GATESHEAD, England - Canadian hurdler Perdita Felicien is back on the podium after struggling to a last-place finish at the recent world track and field championships.

The native of Pickering, Ont., captured a silver medal in the 100-metre hurdles at the British Grand Prix on Monday in a time of 12.95 seconds. World champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica won gold in 12.88 while American Virginia Powell was third in 13.21.

Felicien, a former world gold and silver medallist, clipped several hurdles in limping to a last-place finish in 15.53 seconds at the world championships in Berlin on Aug. 19.

She said after the race that her calves cramped up and she was in distress while setting up her blocks. She tried to walk it off, but her legs wouldn't loosen up. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Whitby, Ont., went on to finish second to Foster-Hylton and take home the silver.

In other Canadian results Monday, Nathan Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., was fifth in the 1,500 metres while Megan Metcalfe of Edmonton was seventh in the 3,000.

Meanwhile, Tyson Gay won his first race since a second place finish at the world championships and then said he would be having surgery at the end of the season to cure a lingering groin injury.

Gay clocked 10.15 seconds running into a headwind, finishing well ahead of Kim Collins and Marc Burns in his first race since he was beaten by Usain Bolt's blistering performance in Berlin where the Jamaican set a world record of 9.58 on Aug. 16.

"I'm looking forward to Brussels (Friday), maybe one more race and then we're going to get surgery,'' the American said after finishing 0.29 ahead.

"I felt great with my second-place finish (in Berlin). I ran a great time, just wasn't fast enough.''

Gay got a great start at Gateshead and was well away from the field by halfway to win by more than two meters. Collins, the 2003 world champion from St. Kitts and Nevis, was given second place ahead of Burns of Trinidad and Tobago even though they had the same time of 10.44.

Olympic and world 400-metre champion LaShawn Merritt won his 15th race in a row but clocked a slow 45.11 seconds in the damp and blustery conditions, finishing two meters ahead of Britain's Martyn Rooney with Angelo Taylor third. Kerron Clement, the two-time world 400 meter hurdle world champion from the U.S., placed sixth in 45.77.

"I'm feeling great,'' Merritt said. "I had a great season last year - won Olympic Games. Came to this year and my main focus was the World Championships. I got there, took it through the rounds, got to the final. I'm world champion now.

"I ran in Zurich two days ago and ran 44.2, second fastest time in the year. I just want to finish my season off. I have one more race after this, the World Athletics Final (in Thessaloniki, Greece, Sept. 12-13).''

Shawn Crawford, the 2004 Olympic champion, held off Wallace Spearmon to win the 200 metres in 20.80 seconds.

American sprinter Carmelita Jeter won the women's 100 metres, running 11.08 seconds into a strong headwind and countrywoman Allyson Felix, the three-time world champion, recovered from a poor start to cruise to an easy but slow victory in the 200 in 23.13.

Bernard Lagat was surprisingly beaten in the 3,000 metres by Moses Kipsiro of Uganda. Lagat appeared well placed to attack the leader coming off the final bend but Kipsiro kicked and was pulling away at the line to win in seven minutes 35.69 seconds. Lagat was second, 0.99 slower.