Canadian decathlete Pierce LePage wins hurdles event, sits 2nd with 4 events to go

Canada's Pierce LePage is closing in on first place in the decathlon after a strong showing in the 110-metre hurdles event at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore. 

LePage clocked a personal-best time of 13.78 seconds in the hurdles, the fastest time of all competitors, to pull within 108 points of leader Ayden Owens-Delerme.

The Puerto Rican leads the way with 5,596 points, while the LePage is now at 5,488. 

That's now back-to-back personal best results for LePage, who finished day one of competition with his best-ever performance in the 400m to go from fifth to second. 

LePage ran the 400 in a time of 46.84 to put himself within striking distance of gold going into the final day.

While the 26-year-old from Whitby, Ont., was speeding across the track on Saturday night, disaster struck for Olympic champion Damian Warner.

Shortly into the 400m, Warner grabbed his left hamstring, hobbled for a few steps and then fell to the Hayward Field track. 

WATCH | Damian Warner suffers injury:

The London, Ont. star laid on the track for a number of minutes before being helped up. It was a gut-wrenching scene for the 32-year-old, who was looking for his first world title but whose competition is now over.

"I'm not sure what happened. I felt my hamstring pull a couple of times. I was in lane one so it felt like it was pretty tight. I was trying to stay in my lane. I felt like something went wrong and I couldn't continue," he told CBC Sports. 

WATCH | Damian Warner emotional after 'disappointing' end:

The decathlon now shifts to discus, a strong event for LePage. 

Action from Day 2 of the event continues on Sunday. You can watch all the action on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.