Australian Olympic champion Sally Pearson has powered into the women’s 100m hurdles final at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Pearson’s winning time of 12.69 seconds in the second of three heats was clearly her fastest since returning from a hamstring injury suffered in early June.
England’s Tiffany Porter also won her heat, but in a much slower time of 12.84.
Porter is likely to be the main challenger to defending champion Pearson in the final on Friday (Saturday morning AEST).
Canadian Angela Whyte won the slowest of the three heats in 13.33.
Australian officials have insisted that Pearson has been unaffected by the controversy swirling around suspended coach Eric Hollingsworth, who launched an extraordinary attack on the team captain on Wednesday.
Late yesterday, Hollingsworth was booted out of the Australian team at the Games, with boss Steve Moneghetti saying his accreditation had been revoked and the ACGA was sending him home because he breached his team agreement.
Pearson’s controversial decision to skip the pre-Games camp in Gateshead to fit in one more race in London now looks like a master-stroke, even if it did lead to her being fined.
“It’s so good – I’ve been so stressed and worried … I’ve been so nervous,” Pearson told Network Ten.
She was asked if she wanted to address Hollingsworth’s attack, which included a claim that she set a bad example for the team by missing the camp.
“No – it’s been a huge distraction for me in the last week,” she said.
“So I’m just going to keep it at bay.
“I’m in a really good head space at the moment and I want to keep going.”
However, Pearson did defend herself as a team player and also her decision to race in London.
“You saw how I ran tonight and that showed just how important preparation is for an athlete,” she said.
“I missed the team camp; I know I’m the team captain and it would have been great there for team morale.
“But I know those athletes on the team; I know they work together really well.
“We come together as a really strong team and we get the job done.
“So I know I have reliable event team captains who can look after our athletes.
“I’ve been supportive since 2003 on every Australian team and I’m just so happy that I can deliver today.”
Australia will have a full complement of three competitors in the 100m hurdles final after Michelle Jenneke (13.33) and Shannon McCann (13.34) also advanced.
The other short-priced Australian favourite in action on Thursday was 2009 discus world champion Dani Samuels and her performance in qualifying was even more comprehensive than that of Pearson.
Samuels’ best throw of 64.53m was more than six metres further than second-placed Seema Punia from India.
Young Australian Taryn Gollshewsky set a PB of 58.24m to qualify in third place, while countrywoman Christie Chamberlain also advanced to the final.
