Track : Clark Stuns Foster in Hurdles as Nehemiah Fails to Qualify

DALLAS —  Cletus Clark, a bronze medalist in last year’s world indoor championships, beat top-ranked Greg Foster for the first time Saturday night in the Dallas Morning News Indoor Games 55-meter hurdles.

World indoor hurdles record-holder Renaldo Nehemiah failed to qualify for the 55-meter final.

Randy Barnes, meanwhile, turned in the fifth-best indoor shotput ever and the second best by an American with a throw of 71 feet 3 inches. Barnes, 21, from Charleston, W.Va., said he had a warm-up effort that was measured at 73-10.

Clark ran a 6.13 to Foster’s 6.14, taking a major step toward his goal of making this year’s U.S. Olympic team.

Foster, who has dominated the indoor hurdles this season, ran a 7.07 in winning at the Millrose Games Friday night in New York.

“It was a long trip, and I didn’t get much sleep,” Foster said. “I wasn’t feeling all that good, but Cletus made the same trip (after finishing third to Foster in New York). I got off to a good start, but I didn’t maintain it. That was a silly mistake.”

Other than Clark, the highlight winners Saturday night included Gwen Torrence in the women’s 55-meter dash (her 17th consecutive victory in a final), Valerie Brisco in the women’s 400 and Antonio McKay in the men’s 400.

Other than the sprints, the night’s closest race came in the women’s 400 where Brisco edged Delisa Walton-Floyd by inches. Brisco was timed in 53.17, and Walton-Floyd ran a 53.21.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee won the women’s long jump with a leap of 21-7 and fouled four times.