Two years ago in Helsinki Kerron Clement left the track bitterly disappointed after finishing fourth and out of the medals when strongly tipped to win, but tonight in the Nagai Stadium he wiped away the memory with a spectacular victory.

The Trinidad-born American destroyed the opposition, recording a breathtaking world lead time of 47.61 to deliver the rich promise he had revealed, most notably, in 2005 when he smashed Michael Johnson’s world indoor 400m record.

Behind Clement, two-time former champion Felix Sanchez of the Domincan Republic was rewarded with a silver medal in 48.01 after suffering two seasons of injury woes, and Pole Marek Plawgo, the European silver medallist, backed up an impressive semi-final performance to take the bronze in a new national record of 48.12.

There was, however, once again pain for Clement’s team-mate and eternal bridesmaid James Carter. The 2005 World silver medallist and two-time Olympic fourth placer paid for some ambitious tactics and faded to fourth in 48.40.

Clement, a prodigious 400m flat runner with a best of 44.48, had to settle for second at the US trials, and prior to these championships had not recorded one 400m hurdles victory all season.

But cometh the hour cometh the man as Clement became the fifth US World Championship 400m hurdles gold medallist to add his name to that of Ed Moses, Kevin Young, Derrick Adkins and Bershawn Jackson.

A delighted Clement revealed a remarkably easy-going approach to the final. “After the gunshot, I just got out of the blocks and ran. I like not to think too much about the hurdles. I had to catch the two guys in front of me and did not think about saving energy. On the last two hurdles I had problems with my rhythm, but that did not matter.”

After his persistent calf and hamstring problems of the past couple of seasons Sanchez was satisfied with the silver.

“I wanted that third gold medal but considering what I was running at the start of the season I must be more than happy,” explained Sanchez, the reigning Olympic champion.

Plawgo was simply elated to climb the podium and the first Pole to win a World Championship hurdles medal said: “I came here with the 18th best performance, so I couldn’t ever have imagined winning a medal.”

After Sanchez was penalised for a false start it was Carter, running three lanes outside Clement in lane six, who was a marginal leader at the first hurdle. Down the back stretch the muscular and heavily tattooed 29-year-old had a clear advantage while the there was little to separate the rest of the field.

But with 200m to go the long-legged Clement powered into overdrive and around the final bend stamped his authority on the race. Hitting the straight a clear three metres ahead of the fading Carter, it was Clement’s race to lose as Sanchez and Plawgo became the only realistic dangers.

The leader stuttered badly on approach to the penultimate hurdler and could have taken the final barrier with greater proficiency, but he maintained his momentum and his advantage.
Sanchez hit the final hurdle perfectly and won the battle for silver with Plawgo, who has undergone three operations on his ankle since the Athens Olympics.

Osaka 2007 News Team/sl