media_artricles :: 2014

Thompson wins in Oslo to extend streak

OSLO—Trinidadian Richard Thompson won his third straight 100 metres race but his first of the Diamond League series, when he brushed aside a light field at the Bislett Games in Norway, yesterday.

The 29-year-old, who has been in excellent form in recent weeks, clocked 10.02 seconds as he crossed the line ahead of Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut who was timed at 10.04 seconds.

Great Britain’s rising sprint star Adam Gemili came in third in 10.11 seconds while veteran St Kitts and Nevis sprinter Kim Collins was fourth in 10.13.

For Thompson, it was another confirmation of his form this season, after he had seemed to go off the boil in recent years.

Only last Sunday, he raced to 9.95 seconds in winning the 100 metres at the FBK Games, a IAAF World Challenge meet, in the Netherlands.

A few weeks prior, he clocked the fastest time this year when he sped to 9.74 seconds at the NTC/Pure Athletics Last Chance Meet in Florida. The wind, however, was way above the legal limit and time was not ratified.

Meanwhile, Jamaican Kaliese Spencer extended her superb form on the Diamond League circuit, clocking 54.94 seconds to win the women’s 400 metres hurdles.

She finished ahead of Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain who clocked 54.96 seconds, and Britain’s Eilidh Child who was third in 55.33.

Spencer’s Jamaican compatriot also took care of business in the women’s 400 metres, racing to a season-best 50.06 seconds to finish ahead of American Natasha Hastings who was second in 50.60, also a season-best.

Botswana’s Amantle Montsho finished third in 51.05 while another Jamaican, Patricia Hall, was fifth in 52 seconds flat.

In the men’s sprint hurdles, Andrew Riley of Jamaica ran second behind Frenchman Pascal Martinot-Lagarde who clocked a world-leading 13.12 seconds. CMC

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