The 27-year-old Cuban ran even though he had suffered a thigh muscle injury only three weeks earlier and concede he had taken a risk after limping home in fifth place in his semi-final with a time of 13.83.
“I couldn’t attack the hurdles,” said Garcia, who ran with a bandage over the injury.
Garcia, runner-up at the 2001 world championships in Edmonton, said he decided to race after feeling better on Thursday.
“I wanted to give satisfaction to Cuba, to my people,” he said. “That’s why I presented myself at the start-line.
“I don’t know no if I’m going to be able to compete in Europe as a warm-up for the world championship later this month.”
Results:
MEN:
200m: 1. Kenny Brokenburr (USA) 20.42sec, 2. Christopher Williams (JAM) 20.54, 3. Andre Domingos (BRA) 20.68
400m: 1. Mitchell Potter (USA) 45.11, 2. Yerman Lopez (CUB) 45.13, 3. Alleyne Francique (GRN) 45.51
50km walk:
1. German Sanchez (MEX) 4hr 05min 02sec, 2. Mario Jose dos Santos (BRA) 4:07:36, 3. Luis Garcia (GUA) 4:12:14
Pole vault: 1. Toby Stevenson (USA) 5.45m, 2. Russ Bulleri (USA) 5.40, 3. Dominic Johnson (LCA) 5.40
Discus: 1. Jason Tunks (CAN) 63.70m, 2. Frank Casanas (CUB) 62.61, 3. Loy Martinez (CUB) 61.36
WOMEN:
200m: 1. Roxana Diaz (CUB) 22.69, 2. Cydonie Mothersielle (CAY) 22.86, 3. Allison Felix (USA) 22.93
400m: 1. Ana Guevara (MEX) 50.36, 2. Hazel Ann Regis (GRN) 51.56, 3. Aliann Pompey (GUY) 52.06
10,000m: 1. Adriana Fernandez (MEX) 33:16.05, 2. Yudelkis Martinez (CUB) 33:55.12, 3. Bertha Sanchez (COL) 33:56.17
High jump: 1. Juana Arrendel (DOM) 1.94m, 2. Maria Rifka (MEX) 1.94, 3. Yarianni Arguelles (CUB) 1.89
Triple jump: 1. Mabel Gay (CUB) 14.42m, 2. Yuliana Perez (USA) 13.99, 3. Yusmay Bicet (CUB) 13.90
Heptatlon: 1. Tiffany Lott (USA) 6,064 pts, 2. Nicole Haynes (CAN) 5,969, 3. Magaly Garcia (CUB) 5,864.—AFP