Powell, McPherson triumphant in Luzern
Former world record holder Asafa Powell returned to winning ways after clocking 9.87 seconds (0.0m/s) to win the men’s 100m at a track meet in Luzern, Switzerland, yesterday, leading a clean sweep of Jamaican men in the top three, as Nesta Carter and Kemar Bailey-Cole were second and third, respectively.
Stephenie Ann McPherson was the only other Jamaican athlete who managed a win at the meet, as Carter, Veronica Campbell-Brown in the women’s 200m, and Annsert Whyte in the men’s 400m hurdles all got second place finishes.
Powell, who lost for the first time this season last week when he finished second to Justin Gatlin in Lausanne, got out of the blocks quickly, took over the lead midway the race and streaked away from the field before slowing down as he crossed the finish line.
Carter, who won a 100m race in Edmonton, Canada, on Sunday, was second in 10.08 seconds, just ahead of Commonwealth Games champion Kemar Bailey-Cole in 10.10 seconds.
Andrew Fisher, who broke the sub-10 seconds barrier for the first time on Saturday in Madrid, Spain, finished in seventh place in 10.33 seconds.
Yohan Blake equalled his season’s best 10.20 seconds for second in the B finals, beaten by former Jamaican representative Jak Ali Harvey in 10.15 seconds. Winston Barnes was eighth in 10.39 seconds.
Natasha Morrison was second in the 100m women’s A race in 11.17 seconds (0.0m/s), beaten to the line by American Charonda Williams in 11.14 seconds, with another American Barbara Pierre third in 11.19 seconds.
Christania Williams was third in the B final in 11.40 seconds (1.0m/s) behind two Americans Tiffany Williams in 11.19 seconds and Lekeisha Lawson in 11.29 seconds.
McPherson rebounded from a sub-par National Senior Championships late last month to clock 50.50 seconds to win the one lap race, easing away from Great Britain’s Kemi Adekoya in 50.86 seconds, with national champion Christine Day third in 51.57 seconds.
Veronica Campbell Brown ran a season’s best 22.61 seconds (0.8m/s) for second in the women’s 200m A final, beaten by American Charonda Williams, who also ran her fastest time of the season (22.32 seconds), while Townsend was third in 22.62 seconds.
Shericka Jackson won the B final in a season’s best 22.87 seconds (0.8m/s), beating American Kimberlyn Duncan in 22.93 seconds, and Great Britain’s Bianca Williams in 23.17 seconds.
Omar McLeod failed to show up for the men’s 110m hurdles as former national record holder Dwight Thomas was second in the B race in 13.48 seconds, same time as Petr Svboda of Czech Republic.
Warren Weir was fifth in the men’s 200m in 20.45 seconds (0.6m/s), just ahead of Tyquendo Tracey in 20.59 seconds, as South Africa’s Wayne van Niekerk won in a big personal best 19.94 seconds, third fastest in the world so far this year. Panama’s Alonso Edward was second in 20.03 seconds and Japan’s Kenji Fujimitsu was third in 20.13 seconds.
Another South African, Ananso Jobodwana, won the other race in 20.12 seconds (0.5m/s), as Jamaica’s Edino Steele was fifth in 20.54 seconds.
Whyte ran 48.95 seconds for second in the men’s 400m hurdles, just failing to catch Jeffrey Gibson of the Bahamas who won in 48.77 seconds, with American Jeshua Anderson third in 49.08 seconds.
Ristananna Tracey was fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles in 56.63 seconds as fellow Jamaican Janieve Russell faded badly over the last four hurdles to finish eighth in 57.37 seconds.
World University Games champion Danielle Williams was second in her race of the 100m hurdles in 12.92 seconds (0.6m/s), beaten by American Brianna Rollins in 12.66 seconds.
Queen Harrison won the A race in 12.62 seconds (0.3m/s) ahead of World Leader Sharika Nelvis in 12.72 seconds.
Jason Morgan finished fifth in the discus throw with 61.10m that came in the final round and his only mark over 60.00m.
Martin Wierig of Germany won with 63.85m ahead of his compatriot Christoph Harting in 63.18m, and Australia’s Benn Harradine with 61.60m in the top three.