kluft get Royal blessing

By John Bagratuni Aug 26, 2007, 17:41 GMT

Carolina Kluft of Sweden is applauded by fellow heptathletes after winning the heptathlon competition at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan, 26 August 2007. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG

Osaka, Japan - Japan's Imperial couple made their way from Tokyo to bless sprint king Tyson Gay and heptathlon queen Carolina Kluft with their presence on Sunday night.

The American Gay got the big start he needed to beat world record holder Asafa Powell in the blue-riband 100 m at the athletics world championships under the eyes of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at Nagai stadium.

Gay, 24, clocked 9.85 seconds, just one hundredth of his personal best. Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas came second in 9.91, while Powell missed a big title again and had to settle for third in 9.96 seconds.

'I have been waiting for this for a long time,' Gay said.

'I concentrated on my reaction on the start and it was excellent. Once I got to 70m I knew I had a chance to win.'

Powell said: 'I am disappointed. The pressure got to me. I messed up.'

Kluft achieved a European record 7,032 points to become the second best heptathlete in history, closing in on Jackie Joyner-Kersee. She got her third gold in a row, following 2003 and 2005, to go with Olympic gold in 2004 and Euro titles 2002 and 2006.

Kluft improved her personal best by 31 points and the European record of 7,007 points Soviet Larisa Nikitina achieved in 1982.

There was plenty of hype around the sprint duel between Powell and Gay as they had not met so far this year on the same track.

Powell has the world record on 9.77 seconds while Gay was the fastest man in 2007 on 9.84.

Powell came out of the blocks well to lead the way early on. But Guy finally executed a great start by his standard, caught up with Powell at the halfway mark and them stormed to a big win.

While Gay won his first major title and is the overwhelming 200m favourite as well, Powell ran out of steam and even had to let Atkins pass.

Powell got his first big event medal, but again missed a global title. He came fifth at the 2004 Olympics, was disqualified at the 2003 worlds and injured at the 2005 edition.

'I stopped running when Tyson passed me,' said Powell. He also said: 'I lost the race, he didn't win it.'

Gay, whose coach Lance Brauman is imprisoned but helped him via phone and books, said that his mother Daisy had played a major role in the win because she erased his self-doubts.

'My mum told me to make myself a believer. I was wondering whether people still respected me if I lost,' Gay admitted.

Gay said he was now looking forward to further duels with Powell at upcoming meets and the Beijing Olympics next year.

The carefree 24-year-old Kluft had two personal and several season bests as she won ahead of Lyudmila Blonska of Ukraine (personal best 6,832) and Kelly Sotherton of Britain (6,510).

Kluft now has one world title more than Joyner-Kersee and Germany's Sabine Braun. Only Kersee has done better on six occasions, with her world record at 7,291 points at the Seoul Olympics.

'I'm just thrilled with victory. To achieve a PB was my biggest motivation and the European record is a great bonus,' said Kluft.

Valerie Vile gave Zew Zealand a second gold in worlds history, when she ambushed defending champion Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus in the shot put with a final attempt of 20.54 metres. Success came 10 years after Beatrice Faumuina won discus gold in 1997.

Ostapchuk almost bounced back the 20.48 were only good enough for silver, with German Nadine Kleinert third on 19.77m.

In the morning, Jefferson Perez of Ecuador completed an unprecedented hat-trick of 20-kilometre walk titles in 1 hour 22 minutes 20 seconds while it then took more than four hours to determine the other medallists.

Francisco Javier Fernandez of Spain took silver like at the last two worlds and 2004 Olympics after his team successfully appealed his disqualification on the home stretch. Ghoula won Tunisia's first ever medal at the worlds, a bronze.

'I am not sure, but this could be the toughest of my victories,' said Perez, who also holds the 20km world record and won Olympic gold over the distance in 1996.

Like Saturday's marathon, the walk in the Nagai stadium area took place in searing heat, with temperatures well above 30 degrees despite an early 8.00 am start.

Perez cramped badly after winning and German Andre Hoehne was taken to hospital with heat stroke after collapsing with just 200m to go.

Austrian Guenther Weidlinger was rushed to hospital after crashing in the men's 3,000m steeplechase heats. He drifted in and out of conscienceness for a while, but sustained no major injuries and was only kept overnight in the clinic for observation.

Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei led the way into the 800m final with the fastest 2007 time on 1:56.17. Three-time champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique, competing at her ninth worlds, also made the final while Cuban title holder Zulia Calatayud crashed out.

Top pick Veronica Campbell of Jamaica led the way into the women's 100m semis with 11.08 seconds, with defending champion Lauryn illiams on 11.16 seconds.

Russian pole vault heroine Yelena Isinbayeva needed one jump of 4.55m to make the final, with American challenger Jennifer Stuczynski also through.

The world championships continue on Monday with five finals - the men's 10,000m triple jump, hammer throw, and the women's 100m and 3,000m steeplechase.