Dorian Scott

Shot putter Dorian Scott was in record-breaking form on yesterday's opening day of the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain.

In the preliminary round, Scott broke his own national shot put record when he hurled 20.62 metres in the morning session to surpass his own previous best of 20.52 metres, which he hurled last year in Blacksburg, Virginia.

However, later in the final, 26-year-old Scott was relegated to sixth position with a throw of 20.29 metres. The American pair of Christian Cantwell (21.77m) and Reese Hoffa 21.20m) finished one-two, while Tomasz Majewski threw a Polish national record of 20.93m for bronze.

In the men's 800m dash, Jamaican entries Michael Blackwood (1:52.69) and Aldwyn Sappleton (1:51.24) were fifth in heat one and fourth in heat four, respectively.

Moya Thompson failed to finish in the women's 400m, but it is uncertain as to the nature of the injury - which has implications for the women's 4x400m relay, which will be run on tomorrow's final day.

SEASON'S BEST LEAP

Olympic Games silver medallist, James Beckford, leapt a season best 7.91m in the preliminary round to secure a place in the final as the fifth-best qualifier. Godfrey Khotso Mokoena of South Africa (8.01m) and Mohamed Salman Al Khuwalidi of Saudi Arabia (8.00m) are the leaders going into the final.

Yhann Plummer, who won heat seven in a personal best 6.65 seconds, was eliminated at the semi-final stage of the men's 60m hurdles, where he also repeated his time while placing third.

Meanwhile, Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria has won the final later in the day, equaling his season's leading time of 6.51 to take his first major gold. Dwain Chambers of Britain and Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis shared silver with 6.54 seconds. Chambers was banned between 2003 and '05 after testing positive for the steroid THG. Michael Rodgers of the United States was fourth in 6.57.

Lacena Golding-Clarke, who is competing at her fifth World Indoors, will face the starter in this morning's 60m hurdles. She is expected to face stiff competition from Susanna Kallur of Sweden, homegirl Glory Alozie, and Canadian Angella White in heat one.

In the men's 60m hurdles, DeCosma Wright will face Chinese Olympic and World Champion over 110m hurdles, Liu Xiang, in heat two, while Jamaica's Maurice Wignall will run in heat five.

- Anthony Foster