Thompson still on song in Lausanne

BERNE: Elaine Thompson underlined her new status as the sprint queen of athletics by winning the 100m at a Diamond League meeting in Lausanne yesterday.

The 24-year-old Jamaican, who won the 100 and 200m at this month’s Rio Olympics, clocked a time of 10.78 seconds, well ahead of second-placed American Jenna Prandini (11.11).

The race was re-run five minutes after a false start that saw only one runner stop as Thompson and the rest of the field sprinted to the finish only to have to go all the way back.

Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman set the fifth fastest time ever to win the men’s 1 000m in 2:13:49, Olympic 1500 champion Matthew Centrowitz of the US finishing sixth in a tired-looking run.

Rio gold medallist Dalilah Muhammad of the US triumphed in the women’s 400 hurdles but men’s 110 hurdles champion Omar McLeod (13.12) was pipped by Spain’s Orlando Ortega (13.11) who was second behind the Jamaican at the Olympics.

Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba put the disappointment of Olympic silver behind her in a slow-paced 3 000, clocking 8:31.84 as she came home 20m ahead of second-placed Hellen Obiri of Kenya.

Kendra Harrison won the 100 hurdles in 12.42, quicker than the time Brianna Rollins set in Rio last week to take gold.

There was a warm reception for Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie but no success in a pole vault competition won by Sam Kendricks.

The American equalled his personal best with an effort of 5.92m. – Reuters