Our Sally’s stiff opposition
GOLD Coast’s Sally Pearson had underlined for her in Hungary yesterday how stiff the competition will be for a world championships 100m hurdles medal.
Pearson was sixth in 12.76sec when world record holder Kendra Harrison, who clocked 12.28, the fastest time in the world this year, laid down a marker for the gold at the London world championships next month. Harrison, 24, now has three of the top-10 times in the event, topped by her best of 12.20, set in London last year.
But Pearson was competitive with the second placegetter, American Jasmin Stowers (12.66), and has two meets still on her schedule to hone her racing before the world titles start on August 4.
Pearson will compete at the Diamond League meets in London, on Sunday, and Monaco. Another solid Australian performance in the Hungarian town of Szekesfehervar came from long jumper Brooke Stratton, who was fifth with 6.55m.
After landing a world championships qualifying long jump last weekend, Brisbane’s Olympics finalist Henry Frayne chose not to compete.