2011 IAAF World Outdoor Championships Daegu, South Korea August 27-September 5, 2011 Photo: Victah Sailer@PhotoRun Victah1111@aol.com 631-741-1865 www.photorun.NET
UKA Athletics – News – TURNER TAKES SUPERB BRONZE
Monday evening's action from the Daegu Stadium saw more Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team members in final action, with Andy Turner initially placing fourth in the men's 110m hurdles final before a dramatic upgrade to bronze – and there was also the familiar sight of Jessica Ennis topping the heptathlon leader board at the end of day one.
The dramatic evening unfolded when Turner's original placing of fourth was left hanging in the balance with the disqualification of race winner Dayron Robles soon after the event, and the possibility of a bronze medal within touching distance, left to the Jury of Appeal to decide.
Turner (coach: Lloyd Cowan) had appeared to have taken a well deserved fourth place in the men's 110m hurdles final with a slick performance, whilst William Sharman (Malcolm Arnold) once again made a World championship final – this time finishing sixth in 13.67.
Turner, who was drawn in lane one, ran superbly away from the faster lanes and was able to focus completely on his own race. In finishing fourth in 13.44, Turner even took the scalp of his American rival – and occasional training partner – David Oliver.
However the result was then in doubt after the race footage showed that due to a clash of arms between Liu Xiang and Dayron Robles, the Chinese star's relegation from gold to bronze in the closing strides was due to the Cuban's flailing arms.
The Chinese then protested the result leading to Robles being disqualified by the track judge and a counter protest was launched by the Cuban federation. It resulted in a long delay to proceedings and a nervous wait for the European and Commonwealth medallist.
But two hours after the race the jury of Appeal upheld the revised result and Turner was indeed upgraded to a bronze medal – a just reward for his recent lifetime best form.
The European and Commonwealth Champion said:
"Oh my god I've got mixed emotions – I don't know what to do. I want to cry, but I don't want to cry – I won't believe this is happening until I have got that medal round my neck!
"I've thought about this and dreamt about winning a world medal after my success in Barcelona last year but it was a big step and I just won't believe it until I've got that medal."
There was good news also for team-mate Sharman – promoted to fifth – who exceeded expectations in reaching the final after an injury delayed season and demonstrated the talent which has now seen him reach two consecutive World Championship finals.
"I was capable of getting a medal – it's really frustrating. I'm an ambitious guy and when there are eight equal individuals on the start line I'm not eighth so I'm pretty gutted about that," he said.
"It's been a hard year and I haven't been able to train for a large part due to injuries."
Earlier they had ensured the Aviva GB & NI flags were out for the men's 110m hurdles final when qualifying in a tough set of semi finals. Turner had finished fourth in his semi in 13.44, whilst Sharman followed with third in his heat in 13.51
Earlier in the evening, Jessica Ennis (Toni Minichiello) and Louise Hazel (Aston Moore) continued their heptathlon journey taking in the shot put as the third of day one's four events.
Ennis looked in fine form as she put in her three best ever performances in the shot and improved her lifetime best to 14.67m for 839 points. Not only that, it meant Ennis took to the top of the leader board for the first time in the competition. Hazel meanwhile set a season's best of 12.36m in her pool to take 685 points.
With three events gone Ennis and Hazel were placed in first and 18th on 3026 and 2677, Ennis with a slender 12 point lead ahead of Austra Skujte.
With the evening closing with 200m, Ennis was back in her element and her top ranked 23.28 into a -1.5m/s head wind meant she tucked away another 1052 points. In the second heat Louise Hazel won her race in 24.25 and pocketed 957 points for her effort.
At the end of day one, Ennis was in pole position with 4078 points, 151 ahead of second placed Russian Tatyana Chernova, with Hazel in 16th place on 3634 points.
As a comparison on previous performances for Ennis – her first day at the European Championships in Barcelona in 2010 where she set her PB of 6823 ended with Ennis on 4080 – just two points more than her current tally.
Yet – ever the perfectionist, Ennis was not satisfied with her day's work:
"It's been a stressful day today but I knew it was going to be tough," she admitted.
"I was very frustrated after the first two events but I was really happy to throw that PB in the shot. It's so tight and its going to be a tough day tomorrow."
However Louise Hazel was pleased with her first day's outing:
"It's been a lovely day with two personal bests," she said.
"It was a lovely shot put – my first over 12m this season and a lovely run out in the 200m! I was happy to get the win in my heat and I'm really pleased with the way things have been going, so onwards and upwards."
In the sprints, Jeanette Kwakye (Michael Afilaka) exited the women's 100m at the semi final stage with a sixth place in 11.48. Kwakye, who got out of the blocks impressively, faded over the second half of the race which was run into a -1.3m/s headwind.
Kwakye – who had made great progress in coming back from injury to win the UK trials and achieve qualification for the World championships – was disappointed not to have made the final:
"It was weird, I ran slower than I ran yesterday," she said.
"It was a slow time and I could have easy qualified for the final so I'm disappointed.
"I've been injured but I'm back now so I need to do performances indicative of where I was previously."
In the men's pole vault final, Steve Lewis (Dan Pfaff) acquitted himself well in clearing a season's best of 5.65m, before failing to clear 5.75m and finishing ninth.
Lewis, who recovered from a broken hand earlier this year to put together a solid summer was unable to break his lifetime best of 5.72m, but reflected constructively on his competition:
"I feel like I'm pretty close. I'm excited and disappointed a little bit but I think I'll try and take all the positives away from this," he said.
"It didn't roll my way and that's how it goes and I'll be back."
Martyn Rooney (Nick Dakin) endured the breeziest part of the evening for his 400m semi final, and the Croydon Harrier struggled in finishing seventh in 46.09.
Rooney, who set a season's best of 45.30 in his heat faded in the home straight and afterwards lamented a season where he had struggled to gain his rhythm:
"That was stupid, I should have qualified from what was an easy semi final. It's embarrassing really.
"I think I was just too relaxed, I was trying to get back into some sort of rhythm that's worked for me in the past so I can relax in my running and try not to overcook the bend, but I couldn't do it and I was well off the pace when I came into the home straight."
Rooney's next opportunity in Daegu will come via the men's 4x400m relays – heats taking place on Thursday lunchtime.
World Championship action featuring Aviva GB & NI team members continues on Tuesday morning and includes, amongst others, Hazel and Ennis's next stage of the heptathlon disciplines, the men's high jump qualifying plus James Shane (Martin Brown) in the men's 1500m and Helen Clitheroe (John Nuttall) in the women's 5000m
Aviva GB & NI medals so far:
Sunday 28 August Mo Farah Men's 10,000m Silver
Monday 29 August Andy Turner Men's 110mH Bronze
Top 8 finishes
Monday 29 August William Sharman Men's 110mH 5th
UKA will provide daily news reports from the 2011 World Championships on www.uka.org.uk and quotes from Aviva GB & NI athletes as well as regular updates via twitter @uka_athletics and Facebook www.facebook.com/UKAofficial
UKA Athletics – News
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