EUGENE, Oregon — A freak accident at the start line forced Olympic champion Hansle Parchment to withdraw from the 110m hurdles on Sunday’s third day of the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The Jamaican, who ran the second-fastest time in the semi-finals (13.02 seconds) and was set for a rematch with Olympic Games bronze medallist and world champion Grant Holloway, appeared to have hurt his leg while taking his warm-up runs and limped off the track, grimacing in pain.

To add to the drama, American world leader Devon Allen was disqualified after false-starting, while Barbadian Shane Braithwaite failed to finish the race.

Holloway defended his title, running 13.03 (1.2m/s) to win ahead of compatriot Trey Cunningham (13.08). Spain’s Asier Martinez took the bronze with a personal best 13.17 seconds.

Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell was ninth overall after the semi-finals and missed the final after he was third in his heat in 13.27 seconds (0.3m/s).

Orlando Bennett was sixth in his semi-final race in 13.67 seconds (-0.6m/s).

Jaheel Hyde ran 49.09 seconds for second in his semi-final race to qualify for his first senior men’s 400m hurdles final. But the two-time former World Under-20 champion was not in the mood to celebrate afterwards.

“I just ran a hard 400m hurdles and I am very tired,” said Hydel, who fell in the semis at the Olympics in Tokyo last year.

He added that he was “very happy”, while admitting that he might be better able to process what it means later. He said the most important thing was to get ready for the finals set for Tuesday evening.

Kemar Mowatt, who ran 48.59 for fourth in his semi-final, was ninth overall, while Shawn Rowe’s 49.80 seconds was good only for eighth in his race and 18th overall.

Mowatt’s time was eighth-best overall, but the qualifying rules said the first two in each of the three semi-final races and the next best two times.

Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos leads the qualifiers with 47.85, followed by world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway who ran back-to-back season’s best times after coming back from an injury he suffered last month.

Both Fedrick Dacres (64.49 metres) and Traves Smikle (64.21m) are through to the men’s discus throw finals on Tuesday with 10th- and 11th-place finishes, respectively, after the qualifications yesterday.

Dacres’ best throw came on the final round, while Smikle, who threw in the first group, got his best throw in the first round.

Olympic finalist Chad Wright, who arrived in Eugene early Saturday morning, threw 60.31m. While he failed to advance, he said he was pleased that he got the opportunity to participate.

“I did not want to waste an entire year of training if I did not get here,” he said.

Wright, who had some hiccups securing an entry visa and had to return to the US Embassy on Thursday, is headed to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, next month.

— Paul A Reid