LAWRENCE Clarke will race in the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing today, having qualified as a fastest loser in yesterday’s heats, writes STUART WEIR.

The 25-year-old, from Christmas Common, near Watlington, failed to secure automatic qualification, but fifth place in his heat with a time of 13.61secs was enough to book a place in the last 16.

Clarke will compete in the third heat of today’s semi-finals (12.05 BST), alongside American David Oliver, who is one of only three athletes to run under 13 seconds this year.

But he knows he will need to up his game as he prepares to take on the best in the world.

It was a morning of high drama in the heats, with four hurdlers false-starting, and Clarke said afterwards: “I was a bit nervous, being in the last heat and seeing four people disqualified.

“The time isn’t what I wanted, but I have a place in the semi-finals.

“Now I need to go away, focus and try to hit it hard. I just need to press a bit and hopefully be competitive.”

He added on his experience in the ironic Bird’s Nest: “The track is extremely fast.

“In warm-up I was putting the hurdles closer together to get used to that.

“Perhaps in the race this morning I was being more cautious than I should have because I am in much better shape.”