Russia takes gold, silver in men's race walk

Olympic champion Valeriy Borchin won the 20-kilometre walk Sunday at the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, beating Russian teammate Vladimir Kanaykin.

The defending world champion took the lead at the 14-kilometre mark and won the race in one hour 19 minutes 56 seconds. The 25-year-old Borchin, who in 2008 became the youngest Olympic 20-kilometre walk champion, broke away from the pack at the 15-kilometre mark and never was seriously challenged.

Kanaykin took silver, 31 seconds behind in 1:20:27, and Luis Fernando Lopez was third in 1:20:38 to win Colombia's first world championship medal in athletics.

Wang Zhen of China, who had set the world's fastest time this year, finished fourth.

Yusuke Suzuki set the pace early when he and Giorgio Rubino broke away from the pack. But neither could hold the lead in humid conditions, with Rubino dropping out at the 11-kilometre mark — tossing his water bottle in frustration. Suzuki held onto third until the 18-kilometre mark, when he, too, faded to finish eighth.

Borchin and Wang eased past Suzuki to make it a two-man race. But Borchin surged and Wang couldn't hold onto second, dropping back in the final kilometre to allow Kanaykin and Lopez to pass him.

Soon after crossing the finish line, Borchin and Kanaykin embraced. It was a sweet 1-2 for the pair who have struggled to overcome adversity in the past, with Borchin serving a one-year suspension for doping that ended May 31, 2006, and Kanaykin serving a two-year ban from 2008.

Lopez came in a surprise third, racing to a season best in of his best times at an international event. The Colombian national record holder finished fifth two years ago at the worlds.

Contenders Liu Xiang, Dayron Robles and David Oliver all qualified for the semifinals of the 110-meter hurdles Sunday.

China's Liu proved he is finally getting back to the form which earned the 2004 Olympic and 2007 world titles by having plenty of time to ease up at the line and still win his heat. Oliver of the United States kept his powerful shoulders in perfect balance over the hurdles as he dashed through a winner, too.

Liu proved he is finally getting back to the form which earned the 2004 Olympic and 2007 world titles by having plenty of time to ease up at the line and still win his heat. Oliver kept his powerful shoulders in perfect balance over the hurdles as he dashed through a winner, too.

Only the easygoing Olympic champion from Cuba, who flaunted his form with his graceful strides over the 10 hurdles, let American rival Aries Merritt nip him at the line.

"Everybody is looking good," Robles said. "It's very good for the final."

The final is set for Sunday and should bring the three fastest performers in history together for one of the highlights of the nine-day championships.

"It will take 13 seconds or better to win," Liu said through a translator.

Robles holds the world record at 12.87 seconds, with Liu's best time just .01 seconds behind. Oliver trails by another .01, highlighting how tight the race could be.

Defending champion Ryan Brathwaite of Barbados failed to make the semifinals.

Later Sunday, Usain Bolt will highlight the 100 semifinals and likely the final, too, considering how dominating the Jamaican was in Saturday's heats.

Kenenisa Bekele will be looking for his fifth straight 10,000-meter title, which would push him past the mark he now shares with Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie. Since he has not run for the better part of two seasons because of injury, victory is anything but assured.

The men's decathlon also reaches its final, with American teammates Trey Hardee and Ashton Eaton at the top of the standings after seven of 10 events.

Damian Warner of London, Ont., sits in ninth place overall with 4,173 points.

The women's long jump and discus throw are the other finals on Sunday.