Holloway's long reign as world champion ends in high hurdles semis

TOKYO :Olympic gold medallist Grant Holloway failed to get through the semi-finals of the 110 metres hurdles at the world championships on Tuesday, guaranteeing a new champion in the event in Tokyo.

The 27-year-old American won the last three world titles over six years but only finished sixth in 13.52 seconds in a highly competitive third semi won by Jamaican Tyler Mason.

Mason's 13.12 was the top time of the three semi-finals ahead of world leader Cordell Tinch of the United States (13.16) and Japan's Rachid Muratake (13.17), whose performance drew a rapturous cheer from the crowd at the National Stadium.

American Ja'Kobe Tharp (13.19) and French young gun Just Kwaou-Mathey (13.22) went through to the final later on Tuesday as the two "fastest losers", the latter by two thousandths of a second from Jamaica's Demario Prince.