Oliver tops 110m hurdles, local hero Li wins at World Challenge Beijing

With the absence of Chinese star Liu Xiang, American David Oliver topped the men's 110-meter hurdles at the 2013 IAAF World Challenge Beijing here on Tuesday, while China's Li Jinzhe continued his good form and grabbed second win in men's long jump after the Diamond League in Shanghai last Saturday. Oliver, bronze medallist of the event at the 2008 Beijing Games, held off the challenge of London Olympic runner-up Jason Richardson and Jamaica's Dwight Thomas to secure the win in 13.16 seconds. Thomas trailed in 13.44, while Richardson settled for the third place in 13.48. Ryan Wilson of the United States came fourth in 13.56, while Chinese Shi Dongpeng ranked fifth in 13.57. "China has great fans and great atomsphere," said Oliver, who just took part in the Diamonds League in Shanghai last Saturday and finished fourth. World champion Richardson claimed victory in Shanghai at 13.23. Shi said he was unsatisfied with his recent performances. "I'm still finding my pace," he said. "I made some mistakes in my recent competitions." Three days after wining the men's long jump title at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, Li Jinzhe of China collected another victory with a mark of 8.31m. The 23-year-old crushed his personal best with a world leading 8.34m winning mark in Shanghai last Saturday, beating the past three Olympic champions - Dwight Phillips, 2004; Irving Saladino, 2008; and Greg Rutherford, London 2012 to claim the title. This time Li was also facing a strong field including Panama's Beijing Olympic champion Saladino and three of the last four IAAF World Indoor Championships gold medallists: Ghana's Ignisious Gaisah, South Africa's Godfrey Mokoena and Australia's Fabrice Lapierre, who won their titles in 2006, 2008 and 2010 respectively. Li only needed his first jump of 8.31m to seal the title, 0.18m ahead of second placed Gaisah. Ngonidzashe Makusha of Zimbabwe finished third in 8.04. The in-form Beijing native could have charged for a new personal best in the first major competition in his home city. But he scratched his arm to the edge of the pit during his third jump and had to quit the competition for first aid. In the men's high jump, the 22-year-old Wang Yu delighted the home crowd as he jumped a surprising 2.33m in his last attempt, achieved a new personal best. China also collected the women's shot put and men's triple jump titles as Liu Xiangrong threw 18.73 meters and Cao Shuo jumped 16.72 meters respectively. American star sprinter Allyson Felix won her trademark 200m in 22.36 seconds. Her teammates Lashauntea Moore and Ebonie Floyd finished second and third respectively in 22.85 and 23.19. The men's 200m title was taken by Lashawn Merritt, also from the United States. Reigning Olympic and world champion Anna Chicherova of Russia cleared 2.02 meters to win the women's high jump. The 30-year-old veteran enjoyed a comfortable dominance in the field, securing the title after she leaped over 1.98m. She cleared 2.00m with her second attempt and went to go jump over 2.02m before she failed all the three attempts at 2.04. Although the winning mark is 0.05m short of her personal best, Chicherova is pleased with her result. "I was so glad when I jumped two meters and when I beat 2.02m I was so happy because I think it's good for me at this moment," said the Russian. "The World Championship is the main point for me and I can say that step by step before the World Championships, all competitions for me are important at this moment." World and Olympic champion Tatyana Lysenko of Russia won the women's hammer throw in 73.12 meters, which was far behind her personal best, 78.51m. In the women's 100m hurdles, Kellie Wells of the United States sprinted to a 12.87 winning mark. American veteran Justin Gatlin claimed the men's 100m in 9.91. China's Su Bingtian was third in 10.06, while national record holder Zhang Peimeng came fifth in 10.09. The women's 100m was dominated by Nigerian Blessing Okagbare, who clocked in 11.04. Kenya showed its power in mid and long distance as Kenyan athletes made a sweep in the men's 800, women's 1500m and men's 3000m steeplechase. Spanish Igor Bychkov won the men's pole vault in 5.60 meters, while Tori Polk of the United States took the women's long jump title in 6.58 meters. The men's javelin throw title went to Russia's Dmitry Tarabin, who threw 81.11 meters in his first attempt, and the women's title was taken by Sinta Ozalina-Kovala of Latvia in 60.90 meters. The IAAF World Challenge Beijing was the fifth leg of the 2013 series, and the second Asian stop on the 15-meeting circuit. Source: XINHUA