Day 7 (21th) Evening Wrap

The main event on Day Seven was the rain. Buckets of it coming down at the start of competition, so much so that everything was postponed for an hour. When we finally got underway, it was with the mens 4x100m relay. The Aussies were represented in the third heat, in what was a great move by Athletics Australia. As we all know, anything can happen, and doubly so in the relays. Especially when it's raining.

Anthony Alozie, Josh Ross, Aaron Rouge-Serret, and Matt Davies took to the track in lane four, alongside the Jamaican powerhouse, minus Bolt for the heats. The boys ran well, with smooth changes, and powered to a season best 38.93 seconds - but it was not enough to make the final, with the Aussies needing 38.60 to secure a berth.

Ross: "Great start, good exchanges, it was clean. We were leading for half the race. We've run a seasons best, so we can walk away holding our heads high, and look forward to the Commonwealth Games. There's a lot more potential, but just keep working on it, that's all you can do, just be patient."

Then came the womens 1500m semi finals, with all the favourites making it through - Jamal won the first heat, with Dobriskey and Wurth-Thomas also making it though; and Burka won the second with Willard and Rowbury also qualifying. The only surprise was Olympic Champion Nancy Langat missing out on a spot in the finals, but she has not found the same form as last year.

Dobriskey: "Just to be there is a great achievement. In the past, making the final was a bonus. Now, it is expected and it is also important for funding. Yes, I'd like to think I'm in the kind of shape to be chasing for a medal."

Wurth-Thomas: "I had more difficult races this season and I did not expect to take the lead. But I did not want to get caught up. The other competitors raised a bar for the others, so it is pushing us to do better. I am ready for this event."

In the mens 800m semi finals, the first heat took a tumble as three of the eight runners went down in the first lap, including Kaki. Kaki didn't finish, and barring an appeal won't be appearing in the final. The semi was won by Nick Symmonds. Next up was Kamel, Kiprop, Borza, and Yego, with Kamel winning from Borzakovskiy, Yego, Mulaudzi, with Kiprop training home a beaten man. It looks like the 1500m did wonders for Kamel, but drained Kiprop. In the third heat, Laalou and Lopez sped away from Reed and Rudisha to take the last two spots in the final.

Yego: "I am not satisfied with the race, I cannot run good if there is weather like this. I am really sorry for Kaki. I am ready to defend my crown even if it is going to be very fast race, I am ready for it. Tomorrow I will take a rest and I will try."

Kiprop: "I have no comment about what happened. I do not know what happened at 600m - maybe I was already tired. I am going to close the season and I will see what is going to happen after. I plan to focus on both the 800m and 1500m next year."

Then came the first final of the night, the womens 200m. It was really a race for second, with Allyson Felix taking out the gold in 22.02, 0.32 seconds clear of Veronica Campbell-Brown in second, and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie in third. Felix looked the model of controlled power, and effortlessly floated away from the rest of the field

Felix: "It is very special for me to win here in Berlin. I have worked really hard. Compare my two titles? They are all different. But this one happened in a stadium with a lot of history. So this if definitely something special for me."

The women were closely followed by the mens 400m event, where everyone was excited to see the next chapter in the Jeremy Wariner vs. LaShawn Merritt rivalry. The times weren't great in less than ideal conditions, but both Americans entered the final straight neck and neck, neither one giving anything. But slowly, Merritt forced his way ahead of Wariner, and managed to stride across the line in first place, clocking 44.06 to Wariner's 44.60.

Merritt: "You know what - it was all about putting it from my head to the track. I had already won the race in my heart. Everybody trains hard. I am playing the A game. This medal is for Jesse Owens, my family, my nephews and my fans. Wariner is a great champion. But I really wanted it."

The womens discus throw was a major medal hope for Australia, with Olympian and World Uni Games Champion Dani Samuels easily making the final, and in brilliant form. But she would have to come up against the reigining Olympic Champion Stephanie Brown-Trafton, as well as some strong Chinese throwers. Samuels' first effort caught the net on the way out of the cage. But her second got her on the board, with 59.05m. But she still had some work to do to make the top eight and get three more throws - work which she did admirably, with a third throw of 62.71 to launch herself into third place and into contention for the medals.

And then came a big one. One that had been building up, after months of training, the PB she knew she had inside her. 64.76m came bursting out, and shot Samuels into second place. Everyone rejoiced, and she knew she had given herself a real chance at the medals.

But Samuels wasn't finished yet. On her fifth throw, she let rip with 65.44, again smashing her PB which was all of ten minutes old, and putting her this time in first place! And that's how it finishes, with Samuels taking home our first medal, and a gold one at that, for the World Championships. She's all smiles, and deserves it all. Go Dani!

(Lots of quotes and info on Dani to come tomorrow)