Tyson Gay, Lashinda Demus and Tyree Washington all set meet records Friday in winning their respective events on Day 1 of the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final in Monaco. The competition will conclude on Saturday.

2005 World Outdoor Championships fourth-place finisher Tyson Gay was a winner in the men's 200 meters, setting a new meet record despite running into a 1.5 meters per second headwind. Running out of lane 6, Gay finished just three-hundredths slower than his personal best with his time of 19.96 seconds. Jamaica's Chris Williams posted a personal best with his runner-up finish in 20.19, while world outdoor silver medalist Wallace Spearmon finished third in 20.21. World and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin finished fourth in 20.25.

Helsinki silver medalist Lashinda Demus capped off a brilliant season with a commanding win in the women's 400m hurdles in a meet-record time of 53.37 seconds.

Demus defeated reigning world champion Yuliya Pechonkina of Russia, who was the runner-up in 53.80 seconds, and two-time reigning World Athletics Final champion Sandra Glover, who finished third in 54.09.

It was the tenth win in 13 competitions for the 22-year-old Demus, who grabbed the lead for good midway down the backstretch. "Not too bad for the end of the season," Demus said. Her performance was her third- fastest this year, trailing only her 53.27 personal best from Helsinki, and her 53.35 at the USA Outdoor Championships in June.

World and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner was the heavy favorite in the men's 400 meters, and he held a small lead going into the home straight. The outcome of the race changed dramatically when Wariner suddenly stopped and began walking the final 20 meters to the finish line with his hand on his left hip.

As the field swept by Wariner, fellow American Tyree Washington was first to the finish in posting his fastest time of the season in setting a new meet record with his winning time of 44.51 seconds. Britain's Tim Benjamin was the runner-up in 44.56, with Christopher Brown of the Bahamas third in 44.68. Wariner finished last in 46.37.

Another U.S. winner on Friday was Bernard Lagat, who was a surprise entry in the men's 3,000 meters. Lagat, who is slated to compete in the 1,500 meters on Saturday, came out of the pack with 250 meters to go to win impressively in a season's best time of 7 minutes, 38 seconds. "I ran this 3,000 meters like a 1,500," he said afterwards. "The finish was great."

In the field, it only took three attempts for Helsinki world championships silver medalist Brad Walker to win the men's pole vault competition.

Walker watched as his remaining rivals all missed at 5.78 meters/18 feet, 11.75 inches before winning the event by clearing 5.86m/19-2.75 on his first attempt. Other Americans in the competition included Derek Miles (5th), Olympic gold medalist Tim Mack (6th) and Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson (7th), all clearing 5.60m/18-4.50.

Placing third in their events were world champion Lauryn Williams in the women's 100 meters (11.04), Helsinki gold medalist Walter Davis in the men's triple jump (17.23m/56-6.50) and world outdoor champs seventh place finisher Grace Upshaw in the women's long jump (6.67m/21- 10.75).

World Championships silver medalist Chaunte Howard was fourth in the women's high jump (1.93m/6-4), while Elizabeth Jackson was eighth (9:46.10) and Lisa Galaviz 12th (10:05.01) in the women's steeplechase.

For complete results and event reports from the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final, visit www.iaaf.org.