Dani Samuels finished 10th in the discus final on the second day of competition at the IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR), while Usain Bolt (JAM) was disqualified in the 100m final.
 
Samuels, the defending champion, was unable to advance into the final eight of competition, with her first attempt landing at 58.08m.
 
Germany’s Nadine Muller carried the form she’d shown in qualifying straight into the final with a first heave of 65.06m, which only Yanfeng Li (CHN) surpassed. Li then bettered that with 66.52m on her second throw, and Samuels also enjoyed improvement with her second effort, albeit 59.14m was not enough to see heradvance.
 
All three of the medals came in the opening three throws, and all three were further than that which saw Samuels crowned champion in 2009.  Li took gold with her 66.52m effort, Muller silver with 65.97 and Yarelis Barrios (CUB) bronze with a third heave of 65.73m.
 
Samuels said: “I just couldn’t relax I don’t think, my body was just too tense.  I was trying to focus on being loose and limber, but just couldn’t put it together in a throw, it’s really frustrating because I should’ve been out there [in the final].
 
“Over the last couple of days my confidence hasn’t been that crash hot, I considered myself extremely lucky to get into the final and was really pumped and positive all day and was really looking forward to it. But as soon as I got out there the upper body just tensed up and I couldn’t get that smooth rhythmic throw that I have been getting recently.
 
“When I’m too tense there’s not really any rhythm, the timing’s out, there’s no speed or acceleration throughout the whole thing as well, so being tense is a bigdowner.
 
“I was in a position I’ve never been in before. World champion, defending champion, I’ve never had to do that before. World youth and world juniors are a bit different.
 
“Like I said I was trying to build my confidence this year and I really thought I had it in the last couple of days, but was just too tense, that’s all I can sum up.
 
“I’ve been looking forward to London, been counting down to it since I’ve been 16, it’s always been six years, five years and now it’s less than a year away so it’s exciting. After we go home I’ll have a little break and then start planning what comps we’ll do in the led up to London. It’s exciting; London’s been the big one the whole time.
 
“There’s no better motivation than disappointment so I definitely will not let this happen in London, if I have any say about it. I think it really gives you that extra motivation to not let this happen again. It’s the Olympics as well, it’s what I’ve been aiming for my whole career so I’ll let nothing come between it.
 
“This is a big disappointment. After Beijing, as I said, disappointment is the best form of motivation and I had a really good 2009.”
 
The upset of the evening was caused in the 100m when Bolt (JAM) false started and was therefore automatically disqualified. His compatriot Yohan Blake (JAM) took full advantage of the opportunity to win in 9.92, while Walter Dix (USA) finished in second in 10.08 and former world champion Kim Collins (SKN) took bronze in 10.09.
 
Elsewhere in the night’s finals Brittney Reese won the USA’s first gold medal, in the long jump with a leap of 6.82m. Olga Kucherenko (RUS) finished second (6.77) and Ineta Radevica (LAT) third (6.76).
 
Trey Hardee and Ashton Eaton (USA) claimed further medals for America, in the decathlon, when they took gold and silver respectively.
 
Mo Farah (GBR) took silver after he was chased down in the last few metres of the 10,000m by Ibrahim Jeilan (ETH), who won in 27:13.81. Jeilan had seen compatriot Kenenisa Bekele drop out after 6000m, but was joined by Imane Merga (ETH) on the podium.
 
Earlier, in the morning session, Kaila McKnight (Vic) booked her place in the 1500m semi finals with a time of 4:08.74 in heat three. McKnight led the group, which included double world-champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BRN), and her early efforts paid off with a quick time to see her through.

Athletics Australia