13 August, 2017
Australia's Sally Pearson has overcome a horrific run of injuries to win in the women's 100m hurdles final at the IAAF World Championships in London. "I'm so exhausted but I'm sure it will sink in soon", Pearson said.
"I don't know if it was surprise or what, but the emotion just escaped my body because I was so excited and so happy to have achieved what I have worked so hard for", Pearson said.
Pearson missed the Rio Olympics because of a hamstring injury, and also missed the 2015 world titles after breaking her wrist from a fall on the track.
She assumed favouritism for the world title by clocking the fastest semi-final time of 12.53 on Friday evening and carried that dominance into the final. Victory went to her veteran compatriot Dawn Harper-Nelson, the 33-year-old 2008 Olympic champion looking in remarkable shape as she won the race and then promptly performed a cartwheel in delight.
"I love this stadium, I love the people and I'm so happy to be back here doing the same thing again".
"I can not believe it, it's insane", said Dutkiewicz.
"At the end, I could see Sally had won and I thought "it's me and Sally again".
"This is like in a film".
Harrison set the world record of 12.20 at the London Stadium previous year, but only after missing out on the United States team for Rio, and suffered more disappointment here as she clipped hurdle after hurdle to come home fourth in 12.74.
"I remember someone saying "you can be the world champion again" and I didn't feel awkward about that".
Pearson, racing in lane three outside Harrison, blasted from the blocks and showed all her experience to concentrate on her own race as Harrison faltered.
After contemplating hanging up the spikes, the 30-year-old qualified fastest for the final and held her nerve to add to her triumph at the 2011 world championships.
"Far out", she said afterwards.
"They expect me to be winning all the time but I'm pleased to be in my first world final and have learned a lot".
Harrison - who was the 1/6 on favourite for the title and had not been beaten in a race since the US Olympic trials past year - at least made it unlike Jamaica's defending champion Danielle Williams who flopped to finish fifth in her semi.
