Austin, Texas, USA - It was a good day for hurdling on the fourth day of the Texas Relays.

Most impressive were 400m hurdlers Melaine Walker (JAM) and Micheal Tinsley. Walker, a senior student at the University of Texas, finished strongly to pass Dominique Darden in the final 80 metres and pull away to win by four metres in 54.87, a PB ( Darden’s 55.27 was also a PB). Walker’s time makes her the second fastest performer in the world this year behind Commonwealth Games champion Jana Pittman of Australia.

Tinsley had an easier time in the men’s race, taking a clear lead in the first 200m and winning by more than 10m in 48.70, a tad slower than the PR he set finishing third in last year’s NCAA, but mighty good for early April.

The sprint hurdle races weren’t as fast, relatively speaking, but the same kind of dominance was evident. Ladji Doucouré, star of a touring team of young French sprinters and hurdlers, showed the 20,000-plus crowd why he is the World 110m Hurdles champion. Despite getting off last, the 23-year-old caught everyone by mid-race and then pulled smoothly away to an easy two-metre victory in 13.49w over Dexter Faulk (13.68w) and Jermaine Cooper, 13.78w.

The featured women’s 100m Hurdles race was won by NCAA indoor and outdoor champion Ginnie Powell, who didn’t need to catch anyone. She finished a half-second ahead of the field in a slightly wind-aided 12.79 (+2.3).

In the dashes, Texas’ 2005 NCAA champion Marshevet Hooker won a fast, wind-legal 100m from Kelly Anne Baptiste (TRI), which looked even closer than the 0.01 margin of 11.13 to 11.14. The quickest of a series of men’s 100s was won by Churandy Martina (AHO) in 10.04 (+2.5). Martina dueled with Walter Dix until the final stride or two when Dix slowed and grabbed his right hamstring. No injury details were available

There were a number of fast relay races. They included a 38.62 men’s 4x100m by a U.S. professional foursome of Mardy Scales, Rae Edwards, Tyson Gay and DaBlanton Bryan. The second fastest men’s 4x100, an all-university race, was won by Lousiana State University in 38.97.

Louisiana State also won the university 4x400m in a dazzling 3:02.31, which split Reggie Dardar, 46.5; Melville Rogers, 45.4, Xavier Carter, 45.0 and Kellie Willie 45.4 eased up. An even faster race, a real thriller in fact, was by a USA "White" team of Andrew Rock, Derrick Brew, Wallace Spearmon, and Kerron Clement which ran 2:59.86 to edge a Clyde-Hart-coached foursome of Waco All-Stars’ 3:00.04, which included a second-leg split of 43.2 by World and Olympic 400 champion Jeremy Wariner.

The women’s 4x100s produced the three fastest times in the world so far this year. Quickest of all was a 42.28 by South Florida Elite -- coached by Amy Deem -- of Wylleshia Myrick, Debbie Ferguson, Lauryn Williams and Sanya Richards; the other two were a USA "Red" team of Muna Lee, Torri Edwards, Stephanie Durst and LaTasha Colander, which ran 42.56, and a University of Texas team which included Melaine Walker and Marshavet Hooker, winning the collegiate race in 42.84.

The best women's 4x400m was the USA "Red" team's 3:25.71, was anchored by Sanya Richards' solo 50.7 carry. In the top university 4x400, Miami's 3:28.07 edged out Louisiana State (3:28.23) and Auburn (3:28.47).

The best field event performance of the day was a 5.60 clearance in the men’s Pole Vault by Robison Pratt of Brigham Young University.

James Dunaway for the IAAF