Wariner wins in Zurich with world lead time

ZURICH, (Reuters) – Jeremy Wariner produced a world  leading time to win the 400 metres at the Weltklasse Diamond  League meeting yesterday and fellow American David Oliver  maintained his unbeaten record this season in the 110 hurdles. 
 
Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown sneaked the women’s 100,  holding off a late challenge from Carmelita Jeter, while  American Allyson Felix followed her 200/400 double win in London  last weekend with a comfortable win in the 400.  

Wariner, who has been troubled by injury this season, won in  44.13 seconds ahead of Jamaica’s Jermaine Gonzales, who had been  the fastest man this year over the distance with 44.40.  

Gonzales made a flying start and was leading coming off the  bend but Wariner produced a burst of pace in the final straight  for his sixth Diamond League win of the season in the event.
  
“I felt a lot better than in London, the whole race,” said  Wariner, who also beat Gonzales at Crystal Palace.  

“I would describe my season as improving with every race. I  started late because of my health situation, next year I should  be even better,” added the 26-year-old who has won three Olympic  golds and five world championship titles during his career. 
 
Oliver led from the start as he won in 12.93 seconds, six  hundredths of a second outside Dayron Robles’ world record. The  American fell over as he crossed the line and thumped the ground  in frustration when he saw his time.  

“I cannot ask for more,” said the fast-talking athlete.  

“I know I’m not the perfect hurdler, I’m still making  mistakes, that is why I’m missing the world record, but I will  fix that mistake, if not this year then next year.”  

Tyson Gay helped the U.S. win the men’s 4 x 100 metres relay  in a world leading time of 37.45 seconds. 
 
Campbell-Brown and Jeter both recorded times of 10.89  seconds in the women’s 100 with the Jamaican edging out the  American in a thrilling photo-finish.  

“I knew I executed well, my shoulder was a little bit in  front so I had the feeling just after the line that I could be  the winner,” said the Olympic champion in the 200 metres.  

It was the second successive defeat for Jeter, who narrowly  lost to fellow American Marshevet Myers in London last weekend.  

Felix had no trouble winning the women’s 400 in 50.37, 0.20  seconds ahead of fellow American Debbie Dunn.  

World champion Brittney Reese won the women’s long jump with  a leap of 6.89 metres on her first attempt but admitted it had  been a difficult season.  
“This was an off-season,” she said. “I expected the seven  metres mark but I couldn’t make it. I still have a lot of work  to do technically.” 
Wallace Spearmon took advantage of the absence of the  injured Usain Bolt and Walter Dix to win the men’s 200 in 19.79  seconds, edging past Jamaica’s Yohan Blake at the end.  

Kenya’s world and former Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi won  the 3,000 steeplechase while Tariku Bekele of Ethiopia claimed  the 5,000 metres with Mo Farah, Britain’s double European  champion, trailing back in fifth place.

MORE IN Sports


Reader Comments »

The Comments section is intended to provide a forum for reasoned and reasonable debate on the newspaper's content and is an extension of the newspaper and what it has become well known for over its history: accuracy, balance and fairness.
  • We reserve the right to edit/delete comments which contain attacks on other users, slander, coarse language and profanity, and gratuitous and incendiary references to race and ethnicity.
  • We moderate ALL comments, so your comment will not be published until it has been reviewed by a moderator.
  • Our Comments are powered by the Disqus service. You may comment as a Guest by entering your comment and selecting "Post as". Optionally, you may sign-in using your Facebook, Yahoo or Twitter Accounts.

    Disqus' Privacy Policy can be read here. Please read our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.