|
 Fraser-Pryce won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay
at last year's world championships in Moscow but her start to the
outdoor season has been dogged by a persistent leg injury and she
showed no spark in beating home just one of the nine-strong field at
the Olympic stadium.
After winning her season-opener in Doha last month, she then pulled
out of the Shanghai meeting and finished a disappointing eighth
behind American Bowie over 200m in Eugene last weekend.
Bowie, 23, again showed the sprinters how it is done by taking
another surprise victory in a personal best 11.05, ahead of
Jamaicans Kerron Stewart (11.08) and Simone Facey (11.13).
Unlike Fraser-Pryce, American Justin Gatlin has had no such problems
in hitting his stride and clocked 9.91 to win the men's 100, ahead
of Jamaica's Nesta Carter (10.02) and Briton Adam Gemili (10.07)
Former Olympic champion Gatlin, who powered out of the blocks and
quickly had the race at his mercy, has run the three quickest times
in the world this year.
In the night's tightest finish, world 100m hurdles champion Brianna
Rollins just got the better of compatriot Dawn Harper-Nelson with
just one hundredth of a second separating the pair.
Rollins looked to have the race in control but Harper-Nelson surged
late to force a photo finish, with the younger American taking
victory in a world-leading 12.53. Queen Harrison was third for a
U.S. 1-2-3.
The much anticipated re-match between Rollins and Olympic champion
Sally Pearson did not materialize after the Australian, second
behind the American in Moscow, pulled out of the meeting earlier in
the day.
Pearson said she would have risked suffering an injury by competing
and pulled out as "a precaution".
"I am not injured but if I ran I either would've torn my hamstring
or ran well off my best - either way was not an option for me," she
tweeted.
[to top of second column] |
Kenya's Silas Kiplagat surged late to reel in Djibouti’s 2014 world
indoor champion Ayanleh Souleiman to win the men's 1500m in 3:30.44.
Souleiman had clocked the fastest time for a mile race on U.S. soil
when winning in Eugene but could not hang on down the straight and
was overhauled by Kiplagat in the final 40 meters.
Kenya’s double world champion Asbel Kiprop could not mount a
challenge and clung on for third.
There was more Kenyan success with Eunice Sum continuing to show
that her surprise world 800m title was no flash in the pan by taking
the two-lap victory in 1:59.49, following up her win in Doha last
month.
World 400m champion LaShawn Merritt was not extended in breezing to
victory in 44.48, while Jamaican Kaliese Spencer clocked the fastest
400m hurdles time of the year with a 53.97 win.
After a terrific indoor season, Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba dominated a
strong field to land the women's 5000 in 14:34.99, pulling clear of
compatriot Almaz Ayana (14:37.16).
Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim won the men's high jump, equaling the
best leap in the world this year with a 2.41m clearance.
(Writing by Justin Palmer, editing by Alan Baldwin)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
