Merritt impresses in 110m hurdles

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The United States enjoyed a one-two in the 110m hurdles as Aries Merritt stormed to victory in 12.92s, just 0.01s off the Olympic record set by Liu Xiang in Athens in 2004.

It was the fastest time in the world this year and compatriot Jason Richardson took silver in 13.04, with Jamaica's Hansle Parchment taking bronze in a new national record of 13.12s.
Britain's Lawrence Clarke was fourth in 13.39s, while defending champion and world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba pulled up injured midway through the race.
"I can't believe I came fourth in the Olympic Games. I didn't expect to reach the final," said Clarke, who won the European junior title in 2009 and Commonwealth bronze in Delhi in 2010.
"I clashed arms with the South African (Lehann Fourie) who's a big guy, he looks like an American football player; maybe I would have run a PB but I wouldn't have got a medal - 13.12 for bronze is ridiculous.
"The last four years has been an amazing journey. Malcolm Arnold, my coach, has taken me from running 15.3 to 13.3 and I can't thank him enough. UK Sport and the Lottery-funding system has been remarkable as well.
"It hasn't sunk in and I don't think it ever will. That crowd was unbelievable, 80,000 people going nuts and they were doing a Mexican wave beforehand, I just felt like it was building up and building up and building up.
"It's been a dream come true to just come to this stage. I was going to make the most of it. The support in Britain I just can't believe and I just wanted to give them a last hurrah because this is going to be my last time in this stadium until 2017 probably (for the World Championships).
"If you would have said you were going to make the semi-final I would have taken that. To come fourth in the Olympic Games is hard to put in to words. It's weird because I am on such a high but at the same time I am just so knackered. It's the most surreal feeling.
"Aries Merritt ran 12.92 which is pretty world class. He's 27 and hopefully in the Rio Olympics when I'm 26 I'll be able to push for places like he has."
While Clarke could be understandably pleased with his performance, the same could not be said of team-mate Andy Turner, who was furious at not making the final.
The former European champion was 13th-fastest overall after finishing fourth in the second semi-final in 13.42s and said: "It was rubbish that. The start was absolutely shocking. I don't know what happened. I've let myself down and let my coach down. I'm gutted."
Shara Proctor was also unhappy after only finishing ninth in the long jump final where she had been expected to challenge for a medal.
Proctor, who set a national record of 6.95m at the Olympic trials, managed just 6.55m with the first of her three attempts and said: "I tried my best. It just didn't go as planned. It is not my best, I am not satisfied. It could have been better but I can't do anything about it right now.
"I wasn't comfortable on the runway as I was yesterday [Tuesday]. Today [Wednesday] just wasn't a good day for me. Of course this is a missed opportunity. I had a chance, I was ready for this but it just didn't go as planned."
There was better news in the 1,500m as Lisa Dobriskey and Laura Weightman reached the final, although world silver medallist Hannah England missed out.
Dobriskey, who has made a remarkable return to fitness after being diagnosed with potentially fatal blood clots on her lungs earlier this year, was fourth in the first semi-final to qualify automatically as England finished ninth.
There was better news in the 1,500m as Lisa Dobriskey and Laura Weightman reached the final, although world silver medallist Hannah England missed out.
Dobriskey, who has made a remarkable return to fitness after being diagnosed with potentially fatal blood clots on her lungs earlier this year, was fourth in the first semi-final to qualify automatically as England finished ninth.
Dobriskey revealed she had been advised to retire when her illness was first diagnosed, but thankfully sought a second opinion and said: "When I was sat down and the specialist looked me in the eye and said you should give up, that's the worst possible thing you could say to me because it makes me even more determined.
"It was at that moment that I really had a turning point and decided no, I'm definitely not giving up on this and kept dreaming and kept believing so I'm really grateful to be here.
"I'm so proud I've made it to the final. It was difficult because I couldn't let myself dream of my ultimate goal before I was there, so really chuffed to actually be there."
An equally happy Weightman, who is coached by former Olympic silver medallist Steve Cram, said: "I dipped on the line, I knew it was close. With 100m to go I saw the girl ahead of me and thought, 'I've got to catch you'.
"It's unbelievable (to be in the final). It's a dream to be at the Olympics. PB, Olympic final. What more can I say?"
England spent five days in hospital earlier this year after being spiked in her Achilles tendon during a race and admitted that was too much to overcome.
"I didn't go on the track for five weeks, that's pretty hard to come back from and that showed today," she said. "In the space of a minute it went from 'can I get a medal?' to 'can I even get here?'. It is great to be here, but I'm still gutted."
That sentiment was shared by veteran sprinter Christian Malcolm, the 33-year-old admitting he was considering retiring after finishing third in his semi-final to miss out on the 200m final.
"I don't want to, my body's healthy, but I don't see myself as a semi-finalist, I see myself as being in the final," Malcolm said. "I would like to say I think I'm good enough to be in the finals and not making finals on the major stage two years in a row now is disappointing.
"The Commonwealth Games in 2014 is very appealing, being in Glasgow, I know the Welsh team want me to stay on and compete for that. If it was next year I would say definitely yeah, but having another year of possibly going through the world championships and being disappointed again would be hard."
Britain's Mervyn Luckwell finished 35th in javelin qualifying with a best of 74.09m and went for treatment on a shoulder injury after leaving the track.
"It was great to get out in the stadium, the crowds were bonkers," Luckwell said. "Unfortunately I didn't perform as well as I was hoping to. I've had a rough couple of years with injuries, but I'll take the experience away from this and hopefully move on to an injury-free year next year for the World Champs.
"I was near enough 100% certain that I was going to qualify for the final tonight, just one or two little things tightened up on my body and it just wouldn't let me throw as well as what I could."