2007年VOA标准英语-Gay Pulls Off Double Sprint Title at World Athl

American sprinter² Tyson Gay has won his second gold medal at the World Athletics³ Championships in Osaka, Japan.  As VOA's David Byrd reports, Gay added the 200-meters title to his 100-meters gold medal.

Tyson Gay in Osaka, Japan

But then Gay turned on a burst of speed and won the gold in 19.76 seconds.  Bolt won the silver, 15-100ths of a second back.  Wallace Spearmon of the United States won the bronze (20.05).

After the race, Gay said that he thought he might lose, but found the strength to capture his second sprint¹ gold of the championships.

"It shocked me," Gay said. "I was slightly frightened coming off the curve.  And to see him winning, you know I am not used to that.  And the last time was 2005 when he was coming off the curve before me.  So the tables turned, but I still relied on my strength and hard work to come through with the victory."

Meanwhile, Panama's Irving Saladino used his final attempt to win the long jump, leaping eight meters, 57 centimeters.

Andrew Home of Italy won the silver (8.47 meters) with former world and Olympic champion Dwight Phillips of the United States took the bronze (8.30 meters). 

Germany's Betty Heidler won the women's hammer throw with a toss of 74 meters, 76 centimeters.  Heidler told VOA Sports that she took inspiration from teammate and three-time discus gold-medalist Franka Dietzsch.

"I saw her yesterday and I thought 'Oh, it would be nice to be a gold medalist too.'  And I tried to be in the same shape like her yesterday, and to just have fun and yeah it was the best I could do," Heidler said.

Former world champion and Olympic silver medalist Yipsi Moreno of Cuba won the silver, just two centimeters off the lead.  China's Zhang Wenxiu took the bronze (74.39 meters). 

Also in women's events, Australian Jana Rawlinson won the 400-meters hurdles⁵ in 53.31 seconds.  Rawlinson last won a world gold in 2003 in Paris, but she said this win was more satisfying.

"Definitely this one [is more satisfying].  I had a baby eight months ago and now my whole life has changed," Rawlinson said. "And realistically, we have only been training for three or four months and to be able to come and pull this off really does look good for the rest of my career, if we can just gain on some of this strength."

Defending champion Yulia Pechenkina of Russia won the silver just one-100th of one second back.  Anna Jesien of Poland won the bronze (53.92).

After six days of competition, the United States leads the medals table with six gold medals and 13 total.  Russia is second with three gold medals and 10 total.  Kenya is third with three golds and 10 total.