Liu completes set with hurdles win

OSAKA, Japan -- Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang of China won the men's 110 meters hurdles at the world championships in Osaka Friday to complete a set of medals.

Liu won bronze in 2003 and silver in 2005.

Running on the outside in the ninth lane, he won his first world title and China's first gold of the meeting in 12.97 seconds.

Liu's time was outside both his world record of 12.88 and his season-leading time of 12.92.

However that mattered little to the Chinese hero who said:"I feel really good right now.

" During the race I made some mistakes and hit some hurdles, so I didn't really run that well. I could have run better, but I ran well enough. Winning the championship is what matters the most. I wanted to let people know the speed that Asia has."

American Terrence Trammell added to his collection of silver, finishing second in 12.99 seconds. He had won silver at the 2003 world championships, and at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.

Team-mate David Payne, who only arrived in Japan from Virginia on Tuesday as a late replacement, took bronze at 13.02. Cuba's Dayron Robles was fourth in 13.15.

Defending champion Ladji Doucoure of France was eliminated in the semifinals.

Defending world and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner led an American sweep of the medals in the men's 400 meters.

Wariner won in a personal best time of 43.45 seconds, with LaShawn Merritt taking silver in 43.96 and Angelo Taylor getting bronze in 44.32.

It was the first medal sweep for any country in the men's 400m at the world championships. Chris Brown of Bahamas was fourth in 44.45.

Defending champion Rashid Ramzi crashed out of the men's world 800 meters after finishing last in his semifinal heat.

Ramzi, who has now surrendered both his 800m and 1500m titles, quickly dropped to the rear and could not find a way back as he faded badly on the final lap.

The Morocco-born Bahraini, who has been a huge disappointment after an injury-hit year, made a late decision to run the 800m after losing his 1,500m title to American Bernard Lagat.

"My left knee hurt, but this was not the reason why I was last. I was simply tired," he said. "I did not run a lot of races this year and this is already my fifth race at the world championships."

Ramzi added that it was his own decision to run the 800m.

Kenya's Alfred Kirwa Yego heads into Sunday's final as the fastest qualifier with one minute 44.54 seconds, his best this season, ahead of world-leading South African Mbulaeni Mulaudzi. E-mail to a friend