Double amputee

Pistorius makes relay final

Double-amputee runner Oscar Pistorius reached his first major final on Thursday, leading off South Africa's 4x400 meter relay team at the World Championships and helping it qualify with a national record.

After making a historic breakthrough for Paralympic athletes by reaching the semifinals of the 400, Pistorius ran a strong opening leg on the tough inside lane. He handed over to Oftentse Mogawane, who briefly gave the relay team the lead before it settled for third place in a South African record of 2 min, 59.21 sec.

"It's unbelievable to be part of one of the four names on the list to run a national record," Pistorius said. "It makes me extremely proud. To make the finals even makes me more happy."

It was already considered an amazing performance to get into the 400 semifinals on his carbon-fiber blades, but on Thursday, the relay performance did one better for the runner who had his legs amputated when he was a baby.

Jamaican relays

Powell will skip race with injury

Asafa Powell pulled out of the Jamaican 4x100 meter relay team on Thursday because he has not sufficiently recovered from a groin injury.

Powell's agent, Paul Doyle, said it would be too much of a risk for the team if Powell were to pull up lame during the event in which Jamaica is a favorite for gold. The heats are on Friday and the final is on Saturday.

"He would need to take a few more days to fully recover," Doyle said.

Women's 800

Semenya makes it to semifinals

Two years after her gender overshadowed her world title, South African runner Caster Semenya got off to a strong start in defending her 800 meter title on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Semenya easily qualified for the semifinals at Daegu Stadium, finishing second in her heat in 2 min, 1.01 sec.

Big day for the US

Americans claim three golds

In a golden half hour for the United States, three Americans won world championship titles on Thursday, none more surprising than Jennifer Barringer Simpson getting the first 1,500 meter victory since Mary Decker-Slaney in 1983.

Jesse Williams added the first high jump world title in two decades and Lashinda Demus ran the third fastest time in history to take the women's 400 hurdles.

AP

(China Daily 09/02/2011 page24)