Pearson roars to world 100m hurdles gold

Australia’s Sally Pearson completed one of the great sporting comebacks when she overcame two years of injury agony to win the world 100 metres hurdles title at the age of 30 on Saturday.

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Pearson, world champion in 2011 and Olympics gold medallist in London in 2012 and with Olympics and world silvers to her name, held off Dawn Harper Nelson, one of four Americans in the field, for an emotional triumph.

She missed the last two seasons due to hamstring and Achilles injuries and a badly broken wrist and feared for her career. But when she clocked 12.48 seconds in the London Diamond League last month - her fastest time for five years — she realised she was in medal-contending form.

She then underlined that by reaching the final as the fastest qualifier in 12.53.

Pearson did not need to go that fast on Saturday but barely noticed the clock as she posted 12.59 seconds, screaming “oh my God” repeatedly after crossing the line. “I’ve worked so hard, I don’t know what has just happened out there. I’m so tired but I’m sure it will sink in soon,” she said.

Harper Nelson, the 2008 Olympics champion and silver medallist behind Pearson in 2012 took silver in 12.63 ahead of Germany’s Pamela Dutkiewicz, who claimed a surprise bronze in 12.72. — Reuters