Thompson rockets to WL time as McLeod, Miller also win
SHANGHAI, China, CMC – Olympic champion Elaine Thompson stormed to a world-leading 10.70 seconds as she blew away her field to win the 100 metres at the Shanghai Grand Prix here Saturday.
The Jamaican star emerged from a sluggish start to produce a now familiar mid-race burst, to leave her rivals in her wake and take the line unchallenged.
She was the only one to dip below 11 seconds as the second placed Tori Bowie clocked a season-best 11.04 to finish ahead of Côte d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou who was third in 11.07.
Thompson said while her start was not the greatest, she was pleased with the world-leading time especially so early in the season. “It’s my second 100 for the season, so a world-lead is not a bad time,” the 24-year-old said afterwards.
“Even though when I watched the video, I wasn’t that explosive from the blocks, nevertheless, I still pulled through.” Jamaican Elaine Thompson … stormed to a worldleading time.
Both Bowie and Ta Lou were away quickly to lead after 40 metres but Thompson, in lane five, powered through aggressively, to shake off her early lethargy.
Trinidadian Michelle-Lee Ahye was fourth in a season-best 11.21 while veteran Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown (11.23) and fellow countrywoman Christiana Williams (11.33) were sixth and eighth respectively.
Thompson said she would now focus on an upcoming meet in her homeland as she continued her preparations for the World Championships in London this August.
“I am pleased with the time. My aim now is to go back home and compete in the Jamaica Invitational later this month,” she said. “From there it is all about preparing for the rest of the season and the World Championships.”
Another reigning Olympic champion, Jamaican Omar McLeod, stamped his authority on the men’s sprint hurdles to win in a time of 13.09 seconds.
Spain’s Orlando Ortega finished second in 13.15 while China’s Xie Wenjun trailed in third in 13.31.
McLeod was first away from the blocks to lead at the half-way mark but Ortega stormed back to make it close at the end.
“I didn’t execute that well and it turned into a bit of scrap. I know Orlando is a great competitor, so I’m pleased to win,” McLeod said.
“Every time you go out to the track and win, it is a confidence booster. You don’t want to be defeated as that throws your confidence off.”
Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo added another success to the Caribbean’s portfolio, repeating her victory from the Rio Olympics to win the women’s 400m in a world-leading time of 49.77 seconds.
American Natasha Hastings crossed the line second in seasonbest 50.74 with Ukranian Olha Zemlyak finishing third in 50.89, also a season-best outing.
Jamaicans Novlene WilliamsMills (51.45), Anneisha MclaughlinWhilby (51.63) and Stephenie-Ann McPherson were fourth, fifth and seventh respectively. MADRID, (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal consolidated his flying start to the clay-court season by taking a recordextending fifth Madrid Open title yesterday, battling past a determined Dominic Thiem to win 7-6(10-8) 6-4.
The Spaniard, who snapped a seven-match losing streak against Novak Djokovic to win their semi-final on Saturday, was given a much sterner test by Thiem than in last month’s final of the Barcelona Open.
Nadal had easily beaten Thiem 6-4 6-1 in Barcelona but got an early scare when he was broken in yesterday’s third game, soon falling 3-1 behind as the Austrian held.
Nadal broke back to win the sixth game and earned three set points at 5-4 but world number nine Thiem saved each one to eventually hold and force the tie-break.
The pair stayed neck and neck until Thiem lost his nerve and made two unforced errors in a row, gifting Nadal the set. The 14-times grand-slam winner broke in the opening game of the second set and saved a break point in the next, maintaining a two-game advantage until a thrilling 10th game.
The 23-year-old Thiem earned two break points which Nadal saved to move within a point of the title.
Thiem resisted three championship points but Nadal seized the fourth with a drop shot to the back of the court to clinch his third consecutive clay-court crown, after winning in Monte Carlo and Barcelona in April, and the 72nd tournament win of his career.
“The truth is I was up against an opponent who in the next five to 10 years will be fighting for the most important titles so I’m very happy to have won; it was a very exciting game, “Nadal told Television Espanola.
“It was a very important final for both of us — for him as it was the first in the Masters 1000 and for me it’s always special to play here in Madrid in this unique tournament.
You never know when it might be the last so I always try to enjoy it.”