Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Melissa Jefferson-Wooden edged Sha’Carri Richardson at the line to win a scintillating women’s 100m Saturday at a Eugene Diamond League athletics meeting otherwise marked by upsets. Jefferson-Wooden remained unbeaten over 100m since 2024, but there were plenty of surprises elsewhere. US 18-year-old Tate Taylor powered to a 200m victory over Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, 21-year-old Nigerian Kayinsola Ajayi beat reigning world champion Oblique Seville in the men’s 100m, and Kenyan Faith Kipyegon suffered her first Diamond League defeat in four years.
Jefferson-Wooden, a treble gold medallist at last year’s world championships, blasted out of the blocks but was overhauled by training partner Richardson before reasserting herself to win in 10.78sec, just one-hundredth of a second in front of Richardson’s 10.79. “I wanted it more, so I got it,” Jefferson-Wooden said. Adaejah Hodge, the 20-year-old British Virgin Islander who clocked a world-leading 10.63 at the NCAA US collegiate championships on the same Hayward Field track last month, was third in 10.80 and Jamaica’s Jonielle Smith was fourth in 10.89.
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In the men’s 200m, Texas teen Taylor charged to a personal best of 19.75sec in a 0.9m/sec headwind as Botswana’s Tebogo settled for second on 19.93. “I just can’t really believe it,” Taylor said, calling 19.7 “crazy ridiculous.” In the 100m, Ajayi clocked a Nigerian record of 9.84sec in his Diamond League debut to beat Jamaica’s Seville, whose time of 9.89sec was seven-hundredths outside his world-leading time this season. American Christian Coleman was third in 9.95.
Jamal Britt edged newly minted world record-holder Ja’Kobe Tharp in the 110m hurdles. Britt, coming off a victory in Paris last weekend, again lowered his personal best to nab victory in 12.86sec. That made him the fifth-fastest performer all-time and spoiled the professional debut of fellow American Tharp, who was second in 12.91 after eclipsing the nearly 14-year-old world record with a time of 12.75sec at the NCAAs. Jamaica’s Demario Prince was third in 13.01 and reigning world champion Cordell Tinch fourth in 13.07. Britt credited his coach, Allen Johnson, with guiding two years of work that is now paying off.
Despite what he called an “average race outcome,” Tharp was delighted to be racing in his new adidas kit. “It’s a blessing that I’ll be able to come out here and run professional against this good field,” he said. “I’ll be ready whenever it’s time.”
– Hiltz tops Kipyegon – American Nikki Hiltz pulled off another upset in the women’s mile, surging late to win in a world-leading 4min 17.49sec. Kipyegon had dictated the pace, but Hiltz and Dorcus Ewoi powered past in the final straight, Ewoi taking second in 4:17.62 as Kipyegon settled for third in 4:17.80. “Man, that last 100, I just want to relive that over and over,” Hiltz said. “That was just so fun.” Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic 1500m gold medallist, was philosophical after a rare defeat. “This is sports and we accept the outcome,” she said, adding cryptically: “At the same time, nobody knows behind the scenes of everything.”
Kenyan world champion Lilian Odira also used a late kick to win the women’s 800m, powering past Olympic gold medallist Keely Hodgkinson to win in 1:56.19, Hodgkinson clocking 1:56.73. World and Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women’s long jump with a leap of 7.13m, leading a trio of women to break seven meters. Larissa Iapichino was second in an Italian record of 7.12. Olympic champion Masai Russell clocked 12.24sec for a convincing victory over world record-holder Tobi Amusan in the women’s 100m hurdles. Russell posted the second-quickest time of the season behind her own 12.14 in May. Nigeria’s Amusan was second in 12.34.
© 2024 AFP
