New star emerges from hurdles debris at WC Athletics Daegu

DAEGU, South Korea — Thrilling and controversial, an incident-packed world 110m hurdles final lived up to its billing by producing a dramatic disqualification for the Olympic champion -- and a new star.

In Monday's first ever meeting in a global final between the three fastest sprint hurdlers of all time -- Dayron Robles, Liu Xiang and David Oliver (Howard University) -- it was Jason Richardson who emerged with the gold after the dust had settled.

A day after defending champion Usain Bolt saw his 100m dream shattered after sensationally false-starting, the worlds were again rocked as another of the biggest stars in athletics was stripped of his medal for obstruction.

Cuba's Robles had won a thriller in 13.14sec, edging out American Richardson by just 0.02sec but made contact with former Olympic and world champion Liu in the latter stages of the race in South Korea.

A protest by China on behalf of Liu, who appeared to be impeded when Robles strayed to the edge of his lane and the pair clashed arms at each of the last two hurdles, was upheld and Robles lost his gold.

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110m Hurdles Men Final WC Athletics Daegu 2011
Jason Richardson USA 13.16
Xiang Liu CHN 13.27
Andrew Turner GBR 13.44
David Oliver USA 13.44
William Sharman GBR 13.67
Aries Merritt USA 13.67
Dayron Robles CUB DQ
Dwight Thomas JAM DNF

World's Top 3 Hurdlers Will Finally Have a Showdown

DAEGU, SOUTH KOREA — They are the three fastest 110-meter hurdlers in history, and for a change, Dayron Robles, Liu Xiang and David Oliver (Howard University) are all in the same place.

“It’s probably the best field ever assembled,” said Vin Lananna, head coach of the U.S. men’s team at the world track and field championships. “I think it’s going to be a dogfight.”

With all three men advancing comfortably Sunday in their heats, the final on Monday still has a fine chance to be the race of these championships. Though Robles’s world record of 12.87 seconds remains unlikely to fall, it is hardly unthinkable with this much talent sharing space and the same objective on the new blue track in Daegu Stadium.

“One mistake and you are dead,” Robles said.



110m Hurdles Men Heat 3 WC Athletics Daegu 2011
David Oliver USA 13.27 Q
Fan Jiang CHN 13.47 Q (PB)
Andrew Riley JAM 13.47 Q
Dimitri Bascou FRA 13.51
William Sharman GBR 13.52
Héctor Cotto PUR 13.60 Lehann Fourie RSA 13.86

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Ex-Howard Bison athlete captures bronze in hurdles

It wasn't that long ago that David Oliver was an afterthought on the U.S. track team, a hurdler who went unrecognized by television analysts when he finally won a major race. "A nobody," he said. But Thursday night, the 26-year-old Denver East High School (and Howard University) graduate stood on a podium in National Stadium, a 2008 Olympic bronze medal hanging around his neck, eight years after a college scholarship seemed beyond his grasp.

"They only pass out three of these every four years, so to be one of the people who've got one is definitely an accomplishment in itself," Oliver said. "To get one of them (means) you'll always be remembered." Once Chinese superhero Liu Xiang pulled out of a preliminary heat with a foot injury, the race lost its luster in China. But Cuba's Dayron Robles, the world record-holder, ran a remarkable 12.93 seconds to take the gold.

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Howard Bison Oliver blazes to 110 hurdles crown

David Oliver ran the fastest time in every round on the way to his first U.S. outdoor championship

When he found her on his victory lap, the former Denver East athlete and newly crowned Olympic trials champion gripped his mother in a long, tight hug. "I'm just glad to be able to share this moment with her," said Oliver, who blazed to the finish line Sunday in 12.95 seconds to win the 110-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. "She's my inspiration. Without her guidance, especially when I was younger, I wouldn't be able to do the things I'm doing now."

David Oliver's 12.95 wind-aided Olympic Trials Final race in the 110 meter hurdles.


Oliver's mother, Brenda Chambers, was an All-American at Colorado in 1981 in the 400 hurdles. She competed in the 1980 Olympic trials at the same stadium as Oliver but never had a chance to compete in those Olympics because of an American boycott. Her son only recently emerged as a track star. He played football and ran track at Howard University but wasn't a standout until after college. He was the lowest seed in the 110 hurdles in the 2004 Olympic trials but now has the second-fastest time in the world.

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For Howard's Oliver, Great Leaps Forward

David Oliver has posted three of the world's top five times in the 110-meter hurdles this season, including 12.95 seconds in May.

EUGENE, Ore. -- David Oliver couldn't believe the turn his life had taken. He had graduated from Howard University with a bachelor's degree in marketing for this? He found himself bunking in an Orlando house with three other track athletes, one of whom was sleeping in the living room. They were so broke, they never turned on the air conditioning or used the dishwasher.

Oliver recalls buying five-pound bags of rice at Wal-Mart and pancake mix that required only water, and eating cereal all day long. He drove a rickety 1992 Chevy that sometimes got him to practice without stalling, but usually didn't. And then, once he arrived for his daily training under legendary, old-school coach Brooks Johnson, things got really tough. During Oliver's first practice under Johnson in 2004, the coach demanded nine 300-yard sprints, broken up into three sets.

After each set, Oliver stepped to the side of the track and vomited.



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