OSLO – Sanya Richards of the USA set a year best time Friday in winning the 400m Golden League meeting at Oslo in 49.23sec.
Richards is now gunning for the jackpot having already won the Golden League opener in 49.57sec in Berlin last month.In the sprint events, former world 100m record-holder Asafa Powell won the men’s 100m in a time of 10.07sec, edging Antiguan Daniel Bailey in a photo finish as he took full advantage of scheduling problems which ruled out the Americans and also triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt.Jamaican Michael Frater was third in 10.08.Africa, as ever, dominated the longer distances with Kenyan Collins Cheboi picking off the 1500m in 3:36.24 ahead of compatriot Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono (3:36.96) and Morocco’s Fouad Elkaam (3:37.19).In the mile, Ethiopia’s Deresse Mekonnen clocked a winning 3:48.95 to best Kenya’s William Biwott (3:49.29). The 3000m was an all-Kenyan affair as Richard Bartale timed 7:50.58 to oust Henry Kiplagat (7:54.00) and Mike Tuiny (7:57.54). In the 5000m, Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele bested Qatari James Kwalia in clocking 13:04.87 as Kenyan Vincent Kiprop Chepkok took third.Back among the women, with triple Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba not at the Bislett Stadium to defend her 5000m mark of 14:11.65, fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar won in a comfortable 14:36.38 with Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya second in 14:37.01 and Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu third in 14:37.50.Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart won the 100m in 10.99sec to oust Trinidadian Kelly Ann Baptiste (11.14) and Bahamas’ Chandra Sturrup (11.15).Russian Olympic polevault champion Yelena Isinbayeva meanwhile shared her honours in clearing 4.71 m along with Monika Pyrek of Poland.The Oslo results mean six athletes are still in line to claim the Golden League million dollars (700,000 euros) jackpot if they land wins at all six venues in the series. – Nampa-AFP
