U.S. sprinter Felix turns in year's best 100, 400 times

DOHA, Qatar -- It came as little surprise that Allyson Felix dominated the sprints at the Doha Super Grand Prix, breaking 11 seconds in the 100 meters for the first time and also winning the 400.

Allyson Felix runs a personal-best 10.93 seconds in the 100 meters. (Getty Images)

David Oliver's winning time in the 110-meter hurdles Friday night was much more of a shock. The American won in 12.95 seconds, 0.07 off the world record held by China's Liu Xiang and the eighth-best time in history. Oliver bettered his personal best by a whopping 0.13.

"I wrote down 12.96 last night, that is what I was hoping to run," Oliver said. "So 12.95? Can't complain about that."

In less than an hour and a half, Felix became the fastest woman this year in both sprints.

Felix ran a personal-best 10.93 seconds in the 100. Then she took the 400 in 49.83, the first time a woman had broken the 50-second mark this season.

"This is what I wanted to do, but I am tired," she said. "In the 100, my start needs still to improve, but it is a lot better than it was."

In the 100, Felix took charge in the final 40 meters, dipping across the line to comfortably beat Sherone Simpson of Jamaica by 0.16 seconds. Jamaica's Kerron Stewart had held the previous fastest time this year with 10.96.

In balmy conditions on the Persian Gulf, Felix went out fast in the 400 and led by about 10 meters when heading into the home stretch. Jamaica's Shericka Williams was second in 50.50. Felix's American compatriot, Sanya Richards, had held the previous best this year of 50.47.

Felix expects to compete in the 100 and 200 at the U.S. Olympic trials, starting June 27 in Eugene, Ore., and hopes to be part of the 400- and 1,600-meter U.S. relay teams in Beijing as well.

In the hurdles, Oliver beat the rest of the field by nearly half a second. Joel Brown was second in 13.38 and Andy Turner clocked 13.41.

"I got to stay sharp now. I am ready to go the trials now, so I just got to hold it for a little bit longer," Oliver said.

Croatia's Blanka Vlasic won her 23rd straight high jump by clearing 6 feet, 8 inches.

Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure won the men's 100 in 10.01, edging Darrell Brown of Trinidad and Tobago by 0.01. Jamaica's Michael Frater was third in 10.08.

Jeremy Wariner, Olympic and world champion in the 400, pulled out of the 200 because he felt a cramp in his right thigh during warmups. Wariner had wanted to run the 200 to sharpen his finishing speed ahead of the Beijing Games.

"It was bad enough not to run and this being the Olympic year and all that," said manager Deon Minor. Wariner, watching the race in the stands, declined to comment.