Defending champ Hardee wins decathlon

Defending champion Trey Hardee won the men's decathlon Sunday at the world championships in South Korea.

The world indoor and outdoor champion from the United States solidified the lead he had taken earlier in the day with a personal-best throw of 68.99 metres in the javelin. He finished ninth in the 1,500-meter race but his lead was big enough to claim the gold medal with 8,607 points.

"I thought it would take a couple of throws to get it up to 69," Hardee said. "It was good that it happened when it did. It was a very important event and I really needed those points."

Hardee said the victory came at a good time with the London Olympics only a year away.

"Next year is big," Hardee said. "It's the Olympics. They come around not too often so I'll be ready for them."

American teammate Ashton Eaton was second with 8,505 points and Leonel Suarez of Cuba took third with 8,501. Canada's Damian Warner had a difficult second day, slipping to 18th.

Hardee had the fastest time in the 110-meter hurdles at 13.85 seconds in the first of three early events Sunday. He also finished third in the discus and tied for sixth in the pole vault.

The day got off to a promising start for Eaton when he finished .12 seconds behind Hardee in the hurdles, but the U.S champion saw his lead disappear after an 11th-place finish in the discus followed by a 10th-place showing in the pole vault.

Suarez improved his chances for a medal with a solid second-place finish in the hurdles and fourth in the pole vault.

Eaton, who held a 53-point lead over Hardee after Saturday's events, couldn't maintain his advantage after a 10th-place finish in the javelin and an eighth-place finish in the pole vault.

The Americans have won gold in the three of the last four world championships.