Chinese world indoor champion Liu Xiang ruled out a medal after making a cautious return to global competition yesterday and finishing third in his 60 metres hurdles heat at the IAAF championships.
"It's impossible for me to get a medal," Liu said through a translator after running 7.79 seconds in his first international championship since an Achilles tendon injury left him unable to start the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"The tendon is sore," said Liu, whose time was only the 15th fastest of the day.
"There is no power. I only want to go to the final," said Liu, the 2004 Olympic champion and former world outdoor record holder.
Americans David Oliver and Terrence Trammell both ran 7.60 seconds to lead qualifying.
British European champion Dwain Chambers showed he was the man to beat in the men's 60 metres, clocking a fast 6.59 seconds in his opening race.
"I did not show 100 per cent of me," said Chambers, who became the favourite for the title when US champion Ivory Williams tested positive for marijuana and was declared ineligible for the championships.
Australian Olympic and world champion Steve Hooker turned his first indoor pole vault of the year into an easy qualifier, joining eight others in today's final by clearing 5.60 on his only attempt.
However, the year's top indoor vaulter, France's Renaud Lavillenie, could not advance past the opening session of the three-day championships. The world outdoor bronze medallist failed three times at the qualifying height.
"I jumped just before the equipment broke, so that made it much easier," Hooker said after the competition was interrupted because of a problem with one of the standards on which the bar rests.
Lavillenie and US 2004 Olympic champion Tim Mack were among the victims, both ending their day at 5.45 metres.
There were problems too for Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva, who barely made it to tomorrow's final, clearing the qualifying height on her final attempt at 4.55 metres.
Heavily favoured defending women's high jump champion Blanka Vlasic, of Croatia, smoothly advanced to today's final, clearing all three heights she attempted.