Photo: Veronica Campbell-Brown (Getty Images)
Sprint Queen Veronica Campbell-Brown, beat back the challenge of a strong 100m field in Zurich to claim the top spot in the IAAF Diamond League, pocketing USD$40,000 and the diamond league trophy. She gained an automatic spot to next year’s world championship in Bejing China for her efforts. She stopped the clocked in 11.04s, edging Ivory Coast sprinter Muriel Ahourie by 200th of second, both were credited with the same winning time and Commonwealth Games Champion Blessing Okagobarie was third in11.06s.
Fourth spot went to double European sprint champion Dafne Schippers 11.10s. Jamaican and the pre-race diamond league frontrunner Kerron Stewart, was beaten back into fifth spot, 11.19s.
Jamaica also claimed the top spot in the men’s equivalent, through Commonwealth Games Champion Kemar Bailey- Cole. He clocked a fast 9.96 s to win ahead of American Mike Rodgers in 10.05s, with Great Britain”s James Dasolu finishing 3rd in 10.06s. Asafa Powell, after a fast start from, faded to fourth in 10.07s. Nesta Carter was sixth in 10.16s while American Tyson Gay finished at the back of the field in 10.35s.
The female 100 ‘B’ race went to Barbara Pierre, USA,in 11.15, Jamaica’s trio, Calvert (11.20) ,Samatha Henry-Robinson, (11.21) and Carrie Russell (11.43) finished 2nd, 3rd and 5th respectively.
The Men’s 100m B race went Chijundu Ujah, of GBR, 10.16, ahead of Churandy Martina, NED, in 10.18. Common Wealth Games 200m Bronze medalist Jason Livermore, finished fifth in 10.23s.
The men’s 200 meters was a very tight race, with winner and Diamond Champion Alonzo Edward (19.95), turning back the challenge of pre-race diamond league leader Jamaica’s Nickel Ashmeade into second with 20.01s. Third place went to Commonwealth Games Champion Rasheed Dwyer of Jamaica, in 20.21s.
Jamaica’s entrant in the Men’s 400m hurdles Roxroy Cato finished at the back of the field in 8th place in a time of 49.32s. Cornel Fredericks of South Africa’s took the race at the line final in 48.25 ahead of diamond race winner Micheal Tinsley, USA, in 48.31, and Puerto Rican Javier Culson, in 48.53.
Commonwealth Games Shot Put Champion Odane Richards, finished 4th with best throw of 20.79m. The event went to high riding American Reese Hoffa with a distance of 21.88m
Jamaica’s team of Russell, Stewart, Calvert, Henry-Robinson copped second place in the sprint relay with a time of 42.33s . They finished behind the Great Britain Quartet lead by Asleigh Nelson which won in a 42.21s NR. USA Quartet of Tianah Bartoletta, Alyson Felix, Jenebah Tarmoh, and English Gardner finished third in 43.48s.
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