CLARKE UPSTAGES Powell, Carter in 60m

Sunday, February 19, 2012

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Liu Xiang ruled over Dayron Robles as the world’s fastest hurdlers resumed their rivalry ahead of the London Olympics and Lerone Clarke upstaged Jamaican sprint rival Asafa Powell to win the 60 metres at the Birmingham Grand Prix yesterday.

Xiang of China ran the 60-metre hurdles final in 7.41 seconds, almost a 10th of a second ahead of world record-holder Robles in their first meeting since colliding at last year’s world championships.

“I am especially happy to get a national as well as Asian record,” Xiang said. “I still feel though that over the first two hurdles I didn’t do very well and that there is work to be done there. I am excited about the rest of the year now.”

In South Korea in August, Robles finished first over 110 metres but was disqualified for impeding Xiang, who ended up winning a silver medal after being on course for gold. Now they are gearing up for the Olympic clash the world was denied in 2008 when Xiang limped off the start line in Beijing and Robles took his Olympic title.

“The main task is to keep healthy and try to get in step before the Olympics,” Xiang said.

Jamaica will be based in Birmingham before the Olympics and Clarke led home a Jamaican 1-2-3 in the central English city with 6.47-second victory in their sprint showdown.

“I kept focussed,” Clarke said. “I knew that all I had to do was get out of the blocks and drive hard, get up and run home and it didn’t matter who was out front, just focus on me.”

Powell had to settle for third as he returned to indoor competition after an eight-year absence. Nesta Carter came home in second.

“Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, they’re all fast guys and to come here and win, it’s fantastic,” Clarke said. “I’ve never been to an Olympics so it would be a great addition to my career if I can do that now.”

There was disappointment for the home crowd when world 5,000-metre champion Mo Farah was beaten over two miles by Eliud Kipchoge, finishing 0.68 seconds behind the Kenyan in second.