African champion Amantle Montsho scored a maximum 8 points as she sped away from US champion Debbie Dunn in the final stages of the women’s 400m here in Split clocking a new season’s best 49.89.
Running in adjacent lanes Montsho and Dunn completed 380 metres of the race shoulder to shoulder until the Botswanese, a finalist at the last Olympic Games and World Championships, produced just that little bit extra effort which secured her the 430,000 winner’s cheque.
“I’m very happy with the conditions here,” said the winner. “The weather is nice, everything was perfect. I’m very happy with my team and honoured to represent Africa. It’s a pleasure to compete with the world class athletes here in Split, running against them. It’s a challenge and it makes me better."
Dunn was securely holding on to second in 50.21 as European champion Tatyana Firova of Russia left it too late to make her move and although she closed fast she couldn’t do better than third in 50.45. Running from lane 1, Jamaica’s Shericka Williams added another 5 points to the Americas’ total score in a 50.70 effort.
Former World champion Amy Mbacke Thiam closed in fifth at 51.46 with Italy’s Libania Grenot sixth in 51.74.