Minnows rule the roost as favourites tumble

The two-time 100m sprint gold medallist cleared the fourth hurdle and then began to pull-up, running through the fifth as she came to a halt with a strained left hamstring. She walked over to the side of the track and slowly made her way down to the exit beyond the finishing line.

“I though I was tougher than tough but obviously I didn’t match up,” said Devers. Minutes later Nourredine Morceli was bumped out of his 1500m semi-final heat when he was clipped and thrown off his stride.

The Algerian pulled up 80 meters from the end and could only watch in despair as Kenyan Noah Ngeny ran home to win the race.

“Obviously I was spiked,” said Morceli, who announced it had been his last 1,500m race. “I am depressed as I did not come here just to run. I came expecting a medal.”

“This was my last 1,500m ever. Next year I am going to go for the 5,000m And if that does not work out then I will retire,” he said.

Germany’s Nils Schumann then pulled off a stunning upset victory in the men’s 800 metre final when he held off world-record holder Wilson Kipketer. Aissa Djabir Said-Geurni of Algeria won the bronze.

The 22-year-old Schumann fell to his knees as he crossed the line, unable to believe he had taken gold.

France’s Jean Galfione failed in his bid to defend his Olympic pole vault title when he crashed out of the qualifying round.

The 29-year-old, who is also the reigning World indoor champion, failed on three attempts at 5.65M.

Galfione, the Olympic record holder with 5.92m, has been suffering from tendinitis in his left Achilles heel.

Defending 400 metre hurdler Deon Hemmings of Jamaica found herself gaining only silver when she was beaten by Irina Privalova who only took up the event this year.

The 31-year-old Privalova gave her rivals a tactical master class, showing them how to run the gruelling race known as “the man-killer.”

Privalova, the former European double sprint champion, cruised through the first half of the race, but from the seventh hurdle began to use her blistering speed to pull away from Hemmings and Nouzha Bidouane of Morocco.

World No 1 400m hurdler Angelo Taylor nearly joined the list of casualties when only a last gasp charge gave the American the gold.

Saudi Arabia’s Hadi Souan Somayli, who had led coming off the bend had to settle for silver as Taylor squeezed past him on the line.

South Africa’s Llewellyn Herbert collected the bronze.

It was a nail biting finish and Taylor was not convinced had won until it was announced over the loudspeaker system.

Olga Shishigina produced a late gold run in the final of the women’s 100 metres hurdles, winning Kazakhstan’s first track and field Olympic medal of any kind.

Shishigina, a 31-year-old mother, came from only fourth or fifth place with three hurdles left, and caught Glory Alozie, of Nigeria, on the run-in to the finishing line to clock 12.65 sec, 0.03sec ahead of her African rival.The bronze medal went to Melissa Morrison of the United States, in 12.76 sec.

Ellina Zvereva of Belarus, at 39 the oldest woman in the competition won discus gold to go with her World Championship titles in 1995 and 1999. The silver medal went to Anastasia Kelesidou of Greece nd the bronze went to Irina Yatchenko of Belarus.