Jason Richardson lists his main interest outside athletics as debating. By the time he had travelled the 110 metres down the University of Sherbrooke track and its 10 flights of hurdles, there was no debate: the American 17-year-old is without doubt the finest hurdler of his generation. He may just prove to be the best hurdler of any generation.
Less than an hour earlier, Richardson had won his semi-final of the 400m hurdles. Here, he had to contend with the cold and wind, a delay over a disputed second false start, and his seven rivals. Richardson dealt with them all in dazzling fashion.
In his attempt at a unique hurdling double, the sprint hurdles was clearly Richardson's biggest test, and as he emerged slowly from his blocks, Mubarak Al-Mabadi, of Saudi Arabia, drawn on the lane to Richardson's left, took best advantage.
It was the white-clad Saudi who led the race, at one point perhaps by a clear metre, all the way to hurdle eight. There, Al-Mabadi was still at least half a mtre up on Richardson.
But then, perhaps it was force of will that took over, as the long-legged American teenager seemed to eat up the ground, to lead off the final barrier and sprint through the line in 13.29sec, the fastest in the world this year.
Al-Mabadi was one of five athletes to set PBs in the race, with his silver lining of 13.41, while Germany's Alexander John in third with his 13.50, despite hitting a hurdle midway through the race and losing fractions.
For Richardson, the future is already clear: he has the 400m hurdles final on Saturday afternoon.
