Richards and Robles thrill in world final in Stuttgart

By Kevin Fylan

STUTTGART, Germany (Reuters) - Sanya Richards left world champion Christine Ohuruogu trailing to win the 400 metres at the World Athletics Final on Sunday before Dayron Robles of Cuba stole the show with a brilliant 110 metres hurdles victory.

American Richards, who scooped half the million-dollar Golden League jackpot in Berlin last weekend, ran 49.27 seconds again to match the season's best time and finish clear of Jamaican Novlene Williams and Briton Ohuruogu in third.

The two-day competition at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion ended with a bang, as the 20-year-old Robles ran a blistering 12.92, just four hundredths of a second outside Xiang Liu's world record, in the final event on the green track.

Robles, who missed out on a medal in Osaka, had the crowd on their feet as he beat a field including the Americans Terrence Trammell and Allen Johnson.

"There was a lot of tension and everyone was well prepared I knew it was going to be fast," Robles said at a news conference.

Richards did not make the U.S. team for the 400 metres in Osaka but she has been untouchable ever since.

"The number one goal now is to get the Olympics gold," Richards said. "Anything else would be the icing on the cake."

SPRINT SUCCESS