Felix sets world-leading times 100 and 400, Forrester top Canadian

By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DOHA, Qatar - It took less than 90 minutes for Allyson Felix to become the year's fastest woman in both the 100 and 400 metres.

The American ran inside 11 seconds for the first time and set a personal best of 10.93 seconds in the 100 at the Doha Super Grand Prix. She was soon back on the track, and outran all opponents with the same easy stride to take the 400 in 49.83, the first time a woman broke the 50-second mark this season.

"This is what I wanted to do, but I am tired," she said. "In the 100, my start needs still to improve but it is a lot better than it was."

Nicole Forrester of Toronto had Canada's top finish, clearing 1.91 metres to tie for fourth in the women's high jump.

Priscilla Lopes of Whitby, Ont., was sixth in the women's 100-metre hurdles in 12.86, while Charles Allen of Brampton, Ont., was sixth in the men's 110 hurdles in 14.00. And Hilary Stellingwerf of Guelph, Ont., was 10th in the women's 1,500 in four minutes 12.02 seconds.

Felix's favourite event is actually the 200, and she is hoping to become a quadruple champion at the Beijing Olympics.

In the 100, Felix made the difference over the final 40 metres, dipping across the line to comfortably beat Sherone Simpson of Jamaica by 0.16 seconds.

Jamaica's Kerron Stewart held the previous fastest time this year with 10.96.

In balmy conditions of around 30 C on the Persian Gulf, she went out fast enough in the 400, leading by some 10 metres when heading into the home stretch. Jamaica's Shericka Williams was second in 50.50.

Felix's American rival Sanya Richards held the previous best this year of 50.47.

"Now I am just getting ready for my trials in June," Felix said.

She will compete in the 100 and 200 at the U.S. Olympic trials, starting June 27 in Oregon, and is expected to be part of the two U.S. relay teams in Beijing too.

Jeremy Wariner, the 400 Olympic and world champion, pulled out of the 200 because he felt cramp in his right thigh during the warmup.

"It was bad enough not to run and this being the Olympic year and all that," said manager Deon Minor. Wariner, watching the race in the stands, did not want to comment.

In his absence, his main 400 rival Lashawn Merritt won the 200 race in 20.08 seconds, ahead of fellow American Joel Brown.

If all eyes were on the stars, there was one athlete who served notice he could be among them soon.

David Oliver of the U.S. made sure he could not be counted out of the medal race in Beijing, winning the 110-metre hurdles in 12.95 - just .07 off the world record set by China's Liu Xiang.

Fellow American Joel Brown was second in 13.38 and Andy Turner clocked 13.41.

The men's 100 metres was less spectacular, with Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure winning in 10.01 second, edging Darrell Brown of Trinidad and Tobago by .01 seconds. Jamaica's Michael Frater was third in 10.08.

Croatia's Blanka Vlasic won her 23rd straight high jump with a leap of 2.03 metres. It was the 20th competition in a row in which she cleared two metres. She was the only jumper to pass the two-metre barrier on Friday.

World indoor champion LoLo Jones had a less than perfect start to her international season, stumbling along the way to finish second in the 100 hurdles behind Jamaica's Brigitte Foster-Hylton, who set a meet record of 12.56 to edge Jones by .09.