Austrian hospitalised after horror fall

OSAKA, Japan, Aug 26 (Reuters) Austrian steeplechaser Guenther Weidlinger was rushed to hospital with facial injuries after a horror fall at the world championships today.

Weidlinger stumbled and smashed into a hurdle face-first, splitting his lip and cutting his jaw during the heats for the 3,000 metres steeplechase in Osaka.

He was left bloodied and dazed trackside before being taken to hospital for a precautionary brain scan which showed no damage.

''At first he was kind of semi-conscious but he wasn't completely unconscious,'' the IAAF's medical and anti-doping committee chief Juan Manuel Alonso told Reuters.

''We were worried at first. Thankfully, the latest news we have is much less worrying. It is confidential and very sensitive but he is being submitted for more tests.'' Weidlinger quickly recovered full consciousness but will be kept under observation for at least one night.

''The athlete sustained injuries to the lower lip and jaw which have been stitched,'' said Austrian team doctor Andreas Kroener.

''In the last 30 minutes he has been mostly well. He is now fully conscious and can think and speak clearly.'' Doctors ran precautionary tests on Weidlinger's skull and neck but gave the 29-year-old the all-clear.

''There is no damage to the teeth or the head,'' Kroener said.

''A computer tomography was made of the skull and cervical vertebrae and no injury was detected.'' Championships organisers said Weidlinger was being looked after at hospital for serious injuries but was still unable to recall his collision.

''Although he was unconscious for about 30 minutes, he now has full control of his arms (and) hands and can speak clearly,'' the Osaka organising commitee said in a statement.

''He cannot recall the details of his accident but he is fully aware of his current situation.'' REUTERS BJR VC1505