Canada's Reed 2nd at World Athletics Final
Last Updated: Saturday, September 12, 2009 | 3:36 PM ET
CBC Sports
Canadian Gary Reed added another strong result to close out the 2009 track and field season on Saturday, finishing second in the 800 metres at the World Athletics Final in Greece.
The Kamloops, B.C., native came across the finish line in a time of one minute, 45.23 seconds at Thessaloniki.
David Rudisha won his fourth major meet after crashing in the semifinals at the world championships in Berlin last month. The Kenyan won in a time of 1:44.85.
Reed was third at the final Golden League event in Brussels eight days ago, a race won by Rudisha.
Reed disappointed at the world championships, failing to advance to the final.
Photo finish in hurdles
In the women's hurdles final, Canadians Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and Perdita Felicien were nosed out of the top three in a race that featured five of the world's best separated by just 0.03 seconds.
World champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica took the 100-metre race in a time of 12.58 seconds.
Lopes-Schliep, Felicien, Beijing Olympic gold medallist Dawn Harper of the United States and Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London all were credited with a time of 12.61 seconds.
Race officials determined their finishing order was Harper, Ennis-London, Lopes-Schliep then Felicien.
Lopes-Schliep, of Whitby, Ont., got off to a terrific start and led with about 30 metres to go until others made gains.
Pickering, Ont., native Felicien had a better start than in recent meets — though it was fourth-best in the field — and was arguably the strongest over the final 30 metres.
Frizell 6th
Canada's Sultana Frizell finished sixth in the women's hammer throw. The Perth, Ont., native threw a distance of 68.07 metres, just under four metres behind winner Betty Heidler of Germany, the silver medallist at the recent world championships.
Dylan Armstrong of Kamloops was eighth in the men's shot put, won by American Christian Cantwell.
Tyson Gay of the U.S. overtook Jamaica's Asafa Powell in the last 20 metres to take the men's 100 in a time of 9.88 seconds.
World champion Allyson Felix just held off American countrywoman Sanya Richards in the women's 200. Both were credited with a time of 22.29, with Felix getting the edge.
Richards, a world champion in the 400, will be racing on Sunday at her specialty.
Ethiopian world champion distance runner Kenenisa Bekele opted to run in the men's 3,000 event and fought off a strong challenge from American Bernard Legat to win the race in eight minutes, 3.79 seconds.
Bekele told the crowd at Kaftanzoglio Stadium he will not compete in Sunday's 5,000 final.
Bekele has been unbeatable at distances greater than 5,000 and won a share of the Golden League $1 million US jackpot last week after going undefeated in all six races in the series.
His last defeat at 5,000 or greater came against Lagat in 2006.
Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia won the women's pole vault as expected, with a clearance of 4.80 metres. She failed in three attempts at 5.07, which would have been her 16h career outdoor world record.
World champion LaShawn Merritt of the U.S. clocked 44.94 seconds, while American Brittney Reese leapt 7.08 metres on her final attempt to win the women's long jump.
Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt didn't take part in the men's 100 but will compete in the 200 on Sunday.
Other winners Saturday were:
- Virgilijus Alekna, Lithuania, men's discus.
- Arnie David Girat, Cuba, men's triple jump.
- Nancy Langat, Kenya, women's 1,500m.
- Ruth Nyangua, Kenya, women's 3,000 m steeplechase.
- Yaroslav Rybakov, Russia, men's high jump.
