Stewart still on song in Oslo
Oslo, Norway – Like nearly everyone else in Oslo's famous Bislett stadium, Jamaica's Kerron Stewart hadn't ever seen such torrential rain at an athletics meeting. What made her almost unique was that she was ready to revel in the conditions.
She eventually won the 100m at the ExxonMobil Bislett Games in Oslo, the second leg of the six-meeting ÅF Golden League 2009, in 10.99 a little more than an hour after the rain had come to an end but was fully prepared to splash her way down the home straight during the downpour.
Singing in the rain
“I was like, 'You know what, it doesn't matter. I'll go out there right now. I was ready,” joked Stewart, who can boast of a 100m best of 10.80 from last year and who has already run 10.92 this summer.
Her response obviously prompted a few questions about when she had last seen the Oscar-nominated film classic Singing In The Rain, released 32 years before she was born but a staple of every movie channel in the United States, where she resides in Auburn, Alabama.
The answer, it seems, was never.
“Ha, ha! I learn something new at every meeting and it's not just about athletics,” she smiled. “I have to tell you the truth, I have never even heard of the film. I'll have to check it out on YouTube. I guess it would be pretty appropriate though to describe how I was feeling. Not singing exactly, but feeling strong and confident.”
Her sluggish start, with a reaction time of 0.193, saw her take 30m before she got into the lead but after going quickly through the gears there was never any doubt she was going to remain a contender for the $1 million ÅF Golden League Jackpot after also winning in Berlin three weeks ago.
She has her sights on a share of the cash despite five other athletes still being in contention.
Unlike some of her likely Jamaican and American sprint rivals at the World Championships next month, Stewart has committed herself to running in the six meetings and is relishing packing her bags for trips to Rome and Paris in the next two weeks.
Golden ambitions
“The Golden League is a big part of my plan, it's a part of my priority this year, if I win it, it will be good. Let's look at it this way, I'm not telling myself I can't do it. We will see how everything turns out,” added Stewart.
“I always want to run with the best. You want to show what you are capable of, but there will be a time for us (when asked about US champion Carmelita Jeter) to race so there's no rush.”
“At times, my biggest rival is actually me, so I have to just block out everybody else. It doesn't matter who's in the race or who's isn't in the race,” added the nomadic Stewart.
“I don't have a base when I'm running in Europe, I just seem to go from hotel to hotel but it seems to work out and it's also part of having a professional attitude. This is my job as well as the sport I love.”
Stewart won medals over 100m and 200m at the Olympic Games last summer but memories of her Beijing experiences will always be slightly soured by being blamed for Jamaica failing to finish in the 4x100m final, when she started her leg too fast for her incoming compatriot Sherone Simpson to be able to get the baton to her.
She is determined to make amends this year and also try to step on the top of the podium in Berlin, a place that was occupied in Beijing by her team-mates Shelly-Ann Fraser and Veronica Campbell-Brown.
“It's still early in the season and I'm still working on stuff, but I'm pleased with what I'm doing so far.
“After the Olympics, I'm also now ready for anything. I ran nine rounds in less than five days in Beijing, the strength is there. I've just got to stay healthy, this is what I train for. I'm trying now to focus on me,” said Stewart, who finished seventh in the 2007 World Championships 100m final and also got a silver medal as part of Jamaica's 4x100m quartet.
Phil Minshull for the IAAF
With fastest performance since 2006, 'the old Richards is back'
3 July 2009 - Oslo, Norway – To describe an athlete as ‘back to her best’, particularly one who is still just 24, doesn’t seem quite fair. But one couldn’t help but think just that after watching Sanya Richards, the world’s finest 400m runner of the last four years, comfortably and gracefully cruise to a commanding 49.23 to produce the runaway highlight of the ExxonMobil Bislett Games, the second stop of the 2009 ÅF Golden League.
It was Richards’ fourth fastest performance ever, and her quickest since she broke the American record with her 48.70 run at the 2006 World Cup. But while she visibly laboured in those waning moments at Athens’ Olympic Stadium three years ago, this time she gracefully and powerfully strode through the finish.
“I just feel really good, my training is going really well,” Richards said of her early 2009 form. “I feel that I’m running better and having more fun in my competitions. Even when it started raining I didn’t let it get me down, I was in really good spirits.”
After a 45 minute rain delay, competition resumed with the women’s 400m, and after such a torrential downpour, expectations weren’t particularly high. Adding a note of drama to the moment was the fact that the field clock was not yet turned back on when the runners crossed the line. Nobody knew what Richards’ final time was, and she didn’t know either until she ran past her parents during her victory lap on the backstretch.
“I would have guessed that it was around 49.6 or 49.5,” she said. “It felt a lot like the Berlin race, around 49-mid. So it was funny because I didn’t know the time and ran by my parents on the backstretch, so I was really excited when they told me.”
She was particularly pleased with her finish, admittedly her weak point in recent big meet appearances.
“It’s definitely been my weakness at major championships,” she said of her finish. “I get out well and then kind of falter coming home. So I’m making a conscious effort to try and finish stronger this year. Sometimes I hold back just that little bit more so I can have that really good kick.”
Coach Hart - No reason 'she won't be running 48s a month from now'
Her coach Clyde Hart was pleased as well. “We’ve been working on that,” he said, before confirming that Richards is clearly rounding back into 2006 form.
“There is no reason that a month from now, or six weeks from now, that she’s not running in the 48s,” Hart said. “With 49.23, a little bit more here and there and you’re down in the 48s. She’s executing and she’s getting her 200 speed to what we want. She’s doing the things she needs to do.”
'Baggage' behind her
Richards said there were two prevailing factors leading to a turnaround for her this season, one psychological, and one physical.
“I think that I was running with a lot of baggage after not winning a title and I was just getting worse and worse mentally,” she said. “I just put it all behind me know, and I’m having fun trying to run my best races. My coach has definitely gotten me prepared.”
The other is learning how to cope with Behcet’s Disease, the rare immune system disease which has stalled her training and drained her of energy when it was first diagnosed nearly two years ago.
“I’m also learning better how to handle my illness. I think that that was sometimes challenging for me. I just wouldn’t feel well, and it was hard to train and hard to compete. Now I know how to have it under control and so I’m able to compete at my best again.”
Again, Hart concurred. “That slowed us down a bunch. It flared up about two months ago, so we had a period there that we didn’t get as much training. But then we were able to come back. It too several weeks to build up her system back, but she’s fine now. It was good that it happened then instead of this time of year.”
Jackpot chase? Not a contender, yet
On Thursday Richards said that one can’t be considered a contender for the $1 million Golden League Jackpot until at least three or four victories were behind them. Having shared the pie previously with Yelena Isinbayeva in 2007, she speaks from experience. She also said she wouldn’t mind an exact repeat.
“I really, really, really admire Yelena Isinbayeva,” she said of the Russian superstar. “If I could be any other athlete, it would be Yelena Isinbayeva. I definitely love her. A two-time Olympic champion, a three-time World champion, 26 times a World record holder, I mean, who’s not inspired by her.”
“So I definitely watch and cheer her on. I would love to share the jackpot with her for the final time.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Atlit yg masih berpeluang merebut AS$1 juta selepas siri liga emas di Oslo (3 July):
MEN -
3000m/5000m - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
Javelin Throw - Tero Pitkämäki (FIN)
WOMEN -
100m - Kerron Stewart (JAM)
400m - Sanya Richards (USA)
100m Hurdles - Damu Cherry (USA)
Pole Vault - Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS
IAAF World Athletics Tour
Despite the rain, Bolt blasts 19.59sec in Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland – Running in cold and wet conditions, Usain Bolt ran a sensational 19.59 in the 200m to highlight the Athletissima in Lausanne.
Athletissima 2009 is a Super Grand Prix status event as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour.
In difficult conditions and running into a headwind (-0.9 m/s), the Jamaican “Thunder” Bolt, the triple Olympic champion and World record holder, broke the Athletissima meeting record he shared with Xavier Carter at 19.63 but in totally different conditions.
Last year Bolt eased up in the final metres in his first post-Olympic race. This year the Jamaican tested his form running strongly through the finish in his first and only European 200m race before next month’s World Championships in Berlin. Bolt left his rivals well behind showing that in better conditions he is able to threaten his own world record of 19.30 set in Beijing. The young Jamaican sprint legend missed the 19.58 world season’s best set by American Tyson Gay in New York by just 0.01 seconds. It was the second best performance by Bolt only behind his sensational World record.
“I was not expecting such a good time with these conditions,” Bolt said. “But for me it was ok, as it was not too cold. I was not here to send a message to my opponents but to see at what level I was. I wasn’t nervous, even with this weather. I am always having fun when I run and people love to see me, so it was really great.”
Olympic 400m champion Lashawn Merritt of the USA took the runner-up spot in 20.41 ahead of Churandy Martina from the Dutch Antilles who clocked 20.76. Paul Hession from Ireland, an Olympic semi finalist last year, won the B-race in 20.50 (a new seasonal best) beating American Kellie Willie (20.53) and Japanese Shinji Takahira (20.59).
Diego Sampaolo
IAAF World Athletics Tour - Lausanne, Switzerland
Jamaicans sweep the sprints
It was a great night for Jamaican athletics, as Asafa Powell and Shelly Ann Fraser won their respective 100m races, and Golden League Jackpot contender Kerron Stewart impressed in the 200m, all against strong headwinds.
Powell took his second consecutive win at the Stade Olympice de la Pontaise, repeating the same time as in Oslo last Friday with another 10.07 into a strong headwind (-1.8 m/s) with a solid margin over compatriot Steve Mullings (10.28), showing that his form is improving compared to race in Oslo where it took a photo finish to separate him from Daniel Bailey. Powell is returning to his best after his spring ankle injury and will be ready to clash against Tyson Gay in Rome on Friday. Third place went to this year’s US champion Michael Rodgers (10.30).
“I hate running in the rain but I am very happy with my performance,” Powell said. “These were the worst weather conditions in my whole life but I ran my best race this year, technically speaking. I am definitely going for the World record.”
Churandy Martina, fourth at the Olympic 100m and a 9.97 performer this year, warmed up for the 200m by taking the 100m B race in 10.16.
Fraser takes down Jeter
Fraser, the Olympic 100m champion, ran her first European race of the summer after winning at the Jamaican Championships in 10.88. Here she inflicted the first defeat of the year to American champion and World bronze medallist Carmelita Jeter, winning 11.03 to 11.06. Bahamian Debbie Ferguson McKenzie finished a solid third in 11.12 ahead of her compatriot Chandra Sturrup (11.25).
“It was important to win here,” Fraser said. “It was a bit cold but I wasn’t thinking about it. I was thinking about my arms, my technique, my start.”
Stewart, a double Olympic sprint medallist in Beijing, completed a great Jamaican sprint festival by winning the 200m in 22.73 into a strong headwind (-3.7 m/s) beating compatriot Shericka Williams (22.99).
Robles notches first Lausanne triumph
As the rain intensified, Cuban 110m Hurdles Olympic champion and World record holder Dayron Robles won for the first time in his career in Lausanne in 13.18 (headwind -1.3 m/s). Robles, who ran his fourth race of the year in Lausanne just a few days after winning the CAC title in Havana, made up for last year’s defeat by edging Dexter Faulk (13.21). World championships qualifier Aries Merritt of the USA was a distant third in 13.52.
“It was a very difficult race because of the rain,” Robles said. “But the time is okay. It was good training for Berlin.”
In difficult conditions for hurdling Australia’s Olympic silver medallist Sally McLellan ran an impressive 12.59 in her second European race of the year, which is not far from her 12.53 national record set in Monaco in 2008. McLellan’s was the third fastest time in the world this year. Jamaican Brigitte Foster Hylton also lowered her seasonal best to 12.64 for second place in a photo finish with Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes Schliep of Canada. Delloreen Ennis London from Jamaica and former World champion Perdita Felicien also set their seasonal bests in fourth and fifth place respectively in 12.68 and 12.71.
Reigning 100m World champion Michelle Perry won the B race in 12.75 beating Jamaican Vonette Dixon (12.93).
Isa Phillips, the Jamaican champion and second in the World seasonal list in the 400m Hurdles with 48.05, crossed the finish line in a solid 48.18, beating reigning wWorld champion Kerron Clement, who produced a season’s best of 48.51.
Diego Sampaolo
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Juara pecut 100m wanita USA, Carmelita Jeter (yg d ramal mampu membuat kejutan) nyata bukan tandingan buat juara olimpik Shelly Ann Fraser... jamaica memang sukar d cabar dlm acara pecut buat masa ini.
Siri Kejohanan Liga Emas bersambung d Rome
Gay powers back with 9.77 in Rome
Rome, Italy – Tyson Gay is back. With a sensational 9.77 runaway victory in the 100m tonight, the double World champion clearly demonstrated that Usain Bolt can expect serious company when the sprint wars begin at next month’s World championships in Berlin.
Gay’s was one of six 2009 world-leading performances at the 29th Golden Gala, the third stop on the six meet ÅF Golden League series, before a crowd of more than 35,000 who gathered on a perfect evening at the Stadio Olimpico.
Gay – ‘I’m improving’
With a powerful surge beyond the midway point which he sustained through the finish, Gay easily beat back the challenge of former World record holder Asafa Powell, illustrating fully that the injuries which ultimately ruined his Olympic aspirations a year ago are a memory of the past. In just his first ‘competitive’ 100m race of the season, the 26-year-old American equaled his own national record from last year, underscoring his position as history’s third fastest man.
“I feel that I’m improving,” said Gay, who clocked a wind-assisted 9.75 late last month in the first round of the U.S. championships. On Thursday, Gay said that this health is back to 100 percent, and that he gives himself a 100 percent chance of retaining his two World titles. His 19.58 dash over the half lap in New York on 30 May and his performance tonight provide strong evidence to back up that confidence.
While not a match for the American tonight, Powell improved significantly with his 9.88 runner-up finish, a major improvement over his 9.97 from the Jamaican championships two weeks ago.
A little further back, Jamaican teenager Yohan Blake and Daniel Bailey of Antigua impressed as well. Blake took a surprise third in 9.96, his second PB of the night (he clocked 10.05 in the evening’s heats), while Bailey, clocked 9.97 for fourth, about 75 minutes after a PB 9.96 in his heat.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
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Prestasi Gay nampaknya dah pulih selepas mengalami kecederaan sebelum olimpik tahun lepas......satu-satunya pelari yg dpat memberi sedikit saingan kepada Bolt..
Atlit yg masih berpeluang merebut AS$1 juta selepas siri liga emas di Rome (10 July):
MEN -
3000m/5000m - Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
WOMEN -
100m - Kerron Stewart (JAM)
400m - Sanya Richards (USA)
Pole Vault - Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS
Post Last Edit by orgjauh at 12-7-2009 11:40
Golden League in Rome
Four remain in Jackpot chase
1) Stewart impresses with 10.75
In the evening’s other full force match-up, the women’s 100m, $1 million ÅF Jackpot contender Kerron Stewart faced her stiffest challenge of the ÅF Golden League season tonight, and passed her test brilliantly. Running to the inside of her compatriot Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, Stewart blasted away over the final 40 metres to reach the line in 10.75, a world leader and personal best which equalled the meeting record set a decade ago.
“I wanted to put everything into this race,” said Stewart, whose previous best of 10.80 came at the Jamaican championships last year. “Because I probably faced the toughest field before the world championships.” She has a point.
Behind her, Fraser was a distant second in 10.91, Bahamian Chandra Sturrup third in 10.99, and current U.S. No. 1 Carmelita Jeter fourth in 11.01.
The victory was certainly a confidence booster for the understated Stewart, the only women’s double sprint medallist from last year’s Olympic Games.
Bob Ramsak
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Catatan peribadi terbaik buat Kerron Stewart di kejohanan ini seterusnya menjadi pelari kelima terpantas dlm sejarah 100m wanita di belakang flo jo, marion jones, christine arron dan marlene ottey.....akan tetapi juara olimpik Shelly-Ann Fraser akan tetap menjadi penghalang buat Stewart utk memenangi pingat emas di berlin.
2) Bekele getting into his groove...
Kenenisa Bekele was the first of the Jackpot five to stay alive, with a world leading performance in the 5000m which defied his cautious pre-race predictions. The Ethiopian double Olympic champion said yesterday that he would not be chasing a fast time, but rather just a third Golden League series victory. By most measures except his own, he succeeded on both accounts.
Biding his time behind the pacesetters, Bekele was never seriously threatened over the final lap, and reached the finish in a world-leading 12:56.23. For most 5000m specialists, a sub-13 minute performance would certainly be considered fast; for Bekele, this one doesn’t even crack his personal top-10.
“It was a strong race but it was not easier than Berlin or Oslo,” said Bekele, who added that he was pleased with his run and his time. “My shape is improving.”
The next five across the line dipped under 13 minutes, all with personal bests. Mark Kiptoo (12:57.62) passed his Kenyan compatriot Leonard Komon (12:58.24) with about 50 metres remaining to finish second. Lucas Rotich, just a few months beyond his 19th birthday, was fourth in 12:58.70.
Bob Ramsak
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Juara olimpik dan kejohanan dunia ini memang sukar utk d gugat dlm acaranya.......
3) Isinbayeva continues to improve
Yelena Isinbayeva didn’t produce a rerun of her world record antics here a year ago, but she was still, quite predictably, the dominant winner tonight. Her opening height of 4.75m, which she cleared with her first attempt, would have sufficed for the victory, but she went on to clear 4.85m with her second attempt to end the night raising her world lead by two centimetres. She forged on, but none of her attempts at 4.95m were particularly close.
Her Russian compatriots Yuliya Golubchikova, the European indoor champion, and Svetlana Feofanova, the Olympic bronze medallist, topped out at 4.70m to equal their season’s bests, finishing second and third respectively.
Bob Ramsak
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Sama seperti Kenenisa Bekele, Yelena Isinbayeva memang sukar utk d cabar oleh pesaingnya....d ramal akan menambah koleksi pingat emasnya d kejohanan dunia bulan depan
4) Richards unchallenged
Like Isinbayeva, Sanya Richards faced little resistance to speak of in the 400m after the American record holder cruised unchallenged to a 49.46 victory, her second fastest run of the year, and of course, the second fastest in the world this season.
“I hoped to run 49.2 today,” said Richards, who sped to a 49.23 victory in Oslo a week ago, “but 49.4 is good today.” With her run, she broke her tie with World record holder Marita Koch for the most career sub-50 performances. She now has 36.
No one else in the field could manage the feat, with Jamaican Shericka Williams a distant second in 50.31. World 200m champion Allyson Felix was well back in fifth, clocking 50.94.
Bob Ramsak
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Satu lagi catatan d bawah 50 saat d lakukan oleh sanya richard menjadikan dia pelari kedua terbanyak melakukan catatan d bawah 50 saat di belakang pemegang rekod dunia, Marita Kotch. Malangnya dia sering gagal memenangi emas d kejohanan besar (olimpik dan kejohanan dunia).....
Jamaican team list announced for Berlin
Kingston, Jamaica – Triple Olympic Games gold medalist Usain Bolt and double Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown head Jamaica’s team for the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15 – 23 Aug).
Team list
Women: Shelly Ann Fraser, Kerron Stewart, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Simone Facey, Anniesha McLaughlin, Novelene Williams-Mills, Shericka Williams, Christine Day, Kenia Sinclair, Delloreen Ennis-London, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Lacena Golding-Clarke, Melanie Walker, Kaliese Spencer, Nickiesha Wilson, Jovanee Jarrett, Trecia Smith, Rosemarie Whyte, Bobby-gaye Wilkins, Aileen Bailey, Shereefa Lloyd, Kimberly Williams.
Men: Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Michael Frater, Maurice Wignall, Steve Mullings, Marvin Anderson, Ricardo Chambers, Allodin Fothergill, Lansford Spence, Dwight Thomas, Richard Phillips, Isa Phillips, Danny McFarlane, Josef Robertson, Alain Bailey, Nicholas Gordon, Julian Reid, Maurice Smith, Dorian Scott, Dane Hyatt, Jermaine Gonzales, Yohan Blake, Leford Green.
Reserves
Markino Buckley (400mH), Vonette Dixon (100mH), Ramone McKenzie (200m).
Additionally, Samantha Henry, Lerone Clarke and Anastasia Le-Roy are reserves for the various relay pools.
http://www.iaaf.org/WCH09/news/kind=100/newsid=52061.html
IAAF World Athletics Tour - Athens, Greece
15.00m Triple Jump world lead for Savigne
Athens, Greece - Strong performances by Olympic champions LaShawn Merritt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Gulnara Galkina, and Brimin Kipruto and a world-leading Triple Jump by Yargelis Savigne were the highlights of the Tsiklitiria Grand Prix on Monday evening.
The Tsiklitiria Grand Prix is a Grand Prix status event as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour.
Savigne betters her own world lead
Cuba’s reigning World Champion verified that she was the favorite of the women’s Triple Jump. Having three jumps better than 14.78m Savigne achieved a world leading 15.00m (+1.1m/s) demonstrating an excellent form just a few weeks before the World championships in Berlin, where she’ll be eager to defend her world crown.
Russia’s Anna Pyatykh was well back in second with 14.37m, while Slovak Dana Veldakova was third with 14.34m. Double Olympic champion Francoise Mbango of Cameroun seems far from her best form shape. In her first appearance this year she jumped just 13.54m for seventh place.
Michalis Nikitaridis
IAAF World Athletics Tour - Athens, Greece
Merritt unpressed 44.45
Since his face-off with World champion Jeremy Wariner didn’t materialise with the withdrawal of the latter, Merritt was forced to run against the clock when the rest of the field seemed unable to follow. After the first half, the Olympic champion began accelerating and widening his gap before eventually crossing the line with a smile after a meet record 44.54.
His compatriot David Neville improved his season’s best to 45.14m for second place, finishing the race in front of African record holder Gary Kikaya who clocked 45.29, also a season’s best.
Michalis Nikitaridis
IAAF World Athletics Tour - Athens, Greece
Campbell clocks 10.96, Jelks takes 200m
The reigning World 100m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown proved again her excellent form already shown at the Jamaican Championships. Tonight she managed to defeat American Carmelita Jeter and also improve her season’s best to 10.96, to equal the fourth fastest performance of the year. Jeter clocked 11.02 leaving Bahamas’ Chandra Sturrup third with 11.04.
Both the men’s 100m races produced surprises. In the first heat, where theoretically the less strong athletes participated, two sprinters achieved sub-10 performances albeit with a +2.4 m/s wind. Americans Ivory Williams and Mark Jelks flew to 9.95 and 9.99 respectively.
A few minutes later in the second heat, the favorite Mike Rodgers of the USA had the best time reaction and kept the lead for almost 80 metres, but Norwegian Jaysuma Saidy Ndure and American Travis Padgett were stonger in the waning stages, reeling in the American champion. Padgett took the win in 10.09, while Ndure got the nod for second in 10.10, the same time as Rodgers.
Later, Jelks was the fastest in the men’s 200m where he managed to win with 20.28 (0.0 m/s), smashing his personal best. 2004 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford pressed his compatriot to the most of the race, but slowed later in the race to finish third behind the quick-closing Stephane Buckland who clocked 20.33 to Crawford’s 20.42.
Michalis Nikitaridis
IAAF World Athletics Tour - Athens, Greece
Jamal and Kiprop impress in middle distances
From the very first strides of the women’s 1500m, no one was able to follow Bahrain’s Maryam Jamal. Three days after her world-leading victory in Rome the reigning World champion won clearly in 3:58.72, with Russian Oksana Zbrozhek’s strong finish rewarded with a the runner-up spot in 4:02.40. Six of the runners who followed reached career bests, with Ethiopia’s Kalkedan Gezahegn the fastest among them, taking third in 4:02.98.
Twenty-year-old Kenyan Asbel Kiprop dominated the men’s 800m in 1.43.48, while Sudan’s Ahmad Ismail and Canadian Gary Reed were able to manage the quick pace. Ismail took second in a personal best 1:43.82 and the Canadian the third in 1:43.95 improving his 2009 best and approaching his career’s best.
Michalis Nikitaridis
IAAF World Athletics Tour - Athens, Greece
Philips continues 400m Hurdles consistency with 48.09
Jamaican Isa Philips was the best in the men’s 400m Hurdles dominating the event with 48.09, while South African L.J van Zyl was second with 48.18. Dominican Felix Sanchez improved his season’s best to 48.78 to get the fourth place, following Danny MacFarlane who clocked 48.53
Over the full lap flat, Novlene Williams–Mills left no margins to any opponent to claim the win of the women’s 400m race. Taking the lead from the gun, the Jamaican champion clocked a season’s best 50.05. The quick race led two athletes to career bests: American Monica Hargrove was second in 50.39 and Guyana’s Aliann Pompey fourth in 50.90, trailing former World champion Amy Mbacke Thiam Thiam (50.72).
American Joel Brown won the 110m Hurdles with a wind-assisted (+2.3 m/s) 13.17, ahead of Bahamian Ryan Brathwaite (13.22) while Beijing Olympic silver medallist David Payne was fourth in 13.37 just behind Eric Mitchum.
Michalis Nikitaridis
Siri ke 4 liga emas di Paris, France
Bolt beats rain again, 9.79sec into slight head wind in Paris
Paris, France – On a cool, extremely damp night in the Stade de France Usain Bolt defied the rain again to win the 100m in a meeting record of 9.79 sec this evening (17) at the Meeting Areva, the fourth of sixth meetings of the ÅF Golden League 2009.
Bolt braved heavy rain similar to the conditions he faced over 200m in Lausanne on 7 July, to secure a 9.79 win (-0.2m/s) which obliterated Asafa Powell’s meet mark of 9.85sec set here in 2006. Once again this season we found the start of the triple Olympic champion wanting, he was the second slowest away of the nine man field, and while it's only relative to his unapproachable standards Bolt when he did get into the lead didn’t seem to power away in the same effortless manner we have come to expect.
That impression was partly created by the impressive race put up by Antigua’s Daniel Bailey whose 9.91 in runner’s-up spot was a national record and Yohan Blake, who only 19 years and 203 days, crossed in third in a personal best of 9.93. Only last week in Rome in much more conducive weather conditions for sprinting, the Jamaican teenager had gone under 10sec for the first time (9.96). Impressive!
Back to the pinnacle of the results sheet and, whatever the slight reservations, we had certainly witnessed another piece of Bolt brilliance. In tonight’s conditions (18c and driving rain at the time of the 100m) Bolt had every right to "be happy" and to say "it was a good race…."
"In these conditions the time is great but it was hard to put everything in place from start to finish."
"My reaction time is poor and this is something I have to work on in the next weeks before Berlin."
Chris Turner
Siri ke 4 liga emas di Paris, France
Four continue confidently towards $1 Million
All four of the athletes in the hunt for the ÅF Golden League Jackpot - Bekele, Stewart, Richards and Isinbayeva - continued their campaigns untroubled this evening, and after next month’s 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin, Germany (15 – 23 Aug) will fight for their fifth win when the ÅF Golden League restarts in Zürich on Friday 28 August.
Click here for Jackpot Contenders
Here’s how the four got on this evening…
Bekele dispatches Lagat
Kenenisa Bekele judged his head to head confrontation over 3000m with Bernard Lagat to perfection. Thefourth lap of 59.7sec did the damage and destroyed the hopes of his American rival, allowing the Ethiopian to then gradually widen his advantage on the notoriously quick-finishing World 1500m and 5000m champion. With these tactics the Ethiopian, who holds the 5000m and 10,000m Olympic crowns and possesses a mean sprint of his own, never allowed Lagat to position himself for any attack.
With a mist of rain already in the stadium air Bekele hit the bell (6:29) with holding a good 20 metres or more advantage on his principal opponent and brought the race home in 7:28.64. Lagat had given the challenge everything he had, finishing in a personal best of 7:33.15. France’s Mourad Amdouni was third in a European season’s lead of 7:37.50.
Isinbayeva calls it a day at 4.65
The rain that had greeted Bekele’s rebuttal of Lagat produced extremely tricky conditions to curtail the women’s Pole Vault with Yelena Isinbayeva ending her day after just one vault, a clearance at 4.65m which was enough to keep her in the Jackpot hunt. Former World record holder Svetlana Feofanova, who was Isinbayeva’s only surviving opponent at that point with a first time success at the previous height (4.55) abandoned her competition in second place after one failure at 4.65 after she sprained her heel and wrist in an awkward fall. Anna Rogowska the only other athlete to try 4.65, failing three times, ended third on 4.55.
Richards consolidates
Sanya Richards running a conservative first 200m powered away from the 400m field on the crown of the final bend to take a solid 49.34sec victory. This was a command performance by the Olympic bronze medallist who was running solo for the final straight. It was the 24-year-old’s second fastest outing of the summer behind her 49.23 world lead in Oslo (3 July), who now holds the top five times of this season.
Jamaican Novlene Williams was second (50.39) and Botswana’s African champion Amantle Montsho ran 50.61, her season’s best for third.
Stewart dominant
Kerron Stewart looked majestic in the women’s dash, every inch the double Olympic medallist, and was never really challenged winning in 10.99sec. In current form the Jamaican looks just as likely a gamble for the jackpot as any of the other three challengers for the $1 Million purse.
Chris Turner
IAAF World Athletics Tour - Monaco
Hurdlers delight on a spectacular evening in Monaco
Monte-Carlo, Monaco – An evening of three world season leads topped by a marvellous run by USA’s Lashinda Demus provided a crowd of approaching 15,000 spectators in Monaco’s Stade Louis II with one of the best competitions in the Herculis meeting’s distinguished history.
The Herculis Monaco 2009 is a Super Grand Prix status meeting as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2009.
World leads for Demus and Van Zyl
Lashinda Demus demolished a high class 400m Hurdles field in London on Saturday (25), which included the Olympic champion Melaine Walker, in a world lead of 53.65sec. Tonight Demus obliterated a similar elite line-up with a breathtaking solo run which brought her victory in 52.63sec, a meeting record and the fourth fastest in the world all-time.
Walker was second again (54.20) in a season’s best but with all due respect to the Jamaican, she was not in the 26-year-old American’s class today. In fact she was barely in the same race such was the dominance of the former World Junior champion from the USA who has not shown much of her undoubted talent on the world stage since her silver medal at the World Championships of 2005. Roll on four years and Demus is every bit the champion in waiting.
“I have worked so hard and it’s finally paying fruits…. I didn’t start as fast as I normally do… I still think there is room for improvement,” confirmed Demus.
The men’s 400m Hurdles couldn’t have been more different as with his typical late charge down the home straight South Africa’s LJ Van Zyl took the race at the tape in 47.94sec, to nip the glory from USA’s 2005 World champion Bershawn Jackson (47.98). Van Zyl’s time was a personal best and a world season lead, and just as fast as he had finished the race so the reigning World champion Kerron Clement (USA) slowed in the last 50 metres ending up a disappointing sixth (48.92).
It was a class affair overall which brought a season’s best for Jamaica’s Danny McFarlane in third (48.13), and a national record for Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson (48.29) in fourth. Reigning Olympic champion Angelo Taylor did not start having injured himself earlier today.
Area record for McLellan
There was no world lead in the women’s sprint hurdles but an Australian and Oceania record of 12.50sec for Olympic silver medallist Sally McLellan was enough of a highlight in itself. Well away from the gun as usual the Australian had a distinct lead by half way and held on to this advantage through the line. She likes Monaco as it was on this track that she set her previous Area record last year (12.53).
Canada’s Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep was second (12.54) and USA’s world season leader Lolo Jones (12.61) was third. Two-time World champion Michelle Perry had an accident in warm-up and couldn’t take part in the race.
If McLellan, on the back of her win tonight and last weekend in London, can find a little more speed she has every chance of the World title in Berlin as there is no doubting this 22-year-old is a gutsy campaigner.
“This must be my lucky track, I’ve set another national record. It’s pretty amazing, the conditions are perfect, the crowd is even bigger than last year,” said the winner.
Robles does ‘something good’
That Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Dayron Robles doesn’t make the top of this report despite running a meeting record of 13.06sec, says everything about the quality of the other races over the barriers this evening and is no criticism of what was another brilliant run by the Cuban. Never troubled, Robles held the lead from early on and wasn’t challenged winning just 2/100ths off his current world season lead which he ran in Ostrava in mid-June. A distant second was taken by Joel Brown (13.34).
“Before today I hadn’t done anything good (this season) because of various muscular problems, today it was something good,” commented Robles.
Chris Turner
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Lashinda Demus, Sally McLellan dan Dayron Robles berpeluang besar memenangi emas di Berlin dlm acara masing masing