An Irish national record of 7.87 by Derval O’Rourke set the pace as the finalist emerged for tonight’s final in the 60m Hurdles.
The 24-year-old O’Rourke, who arrived in Moscow with a 7.90 best, ran a solid race to edge Glory Alozie of Spain, who lowered her seasonal best to 7.88. Jenny Kallur of Sweden was third in 7.93, also a season’s best.
The repeat effort of 1997 champion Michelle Freeman ended less than five metres from the finish when the Jamaican tripped coming off the final hurdle.
With a fast finishing flurry, Germany’s Kirsten Bolm bolted from fourth to first in the final 20 metres to win the first semi in 7.91, a season’s best for the 31-year-old who finished fourth at last summer’s World Championships. Missing her personal best by just one-hundredths, Bolm suddenly emerged as a solid medal threat in tonight’s final.
In an extremely close finish, World leader Lacena Golding-Clarke of Jamaica was second in 7.94, just a tick ahead of Swede Susanna Kallur and American champion Danielle Carruthers, who were each credited with a 7.95 clocking. Both Kallur and Golding-Clarke reached the final two years ago in Budapest, but have yet to reach the podium.
Not making the cut was Polish champion Aurelia Trywianska (7.97), a finalist in Helsinki last summer.
BR
