Debbie Dunn streaks away with 400m title

From David Jordan, Sportsbeat, in Doha

 RED-HOT  favourite Debbie Dunn of the USA led from the front to ease to 400m victory at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha. 

EASY DOES IT: Debbie Dunn has been in imperious form all throughout the competition in Doha and she eased to gold in the 400m final (Getty Images)

The 32-year-old romped home in 51.04 seconds, as she proved far too strong for her European rivals and continue the USA's dominance over the 400m events.

Dunn, 32, and a member of the 4x400m gold medal winning relay team at last year's World Championships, has shown her pedigree throughout the heats in Doha, and in the final she produced more of the same to clinch gold.

She crossed the line just 0.18 slower than her fastest time of the season but was still far too strong for Russia's Tatyana Firova, who took silver in a personal best time of 51.13.

Bronze went to Bulgaria's Vania Stambolova in 51.50 while Jamaica's Novlene Williams-Mills stumbled under pressure from Firova and failed to finish.

In the women's high jump, Croatia's Blanka Vlasic effortlessly defended her world indoor crown as the only athlete to clear 2.00m and she did so without failing a jump.

She continued the competition in a bid to clear 2.05m but while she failed all three attempts, in the absence of German rival Ariane Friedrich, Vlasic was head and shoulders above the rest of the field.

And in the women's triple jump Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan upstaged to odds to take gold with a world lead jump of 15.14m, overshadowing Cuban rival and defending champion Yargelis Savigne who had to settle for silver despite a season's best of 14.86m.

Live commentary from day two of the 2010 World Indoor Athletics Championships in Doha