Kerron Clement claims 400m hurdles title in Rio

USA’s Kerron Clement went one better than his Olympic silver in Beijing eight years ago, winning the 400m hurdles title in 47.73 in Rio on Thursday.

Leading the top four athletes, including Ireland’s Thomas Barr in fourth, to sub-48 seconds, the American adds to his two individual world gold medals claimed in 2007 and 2009.

“It means so much,” said the winner. “I was focused and my mind was set. I showed determination and a will to win and this is something I wanted with all my heart.”

Four athletes broke their respective national records, including Kenya’s Boniface Mucheru Tumuti with 47.78 for silver and Turkey’s Yasmani Copello with 47.92 for bronze.

Just missing out on a medal was Barr, who hugely impressed in Rio. After taking his Irish record from 48.65 to 48.39 to win his semi-final, the 24-year-old further improved to 47.97 for fourth in the final ahead of Jamaica’s Annsert Whyte with a 48.07 PB and Rasmus Magi with an Estonian record 48.40. Puerto Rican hurdler Javier Culson, the 2012 bronze medallist, had been disqualified for a false start.

Over in high jump qualifying, Morgan Lake progressed to the final on her Olympic debut, the 19-year-old heptathlete equalling her PB and UK junior record of 1.94m to automatically qualify.

The double 2014 world junior champion cleared 1.80m, 1.85m and 1.89m on her first attempts before requiring all three goes to make it over 1.92m and 1.94m to join 14 other athletes in the final.

“I was nervous,” admitted the teenager as she revealed her feelings ahead of her final attempt at 1.94m. “I knew I could do it and I was …

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