BERLIN:

First the sprints, now the hurdles. The Jamaicans are taking over that, too, from the Americans.

Brigitte Foster-Hylton captured the 100-metre hurdles title in 12.51 seconds Wednesday, giving the island nation of 2.8 million its first gold in the event at the World Championships. Delloreen Ennis-London took bronze for Jamaica.

The Americans, who have already lost two sprint races to Jamaica, were counting on gold. Instead, they ran into obstacles.

Let-down for us

Ginnie Powell smashed a middle hurdle and finished sixth. Olympic champ Dawn Harper clipped the second hurdle and took seventh.

"It's kind of sad, a letdown day," Powell said. "Two of America's best hurdlers couldn't medal."

The Jamaican gold haul continued as Usain Bolt won his second world record in the final of the 200.

Bolt looked invulnerable in his semi-final heat of the 200, ambling down the track in 20.08 seconds. His new world record sizzled at 19:19

In the men's 1,500, American Bernard Lagat, the 2007 world champion, put on a late spurt and tracked down everyone but gold medallist Yusuf Saad Kamel, of Bahrain, and Ethiopia's Deresse Mekonnen, who took silver.

Lagat had failed to qualify for the final at the Olympics.

In the women's 800, South Africa's Caster Semenya, 18, ignored a gender-test controversy to win by 2.45 seconds, in 1:55.45.

The world track and field federation requested the gender test about three weeks ago amid speculation she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman. Semenya's stunning improvement in times, along with her muscular build and deep voice, sparked speculation about her gender.

Germany's Robert Harting won the discus in 227-9.

After five events of the decathlon, Americans Trey Hardee and Ashton Eaton are third and fifth behind the leader, Ukraine's Oleksiy Kasyanov (4,555 points).