Bershawn Jackson was victorious for the United States in the 400-meter hurdles, and Saint Augustine’s College athlete Jamaal Torrance ran the second leg on the U.S. men’s 4x400 relay team which finished second at the Osaka stop of the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Tour on Saturday, May 5, 2007.

Jackson, the 2005 400 hurdles world champion, is coached by Saint Augustine’s College’s George Williams, who coached the 2004 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team.

In the showdown among the Helsinki medalists in the 400 hurdles, Americans Jackson and James Carter and Dai Tamesue of Japan finished in the same order as at the 2005 World Championships. Jackson felt a problem with his left hamstring by the third hurdle but kept on regardless to win in 48.13, with Carter just 0.09 seconds behind in 48.22.

“Everyone knows that Tamusue gets out fast, so my strategy was to go out hard but I hurt my hamstring after the second hurdle,” said Jackson, whose performance was significantly faster than his season’s debut of 48.75 two weeks ago.

In the men’s 4x400 relay, Japan won in 3:02.44, and Torrance was on the U.S.
team which finished second in 3:04.72.

The IAAF Athletic website contributed to this release.