Three more golds for U.S. at track worlds

DAEGU, South Korea, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. athletes Jennifer Barringer Simpson and Jesse Williams took first in events Americans hadn't won in decades at the IAAF World Championships in South Korea.

Barringer Simpson won the women's 1,500 meters Thrusday while Williams is the 2011 men's high jump champion. The United States also took the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles, which was won by Lashinda Demus.

Barringer Simpson claimed the first U.S. gold medal in the 1,500 meters since Mary Decker-Slaney won in 1983. She finished in 4 minutes, 5.40 seconds with Great Britain's Hannah England (4:05.68) second and Spanish runner Natalia Rodriguez (4:05.87) in third.

Williams collected the first men's high jump title for the United States in 20 years by clearing 2.35 meters. Russian Aleksey Dmitrik also made 2.35 but had three earlier misses before going out at 2.37. Williams didn't miss until the bar was raised to 2.37. The bronze medal went to Trevor Barry of the Bahamas at 2.32.

Demus, who won the silver in the event in 2005 and 2009, won the women's 400-meter hurdles in 52.47 seconds, easily ahead of runner-up Melaine Walker of Jamaica, who crossed in 52.73. Russia's Natalya Antyukh was third at 53.85.

The men's 400-meter hurdle gold medal was won by Great Britain's David Green with a time of 48.26. Puerto Rico's Javier Culson (48.44) took the silver with the bronze medal going to South African runner L.J. van Zyl (48.80).

Kenya went 1-2 in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Ezekiel Kemboi won in 8:14.85. Brimin Kiprop Kipruto took the silver in 8:16.05, just ahead of French runner Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (8:16.09).

Ukrainian Olha Saladuha's first effort of 14.94 meters stood through the competition and won the women's triple jump. Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan was second with a 14.89 distance on her next-to-last jump while Colombian Caterine Ibarguen took third at 14.84, also in the fifth round.

With three days remaining in the 2011 World Championships, the United States has won seven gold, four silver and one bronze medals. Russia, which also has 12 medals, has won four gold, three silver and five bronze. Kenya, with a total of 10 medals, is third with four gold, three silver and the bronze.