Australia’s number one-ranked 100m hurdler Liz Clay looks likely to suffer Commonwealth Games heartbreak after injuring her foot at the world championships.
Clay had to be helped from Hayward Field by medical staff after crashing heavily into the seventh hurdle and falling to the track in her opening-round heat in Eugene.
The 27-year-old was scheduled to have an X-ray on her left foot on Saturday night (Sunday AEST).
With the opening round of the 100m hurdles at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games just 13 days away, Clay faces a desperate race against time to prove her fitness, even if she is cleared of any fracture.
The Queenslander is ranked second on the Australian all-time list for the 100m hurdles, behind only 2012 Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champ Sally Pearson.
She just missed out on the final at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, despite running a PB of 12.71 seconds in the semi-final.
In much better news, Australians Michelle Jenneke and Celeste Mucci both advanced to the semis on Sunday.
Jenneke was particularly impressive, clocking 12.84 in a heat also involving world record holder Kendra Harrison from the US.
“I am ecstatic with that,” Jenneke said. “I’ve come into these championships with one real goal and that’s to run a PB.
“I didn’t quite get that today but to be that close, just 0.02 off my best and I think my PB was with a 1.2m tailwind and today was into a small headwind.
“I don’t think I executed the end of my race that well so there’s still some time there.”
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