World champ hurdler wins spot on Australian Olympic team

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- World champion hurdler Sally Pearson collected the first of her expected three titles at the Australian Olympic trials when she won the 100-meter sprint into a blustery headwind Friday.

The time of 11.67 seconds was well outside the Olympic qualifying standard and her aim for this weekend of breaking the Australian record, but Pearson just shrugged her shoulders, nodding at the registered 2.3-meter headwind and said, "What can you do?"

At least she won comfortably at the Melbourne Track Classic, an IAAF World Challenge meet that is doubling as the Australian trials.

World and Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop of Kenya struggled in the 1,500, finishing fifth, 5 seconds behind Australia's Ryan Gregson.