Gay, Wariner turn on heat at London GP

LONDON – Tyson Gay warmed up for the athletics World Championships with a comfortable win in the 100 metres at the London Grand Prix on Friday, while Jeremy Wariner had to work for his victory in the 400.

Gay, the fastest man in the world this year, won in 10.02 seconds in a headwind, overcoming a poor start to take the lead at the halfway mark. Wariner, the Olympic and world champion, overhauled fellow American LaShawn Merritt in the closing metres to win the 400 in 44.05.Merritt was next in 44.23.Wariner has won 15 of his last 17 races at 400 metres.His only defeats were in races he did not finish in Shanghai in September last year when he was injured, and in Sheffield, England, on July 15 when he stumbled out of the blocks.Yelena Isinbayeva, who has set three of her 20 world records at Crystal Palace, chose not to raise the bar after she won the pole vault at 4.82 metres (15 feet-9 3/4 inches), beating Svetlana Feofanova and Jenny Stuczynski.Veronica Campbell dominated the 200 metres, winning by over a second in 22.55 in a race in which Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft finished last.Kluft said her poor race had not affected her preparations to win a third straight heptathlon world title.Usain Bolt edged Wallace Spearmon to win the men’s 200 in 20.06 by adopting some of his rival’s tactics.Sanya Richards won the 400 in 49.79 seconds, beating American compatriot Allyson Felix, who ran a personal best of 50.17.Richards and Felix will race the 200 at the World Championships.US champion Aarik Wilson won the triple jump in 17.58 metres (57-8 1/4) and Ryan Wilson won the 110 hurdles in 13.27 seconds, leading four other Americans.Americans won nine events overall.Lauren Fleshman won the women’s 3 000 with 10 000-metre runner and Chicago and London marathon champion Deena Kastor in fourth.Reese Hoffa beat American rival Christian Cantwell to win the shot put.He threw a new personal best of 22.43 metres (73-7 1/ 4) with his final throw.Bernard Lagat got a confidence boost with a victory in the 1 500 in 3 minutes, 35.71 seconds.Also, Stefan Holm won the high jump, Craig Mottram won the 2 miles and Craig Tomlinson won the long jump.British sprinter Jason Gardener announced he would retire at the end of the season after he failed to make the final of the 100 and reach the qualifying time for the World Championships.Gardener was a member of Britain’s 400-metre relay team that won the Olympic title in Athens.Nampa-APWariner, the Olympic and world champion, overhauled fellow American LaShawn Merritt in the closing metres to win the 400 in 44.05.Merritt was next in 44.23.Wariner has won 15 of his last 17 races at 400 metres.His only defeats were in races he did not finish in Shanghai in September last year when he was injured, and in Sheffield, England, on July 15 when he stumbled out of the blocks.Yelena Isinbayeva, who has set three of her 20 world records at Crystal Palace, chose not to raise the bar after she won the pole vault at 4.82 metres (15 feet-9 3/4 inches), beating Svetlana Feofanova and Jenny Stuczynski.Veronica Campbell dominated the 200 metres, winning by over a second in 22.55 in a race in which Olympic heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft finished last.Kluft said her poor race had not affected her preparations to win a third straight heptathlon world title.Usain Bolt edged Wallace Spearmon to win the men’s 200 in 20.06 by adopting some of his rival’s tactics.Sanya Richards won the 400 in 49.79 seconds, beating American compatriot Allyson Felix, who ran a personal best of 50.17.Richards and Felix will race the 200 at the World Championships.US champion Aarik Wilson won the triple jump in 17.58 metres (57-8 1/4) and Ryan Wilson won the 110 hurdles in 13.27 seconds, leading four other Americans.Americans won nine events overall.Lauren Fleshman won the women’s 3 000 with 10 000-metre runner and Chicago and London marathon champion Deena Kastor in fourth.Reese Hoffa beat American rival Christian Cantwell to win the shot put.He threw a new personal best of 22.43 metres (73-7 1/ 4) with his final throw.Bernard Lagat got a confidence boost with a victory in the 1 500 in 3 minutes, 35.71 seconds.Also, Stefan Holm won the high jump, Craig Mottram won the 2 miles and Craig Tomlinson won the long jump.British sprinter Jason Gardener announced he would retire at the end of the season after he failed to make the final of the 100 and reach the qualifying time for the World Championships.Gardener was a member of Britain’s 400-metre relay team that won the Olympic title in Athens.Nampa-AP