Olympic champion Dawn Harper scorched into the final of the women's 100m hurdles at the world athletics championships with both the fastest time and a personal best in Wednesday's semi-finals.
The United States hurdler is bidding to to add world championship gold to her Beijing title and she ran an impressive 12.48secs to throw down the gauntlet to her rivals ahead of Wednesday night's final.
All the 25-year-old's main competitors, including Olympic silver medalist Sally McLellan, also progressed but the Australian was only the sixth fastest as she ran 12.66secs.
Canada's Olympic bronze medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep was the first athlete into the final, and the fourth fastest overall, when she ran 12.60sec. ahead of Jamaica's Delloreen Ennis-London who qualified in 12.64secs.
Jamaica's Bridgitte Foster-Hylton ran a season's best 12.54secs to win the second semi-final ahead of Canada's Perdita Felicien who qualified in 12.58secs.
Virgina Powell of the United States and Ireland's Derval O'Rourke, who ran a season's best 12.73secs, go through to the final as the fastest losers.
Source: AFP American Edition
