BIG win for Dacres.
FEDRICK DACRES’ excellent form in the discus continued yesterday at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Diamond League meet in Rome.
Dacres defeated a quality field with a throw of 68.51 metres. Among those he beat was Andrius Gudzius of Lithuania, the London World Championships gold medallist who had to settle for second with 68.17m.
On a good day for Jamaica as Danielle Williams (100m hurdles), Janieve Russell (400m), and Stephenie McPherson (400m) all had top-two finishes.
The star of the day, however, was Commonwealth Games champion Dacres.
Coming off a win in the event two days before in the Czech Republic, outclassed his rivals to pocket eight points for an early lead in the Diamond race for the event.
“My technique was on today, though I was tired. My aim for this year is to improve my PB again. Also, I would like to win the Diamond League Trophy,” said Dacres minutes after his success.
Williams clocked 12.82 seconds for the runner-up spot behind American Sharika Nelvis who won in 12.76. Commonwealth champion, Tobi Amusen of Nigeria, was third in 12.86.
American Georganne Moline surprised pre-race favourites, countrywoman Dalilah Muhammad and Russell in the women’s 400m hurdles. The winner clocked a season’s best 53.97 seconds as Russell (54.08) and Muhammad (54.65) were second and third, respectively.
McPherson ran her best race of the season but was upstaged by World Championships silver medallist, Salwa Ed Naser of Bahrain in the women’s 400m. Both had a close battle before the 20-year-old Naser, competing for the first time this season, held her nerves to win in 50.51 with McPherson second in 50.69.
Shericka Jackson (200m) and Aisha Praught (3000m steeplechase) were out of the top three in their events.
In the 200m, Jackson, who had finished in front of Marie Josee Talou of Cote d’Ivoire in Shanghai on May 12, had to settle for sixth this time. The Ivorian got out fast and maintained her form to win in 22.49. Jackson clocked 23.14.
Praught, the Commonwealth Games champion in her event, had to settle for eighth but still clocked a season’s best 9:19.33. Kenya’s Hyuin Kiyeng took the event in 9:04.96.
In the men’s long jump Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle was fifth with a personal best 8.17m. South Africa’s Luvo Manyonga won with a world leading 8.58m.
MEN’S 400M HURDLES
There was a Diamond League record and World leading time in the men’s 400m hurdles. Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba made it two Diamond League wins in a row after an impressive 47.48. Kerstin Werholm of Norway was second in 47.82.
In a very competitive men’s 400m, American Fred Kerley held off the fast finishing Abdallelah Haroun of Qatar to win in 44.33 to 44.37. Paul Dewdewa of the United States was third in 44.58.
Inform American sprinter Ronnie Baker closed the meet on a high. He won the 100m in a World-leading and personal best 9.93. Jimmy Vicaut of France took second in 10.02 while home boy Tortu Fillipo was third in 10.04.