A memorable double for Tyson Gay

Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from Japan

ATHLETICS: American speed merchant Tyson Gay emulated fellow countryman Justin Gatlin as he completed a memorable sprint double on the sixth day of the IAAF World Championship at the Nagai Stadium here today.

Having emerged as the fastest man at the Osaka 2007 World Championship, Gay did it once more with another bullet-style dash to annex the men's 200m title. He clocked 19.76 seconds to finish first, ahead of Jamaican Usain Bolt (19.91) and his American team mate Wallace Spearman (20.05).

Irving Saladino (PAN) won the men's long jump gold with a clearance of 8.57m while the gold in the women's hammer throw went to German Betty Heidler.

Keen tussle in men's javelin throw

Meanwhile, a keen tussle is expected in the men's javelin throw, which has always provided some exciting onfield action, on Friday. All contenders for the title have historically been at their best in their late 20s, three 'youngsters' Tero Pitk"m"ki of Finlad (24years - 91.53m), Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway (25yrs - 91.59m) and Vadims Vasilevskis of Latvia (25yrs - 90.73m).

They will make every effort to give a close run to experienced duo - American Breaux Greer (30yrs - 91.29m) and Russian Sergey Makarov (34yrs - 92.61m). Eleven men have thrown over 90m with the 'new spear' since it first came into operation in 1986 and all five of the existing '90m plus club' will take to the stage this weekend.

Twenty nine-year-old defending champion Andrus V"rnik (29yrs - 87.23m) will make every effort to retain the crown, but illness and injury have meant that the Estonian has been on and off more start lists in the last few years so that nothing can be certain until we see him finally take to the runway on Friday morning for the qualification round.

At the last championship in Helsinki 2005, V"rnik sprang the greatest of surprises in the home of javelin throwing when he took the gold on one of the stormiest days of weather ever remembered at a major championship. Whatever the elements throw at the athletes in Sunday's final heat and rain is predicted - the only true surprise would be if there wasn't at least one 90m performance.

Jana wins women's 400m hurdles gold

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jana Rawlinson regained her women's 400m hurdles World Championship title last night. Better known by her maiden name Pittman, Jana, who won the gold in Paris 200, ran a great race to clock a season's best 53.31 seconds to take the gold.

Jana, who turns 27 in November, got off to a good start and maintained the rhythm and sailed over the hurdles in perfect technique.

Russian Yuliana Pechenkina, the defending champion who clocked 52.90 in Helsinki two years ago, had to be satisfied with the silver medal.

Nevertheless, Penchenkina came out with a season's best 53.50 seconds but that was not good enough to go pass the Australian. Coming third for women's 400m hurdles bronze was Poland's Anna Jesien (53.92).

OSAKA, Thursday.