Blake blasts back with 100m Diamond
League win, eyes world champs
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[August 19, 2019]
BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) -
Former world champion Yohan Blake of Jamaica edged Britain's Adam
Gemili in a photo-finish to win the 100 meters at the Birmingham
Diamond League meeting on Sunday.
Both sprinters were given the same time of 10.07 seconds, with Blake
declared the winner.
"It was coming," said Blake, the 2011 world champion who last won an
individual global medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
The 29-year-old, who has been overshadowed by Americans Christian
Coleman, Justin Gatlin and Noah Lyles in recent years, was aided by
a 2.0 meters per second wind, just under the allowable.
"The weather wasn't great but I'm saving the big day for the world
championships and the Diamond League finals in Zurich," said Blake.
"I can run faster."
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Coleman had withdrawn from the race earlier in the week and Canadian
triple Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse was a disappointing fifth in
10.13.
Olympic 400 meters gold medalist Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas
won her 11th consecutive 200 meters, turning back British European
champion Dina Asher-Smith and Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Miller-Uibo, who has not lost at the distance since 2017, pulled
away from Asher-Smith with 70 meters to go and won in 22.24 seconds.
Asher-Smith clocked 22.36 and Fraser-Pryce 22.50.
"The race didn't go to plan," said Miller-Uibo. "My start was just
horrible and had to rely on that 400m speed to get through."
Olympic champions Nafissatou Thiam, Ekaterini Stefanidi and Omar
McLeod also were winners on a day when swirling winds affected many
performances.
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![](../images/081919pics/sports43.jpg)
Jamaica's Yohan Blake celebrates winning the men's 100 Metres final
Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
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Thiam twice broke the Belgian long jump record, leaping 6.86 meters
on her third attempt to show she will be ready to defend her world
heptathlon title in Doha in October.
"It gives me confidence," said Thiam. "It's almost 20cm more than my
PB (personal best)."
Serbian world indoor champion Ivana Spanovic was second, a mere
centimeter behind, and British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson
took third at the same distance after fouling on her first two
attempts.
Greece's Stefanidi claimed the pole vault with a third attempt
clearance at 4.75 meters and Jamaican McLeod dominated the 110
meters hurdles, winning in 13.21 seconds.
Compatriot Danielle Williams, the year's fastest in the 100 meters
hurdles, easily defeated U.S. world record holder Keni Harrison,
claiming victory in 12.46 seconds.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; editing by
Tony Lawrence)
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