Athletics: Gatlin and Liu sweep to victory in Japan

YOKOHAMA - World and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin powered to victory in the men's 100m at an IAAF track and field meeting here today.

The American clocked 10.04 seconds in Yokohama to beat Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria and Christopher Williams of Jamaica who both tied for second in 10.13 seconds.

"I'm very pleased with my season. I think it's even better than 2004," said Gatlin, who secured a 100m and 200m double at last month's world championships in Helsinki.

"I feel I established better credit to my name, being more consistent this year, running bigger races... hopefully next year I can do the same, run quality races in fast times."

China's Olympic gold medallist Liu Xiang comfortably won the men's 110m hurdles just 24 hours after winning in Shanghai.

The joint world record holder crossed the line in 13.08sec ahead of Jamaica's Maurice Wignall and Sergey Demidyuk of Ukraine.

"It was the same time I had at the world championships so it's not bad," said Xiang, who was edged into the silver medal position in Helsinki by Frenchman Ladji Doucoure.

"It was comfortable. I think I will be able to run under 13 seconds again sooner or later but I'm not losing sleep over it or putting pressure on myself."

The biggest surprise in Yokohama was world champion Yelena Isinbayeva's flop in the women's pole vault.

The Russian world record holder bowed out after failing three times to clear 4.50m.

"I won everything and set new world records but today I was just so tired," said Isinbayeva, who set the current world record of 5.01m in Helsinki.

"It was the first time that I failed to clear 4.50m because I usually start from 4.60 or 4.70."

Australia's Tatiana Grigorieva won the event after clearing 4.10.

- REUTERS