Not allowing himself to succumb to the pressure inherent with the role of favourite, Jason Gardener finally won his first global title with a scintillating 6.49 performance in the 60 metres.
Holding off the late race charge of US champion Shawn Crawford, who finished second in 6.52, Gardener, a two-time bronze medallist at indoor championships, claimed the first short sprint title for Great Britain. After a mediocre start, Gardener was in clear command before he reached the half-way point.
A late surge by Yeoryios Theodoridis (6.54) was enough for the Greek to edge the second American Mickey Grimes (6.55) for bronze. The performance equaled Theodoridis’s seasonal best, and for Grimes, who joined the sub-10 club outdoors last year, it was a personal best.
Matic Osovnikar continued to improve, this time to 6.58, another national record, finishing ahead of Francis Obikwelu and Italy’s Simone Collio, with were sixth and seventh, with both clocking 6.60.
