Merritt of US sets world record in 110 Hurdles

BRUSSELS (AP) - Olympic champion Aries Merritt of the U.S. set a world record of 12.80 seconds Friday in the 110-meter hurdles at the Van Damme Memorial. He cut 0.07 seconds off the mark of Cuba's Dayron Robles from four years ago.

Merritt shot out of the blocks, didn't touch any hurdles and lunged at the line with both arms flung backward.

He already had the six top times of the season and had come within 0.05 seconds of Robles' mark. But in balmy conditions with a slight back wind, he finally shattered the record.

Merritt said "it was almost perfect'' and that "I just put it together cleanly.''