Spain’s Ortega given a bronze after appeals over 110m hurdles result

Doha, Oct 4 (SocialNews.XYZ) Spanish Orlando Ortega was awarded a late bronze medal after his team made a successful appeal over the result of Wednesday's 110m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said in a statement on Thursday its Jury of Appeal accepted the appeal, reports Xinhua news agency.

"A second appeal was lodged by Team Spain, claiming that their athlete Orlando Ortega was obstructed during the race by Jamaican athlete Omar McLeod, and seriously affected, as he was third at the time of the incident but his progress was clearly impeded, making it impossible for him to maintain the medal position," said IAAF in the statement.

"The Jury of Appeal reconsidered the case and in view of the obstruction by athlete Omar McLeod, which impeded the Spanish athlete, the jury accepted the appeal and directed that Spanish athlete Orlando Ortega also be awarded a bronze medal," it said.

According to the statement, Team Spain requested that Ortega be awarded the medal corresponding to his position at the time of the obstruction.

Olympic titlist and defending champion McLeod lost his balance stumbling on the hurdles. He fell onto the track and in the same time blocked the way of Ortega beside him.

Mcleod was disqualified and the title went to NCAA champion Grant Holloway in 13.10 seconds. Authorized Neutral Athlete Sergey Shubenkov was second in 13.15 ahead of Pascal Martinot-Lagarde of France in 13.18.

China's Xie Wenjun was originally fourth in 13.29 and now was pushed to the fifth.

Source: IANS