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This article was first published 13 years ago

PHOTOS: Memorable moments from the World Athletics Championships

Last updated on: September 7, 2011 08:39 IST

Image: Usain Bolt

A look at some memorable moments from the World Athletics Championships.

Usain Bolt celebrates victory and a new world record in the men's 4x100 metres relay final during day nine of 13th IAAF World Athletics Championships at Daegu Stadium in Daegu, South Korea, on Sunday.

With an eye on the clock for what seemed like 50 metres, as soon as Bolt crossed the line he hurled his baton high into the crowd and the infectious celebrations began.

His dancing can only be described as world class, too.

"For me, it was just to go out there fast. We did just that. I am proud of my team," Bolt said after setting the 37.04 record.

"I am happy with myself. I enjoyed being the anchor. I had a little problem with my Achilles. I can't run the bend. It was decided I would run the anchor. Yohan Blake ran a great bend. I am happy with that."

Photographs: Getty Images

A leap into the unknown

Image: Ngonidzashe Makusha

Ngonidzashe Makusha of Zimbabwe competes during the men's long jump final during day seven of the World Athletics Championships.

Makusha took the bronze medal with his opening leap of 8.29m.

America's Dwight Phillips successfully defended his world long jump title as he registered a leap of 8.45 metres, while Australian Mitch Watt took silver.

The shadow jumper

Image: Damar Forbes

Damar Forbes of Jamaica competes in the men's long jump qualification round during day six.

Three-time world champions Dwight Phillips took the gold with a leap of 8.45 meters on his second attempt.

Favorite Mitchell Watt of Australia took silver with a jump of 8.33, and Ngonidzashe Makusha of Zimbabwe was third with 8.29, giving the African country its first medal at the worlds.

Shot put

Image: Carlos Veliz

Carlos Veliz of Cuba competes in the men's shot put final during day seven.

German youngster David Storl emerged from the shadows to claim a surprise victory and the men's shot put gold with his final throw.

The 21-year-old former world junior and youth champion's sixth throw of 21.78 metres, a personal best, enabled him to pip Canada's Dylan Armstrong to gold.

Belarussian Andrei Mikhnevich of Belarus, the 2003 world champion, beat American defending champion Christian Cantwell to third place with a throw of 21.40 to claim the bronze.

'Looking for tears?'

Image: Usain Bolt (centre) makes a false start in the men's 100 metres final

Usain Bolt (4th from left) makes a false start and is disqualified in the men's 100 metres final during day two.

Disqualified for leaving the blocks far too early, the Jamaican world record holder left the Daegu arena grimacing and beating a wall with his hand.

He then watched in frustration as his Jamaican training partner Yohan Blake won in 9.92 seconds ahead of American Walter Dix.

However, the triple Olympic sprint champion quickly regained his customary cool.

"Looking for tears?," Bolt asked. "That's not going to happen."

'Robles hit me twice'

Image: Xiang Liu (left) of China and Dayron Robles of Cuba

Xiang Liu (left) of China and Dayron Robles of Cuba make contact after jumping over the 10th hurdle during the men's 110 metres hurdles final.

Robles was stripped of his gold medal pending an inquiry after barging past China's Liu Xiang to win the 110 metres hurdles final.

American Jason Richardson, who finished second after Liu stumbled over the final hurdle, was installed as world champion with the Chinese handed silver pending the investigation into the race, which might be re-run, according to the governing IAAF.

Robles, the 24-year-old world record holder and Olympic champion, made contact with Liu at least twice on his way to crossing the line first in 13.14 seconds.

Liu lost tripped on the last hurdle, a rarity for the 2007 world champion, and was only able to finish third in 13.27 behind Richardson, who finished in 13.16.

"Robles hit me twice, at the ninth hurdle he pulled at me but I'm sure it wasn't intentional," Liu told reporters.

"I lost my balance when I came to the 10th hurdle because of the bump. If not for the incident, I would been the gold medallist."

Idowu settles for silver

Image: Phillips Idowu

Phillips Idowu of Great Britain competes in the men's triple jump final during day nine.

American Christian Taylor stunned defending champion Idowu with a world leading leap of 17.96 metres to win the triple jump gold.

Idowu had to settle for silver, ahead of Taylor's compatriot Will Claye, who won bronze with a leap of 17.50m.

The sweet taste of victory

Image: Yuliya Zaripova

Yuliya Zaripova of Russia celebrates claiming gold in the women's 3000 metres steeplechase final during day four.

The Russian won the race with a timing of nine minutes, 7.03 seconds.

Tunisia's Habiba Ghribi claimed silver, with a timing of 9:11.97s, while Kenya's Milcah Cheywa took bronze in 9:17.16s.

Montano takes a tumble

Image: Alysia Johnson Montano

Alysia Johnson Montano of the US falls on the track at the end of the women's 800 metres final behind winner Mariya Savinova of Russia.

Photographs: Reuters

'Blade Runner' loses race, wins hearts

Image: Oscar Pistorius

South African double-amputee Oscar Pistorius comes out of the starting blocks during his men's 400 metres heat.

Pistorius failed to qualify for the 400 meters final after he finished last in his heat, the third of three semi-finals, in a time of 46.19 seconds, more than a second short of his personal best.

Pistorius was sacrificed in South Africa's pursuit of a world athletics relay medal. Despite helping his country to a national record in the qualifying heats on Thursday, the 24-year-old was cut from the team for the final, replaced by 400 metres hurdler LJ van Zyl, whom the team felt would be a better option.

Pistorius, who runs on carbon blades having had his lower legs amputated as a baby, could not hide his disappointment, writing on Twitter: "Pretty Guttered".

"Thats me for the ... World Champs! Gods blessed me! Semifinals in the 400m and a National Record in the 4x400m semi! Thank u all!x"

Although Pistorius fared well on his leg, the fact he is not the fastest of starters, and the IAAF has stipulated he must run the first leg of any relay for safety reasons, may have been a factor for the South African team.

'I will relieve my pain with a beer shower'

Image: Robert Harting

Robert Harting of Germany celebrates winning the men's discus throw final.

Harting suffered through the agony of an injured knee to win the discus world title, and planned to take a beer shower to douse the pain.

Harting took the gold with a throw of 68.97 metres in Daegu, with Estonian Gert Kanter claiming silver and Iran's Eshan Hadadi the bronze.

Harting was surprised to have thrown as long as he did and said many of the discus throwers had been nursing injuries in South Korea.

"Even me, I have problems because my knee hurts so much. At the qualification we managed to keep the pain down, but today the injections did not relieve me much," he said, adding that he would get his shot put team mate to help him dull the pain with an unusual remedy.

"I guess I will be limping back to the bus. I will relieve my knee pain tonight with a beer shower from Ralf Bartels."

Vaulting to success

Image: Martina Strutz

Germany's Martina Strutz reacts after winning the silver medal in the women's pole vault final.

Brazilian Fabiana Murer vaulted 4.85 meters to clinch gold, while Strutz and Russia's Svetlana Feofanova cleared 4.80 meters and 4.75 meters respectively to finish second and third.

Two-time world champion Russian Yelena Isinbayeva failed to live up to the hyphe as she finished sixth, clearing just 4.65 metres.

'I knew I had to get to where I am'

Image: Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor of the US competes in the men's triple jump final.

The American shocked defending champion Idowu to win the gold in a thrilling finish.

The 21-year-old American cleared a best of 17.96 metres with his fourth attempt to emerge the winner.

"This has been such a journey. I'm happy with the results. I had a lot of fun.

"I'm a competitor and I turned on the switch in the fourth round, and I knew it when I jumped. I knew I had to get to where I am," said Taylor.

'When I start passing him he blocked my path'

Image: Ezekiel Kemboi

Ezekiel Kemboi of Kenya celebrates winning the men's 3000 metres steeplechase final.

Kemboi continued Kenya's domination of the men's 3,000 metres steeplechase at the World championships, taking the title in a time of eight minutes 14.85 seconds.

Compatriot Brimin Kipruto won the silver and Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad the bronze, though the Frenchman thought Kipruto had unfairly denied him second place.

"When I start passing him he blocked my path," he told French television. "I told him it was not fair play. He looks behind and changes his line. We have to see the footage, I don't know if we'll lodge a complaint."

Kenya have now won nine of the 13 men's steeplechase world titles.

Kemboi, the defending champion from Berlin in 2009, celebrated his victory in style, stripping to the waist and gyrating his hips to the delight of the Daegu crowd.

The leap of faith

Image: Malte Mohr

Germany's Malte Mohr takes part in the men's pole vault qualifying event.

Pawel Wojciechowski of Poland won the gold medal, clearing 19 feet, 4 inches, the same as silver medalist Lazaro Borges of Cuba. He won because of fewer missed attempts.

Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie took the bronze.