‘Movement costs Brathwaite finals spot’

Some type of movement down the line in the men’s 110-metre hurdles cost Ryan Brathwaite a place in the final at the recently-concluded IAAF World Athletics Championships in Moscow, Russia.
The former World champion had a slow start in the heats, but still managed to run back and qualify for the semi-finals. However, there was no running back in the next round because some athletes were already at the first hurdle before Brathwaite moved, long moments after Olympic champion Aries Merritt, of the United States, who had also lingered in the blocks.
Merritt was able to run back and eke out the last automatic qualifying spot, but Brathwaite’s time of 13.64 seconds was the slowest of all the finishers.
Alwyn Babb, head coach of the Barbados team to the World Championships, told SUNSPORT Brathwaite admitted after the race that movement in the blocks interfered with his reaction to the gun.
Babb said after discussion with officials from other countries which experienced the same problem they concluded “that a number of athletes moved or flinched in the blocks”.