LAUSANNE: Gay chills in 19.78

Gay impresses in chilly Lausanne

Gay is the reigning US 100m and 200m champion
Tyson Gay warmed up for a 100m world record bid in Sheffield this weekend with a fast 200m win at Lausanne’s Athletissima Super Grand Prix meeting.
The American overcame cold and blustery conditions, and a knee injury, to clock 19.78 seconds in Switzerland - just 0.14 secs off his personal best.

In the ‘B’ race, Briton Marlon Devonish won in 10.06secs, beating the PB he set recently by 3/100ths of a second.

His peformance moved him up to sixth on the all-time British 100m list.

The main 100m focus was, however, on Gay said: “I was more surprised at my time than at winning the race because I am not 100% right now.”

His great rival, Asafa Powell, helped Jamaica to victory in the 4x100m.

Back in action after recovering from a groin injury, the world 100m record holder ran the final leg, pipping Britain’s Mark Lewis Francis by 0.03 secs.

China’s Xiang Liu, who suffered a rare defeat at last Friday’s Paris Golden League meeting, bounced back to win the 110m hurdles in 13.01 secs.

World champion Michelle Perry maintained her strong form in the 100m hurdles, winning in 12.60 secs from Susanna Kallur. She is one of four athletes still vying for the Golden League jackpot.

Russia’s Olympic 800m champion Yuri Bozakovskiy had to settle for second in behind Kenyan teenager David Rudisha. Veronica Campbell, Jamaica’s Olympic 200m champion, was also beaten by America’s Torri Edwards.

Russia’s Tatyana Lebedeva had to make do with just one win after entering both the triple and long jump.

The Olympic long jump gold medallist and former triple jump world champion clinched the latter with a 14.47m leap.

But she had to settle for third in the long jump, with Swedish world and Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft winning with a 6.84m clearance.

SEE ALSO
Devonish edged out in Athens 100m
02 Jul 07 | Athletics
Injury may ruin Powell’s $1m bid
26 Jun 07 | Athletics
Gay claims stunning sprint double
24 Jun 07 | Athletics
Gay misses out on sprint record
03 Jun 07 | Athletics


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By Mark Ledsom

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) - American sprint champion Tyson Gay overcame cold and blustery conditions on Tuesday to put in another fiery performance in the 200 meters.

Gay, the newly-crowned national champion in both the 100 and 200 meters, shrugged off the cool conditions at Lausanne’s Athletissima Super Grand Prix meeting to finish in 19.78 seconds, ahead of second-placed Jamaican Usain Bolt (20.11).

The 24-year-old from Kentucky, who is planning a world record attempt in the 100 meters in Sheffield, England, this weekend, was just 0.14 seconds off his personal best despite temperatures more suited to figure skating.

“It was cold but once I got in the blocks I just blocked it from my mind,” said Gay who had complained of a slight knee injury before the meeting.

“I was more surprised at my time than at winning the race because I am not 100 per cent right now. But I didn’t think about the knee or anything. I just tried to run as hard as I could.”

Gay’s biggest international rival, Asafa Powell, was in limited action on Tuesday with the Jamaican 100-metre world record holder competing only in the 4x100 relay as he recovered from a groin injury.

Powell helped Jamaica to a narrow win over Britain, running the final leg to snatch victory by 0.03 seconds.

BOUNCING BACK

China’s Xiang Liu, who suffered a rare defeat at last Friday’s Paris Golden League meeting, bounced back to claim the 110-metre hurdles in 13.01 seconds. Continued…

Though never looking likely to break the world record he set here last year, Liu did enough to see off a late challenge from America’s Anwar Moore who crossed the line 0.11 seconds back.

Michelle Perry maintained her strong run of form in the 100-metre hurdles.

The reigning world champion, one of four athletes still vying for the Golden League jackpot, posted a time of 12.60 seconds to finish 0.02 seconds ahead of Sweden’s Susanna Kallur.

Russia’s Yuri Bozakovskiy and Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell were among the favorites who struggled on Tuesday.

Bozakovskiy, the Olympic 800 meters champion, had to settle for second place behind Kenyan teenager David Rudisha.

Campbell, the Olympic 200 meters champion and holder of the year’s best time over 100 meters, was then bested by America’s Torri Edwards.

Russia’s Tatyana Lebedeva meanwhile had to make do with just one win after entering both the triple and long jump events.

The reigning Olympic long jump champion and two time former triple jump world champion clinched the triple jump easily enough - leaping 14.47 meters to beat Slovenia’s Marija Sestak by 21 centimeters.

She had to settle for third in the long jump however, with Swedish world and Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft grabbing victory with a 6.84 meter clearance.

Despite the cold, Gay blasts 19.78 in Lausanne – IAAF World Athletics Tour
Tuesday 10 July 2007
Lausanne, Switzerland – In cool and unfavourable conditions, Tyson Gay stormed to an impressive 19.78 in the 200 metres topping the bill of another great edition of Lausanne’s Athletissima Super Grand Prix, part of theIAAF World Athletics Tour 2007.

Commanding victory for Gay

13.01 for Liu Xiang in Lausanne
(Getty Images)

The evening was far from ideal but despite chilly temperature Gay made another superb show running the third sub-20 seconds time of the season. Gay showed that in more ideal conditions he could soon break the 19.6 barrier this season.

“I was happy with the performance given the conditions,” said Gay in his first race after taking the 100/200m double at the U.S. Championships. His widely reported sore knee didn’t bother him physically, he said, but admitted that thinking about it forced him to ease up as he approached the finish. “If we had similar conditions to last year, I think it would have 19.6.”

Jamaican Usain Bolt, who improved the long-standing national record of Don Quarrie clocking 19.75 at the Jamaican Championships last month, was the distant runner-up in 20.11 ahead of Wallace Spearmon (20.42).

Torri Edwards over Veronica Campbell in 11.00 to the Jamaican’s 11.07 in Lausanne
(Getty Images)

Xiang impresses – 13.01

The other stand-out performer of the evening was Liu Ziang, who last year broke the World record on this track. The popular Chinese star crossed the finish-line in 13.01.

“I feel very well to come back to Lausanne even if the weather wasn’t good,” Xiang said. “In Paris I wasn’t really fit but I felt better here in Lausanne.” Xiang finished a distant third on Friday in the Parisian capital, but was in firm control here.

Michelle Perry outleans Susanna Kallur in Lausanne to win by .02 in 12.60
(Getty Images)

American Anwar Moore equalled his PB with a 13.12 performance to finish second ahead of Aries Merritt, whose 13.18 was a season’s best. Allen Johnson made progress finishing fifth in a seasonal best of 13.24 behind David Payne (13.20). Dominique Arnold, who set the US record with 12.90 here last year, was sixth in 13.26.

Another American, David Oliver, who qualified for the World Championships in Osaka, took the win in the B race in 13.34 beating German Thomas Blaschek (13.42).

Fourth straight 100m win for Atkins

Carolina Kluft leaps a season’s best 6.84 in Lausanne
(Getty Images)

Derrick Atkins, a distant cousin of 100m World record holder Asafa Powell, notched up his fourth consecutive win, including recent triumphs in Athens and Paris, clocking 10.04, a good time in the cool conditions.

“It was hard to keep going and to mantain the speed with this cold weather,” said Atkins, a 2007 member of the sub-10 club.

Churandy Martina ran 10.10 to finish second, ahead of Olympic 200m champion Shawn Crawford, who ran a season’s best 10.13. from the USA (seasonal best 10.13).

Edwards over Campbell

Torri Edwards clinched her second European win after Paris in 11.00 holding off 200m Olympic champion Veronica Campbell who clocked 11.07. Reigning 60m World indoor champion Me’Lisa Barber completed the podium running 11.11. Double European spritn champion Kim Gevaert ran a solid race finishing fourth in 11.21 beating US sprinters Carmelita Jeter (11.27) and Allyson Felix (11.30).

European record holder Christina Obergföll from Germany continued her impressive season taking the win in the women’s Javelin with 66.91with her second attempt. The Javelin was a German affair which featured a second place by reigning European champion Steffi Nerius with 63.12. Third was Czech record holder Barbora Spotakova with 60.89.

“It was cold and the wind was bad,” said Obergföll. “Despite these conditions, I was very glad of my performance.”

Perry edges Kallur on the lean

In the 100m Hurdles, reigning World champion Michelle Perry edged out European champion Susanna Kallur in a very close finish in 12.60. The Swedish star finished just .02 seconds behind, setting her seasonal best. It’s the third time this summer that Perry beat Kallur after Oslo and Paris. Lolo Jones repeated her third place of Paris with 12.74.

“I thought I was asleep because I was a bit slow but I enjoyed running here,” said Perry, who caught the Swede between the ninth and 10th hurdles.

“I am happy I could repeat my good performance after Oslo and Paris,” Kallur said. “I hope to be able to win in Rome.”

Josephine Onyia, a Nigerian who acquired Spanish citizenship, scored a new PB in the B race with 12.82 holding off Nichole Denby by .04 seconds.

Saladino, Walker rule the men’s jumps

Irving Saladino leapt to 8.36 twice this evening to take an easy win in the Long Jump, as nobody else managed to jump beyond the eight metres barrier.

Reigning World indoor champion Brad Walker from the USA set a new pole vault meeting record vaulting 5.91. Australians Paul Burgess and Steve Hooker took second and third place with respectively, topping out at 5.75 and 5.70.

US champion and world seasonal leader James Carter won a very close men’s 400m Hurdles race ahead of former World junior champion Kerron Clement in 48.30 to 48.31. Good performances were set by South Africa’s Louis Van Zyl (48.50) and last year’s European champion Periklis Iakovakis, who was fourth in 48.53. Angelo Taylor equalled his seasonal best for fifth place in 48.68.

Cool temperatures and a slight headwind did not help the triple jumpers produce the 15 metres jumps expected on the eve of the meeting. Russian star Tatyana Lebedeva took the lead in the first round with a modest 14.42, and the 2005 Golden League Jackpot winner was never challenged. She improved to 14.47 with her final attempt. Marija Sestak, who extended the Slovenian national record to 14.92 last month, was the runner-up with 14.26, one centimetre better than Brasilian revelation Keila Costa. Yargelis Savigne, who jumped 15.09 last weekend, finished fourth with 14.21.

Lebedeva competed later in the evening in the Long jump where she finished third with a 6.54 best. Swedish Heptathlon legend Carolina Klüft highlighted the competition with an impressive 6.84 seasonal best.

Jamaican 800m runner Kenia Sinclair overtook three time World champion Maria Mutola in the final straight to clinch a narrow win in 1:59.13. Mutola was also passed in the final metres by Americn Hazel Clark who ran 1:59.43 to 1:59.66 for the star from Mozambique.

Jamal, Mansour capture thrilling 1500m wins

Lausanne-based Maryam Yusuf Jamal was pushed by the support from home crowd to a confidence-boosting win in the women’s 1500 metres in 4:03.61, bouncing back from her low-key race in Paris last week. Ukraine’s Iryna Lishchynska finished a distant second in 4:04.27.

Former Kenyan Ali Bilal Mansour, now representing Bahrain, added another win to his season’s CV with a 3:35.41 performance. Earlier this year who notched other World Athletics Tour victories in Ostrava (800 metres) and Athens (1500 metres). Bouabdallah Tahri from France was the first European, finishing second place in 3:36.13.

Novlene Williams from Jamaica finished first in the women’s 400 metres with 50.71 ahead of former World champion Amy Mbacke Thiam (51.03) and 2007 US champion Dee Dee Trotter (51.48).

Last year’s World junior champion David Rudisha took his first major 800 metres win in 1:45.82, taking the scalp of 2004 Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy (1:46.01) and Asian record holder and 2006 World Cup winnerYoussef Saad Kamel (1:46.05).

The men’s 400 metres win went to African record holder Gary Kikaya from Congo in 45.24. Commonwealth champion John Steffensen from Australia was second in 45.54.

Edwin Soi held off compatriot Micah Kogo in the final straight of the men’s 5000 metres in 13:10.21, a new season’s best. Kogo also dipped under the previous PB with 13:10.68.

Russian Natalya Ivanova prevailed in the women’s 400 metres hurdles in 54.90, followed closely by Jamaica’s Melanie Walker (54.95).

Reigning Olympic champion Stefan Holm from Sweden cleared 2.28 to clinch the win in the men’s High Jump on count back over Czech Tomas Janku and newcomer Donald Thomas from Bahamas who grabbed the headlines last week after clearing 2.35 in Salamanca.

The cool but highly entertaining evening ended with a narrow win by the Jamaican 4x100m Relay team anchored by 100m World record holder Asafa Powell. Jamaica ran 38.75 edging out the Olympic champions from Great Britain by just .03 seconds. Powell made a good test three days before his much-awaited comeback 100m race in the Golden League meeting in Rome on Friday.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

Tyson Gay defies difficult conditions
By Tom Knight
Last Updated: 12:57am BST 11/07/2007

Have your say Read comments

Tyson Gay underlined why he should be regarded as the real star of Sunday’s Grand Prix in Sheffield when he scorched to an impressive victory over 200 metres last night in Lausanne.

The 24-year-old American defied the cool and windless conditions in the Olympic Stadium to finish well clear of the rest of the top-class field and clock 19.78sec.

Gay, who won the 100m and 200m at last month’s US Championships in world-leading times of 9.84sec and 19.62sec and admits that his performances this season will lead to speculation that he could be using drugs, ran away from a world-class field that included his US rival, Wallace Spearmon, and Jamaica’s Usain Bolt.

advertisementIn Sheffield Gay will run in the 100m, where he will face Britain’s Marlon Devonish, the European Cup 200m winner who is also enjoying the best form of his life.

Reduced to running in the 100m B race in Lausanne, Devonish made up for his demotion by lowering his lifetime best for the second time this summer.

Just over a month after his 10.08sec run in Oslo, Devonish, the Olympic sprint relay gold medallist, clocked 10.06sec to take him to sixth on the UK all-time list.

The sprinter, who claimed that his improvement had a lot to do with him spending time training alongside the European champion Francis Obikwelu during the winter, said: "Consistency is the key this year and I’ve learned what these guys do in training.

“Now I’ve just got to stay focused on what I need to do.”

Tyrone Edgar was second in a personal best of 10.13sec, but Mark Lewis-Francis failed again.

A relay team-mate of Devonish’s at the Athens Olympics, Lewis-Francis finished sixth in 10.27sec.

Dwayne Grant, meanwhile, won the C race in an encouraging 10.39sec.

Nicola Sanders had a disappointing run in her first race for five weeks. The European Indoor 400m champion has been struggling to shake off an Achilles tendon injury and could finish only sixth behind the winner Novlene Williams, of Jamaica, in 51.87sec.

Tim Benjamin came home fifth in the men’s 400m, in 46.04sec.