26 August 2007 - OSAKA, Japan: Austria's Guenther Weidlinger was rushed to hospital for scans Sunday after crashing into a barrier in a world championships steeple chase heat and falling to the track dazed and bleeding.

He was involved in a spill just ahead of a barrier and slammed his head hard into the bar halfway through the 3,000-meter race. He fell to the track, bleeding from the face.

Medical staff treated on the track as the race continued before transferring him to hospital.

"He is now fully conscious and can think and speak clearly," Austrian team doctor Andreas Kroener said.

Weidlinger was to be kept at a local hospital under observation for one day.