Double Jamaican sprint delight in Paris Diamond League
PARIS: Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell (pic) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made up for the absence of injured Usain Bolt by storming to double 100m glory in the Paris Diamond League meet.
But there was heartbreak for Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba who narrowly missed out on breaking her older sister Tirunesh’s world record in the women’s 5,000m on Saturday.
Former 100m world record holder Powell held his nerve to power through the line in 9.81, Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut equalling the European record of 9.86 in second ahead of American Michael Rodgers (9.99).
“It was a great race and I got a good start!” beamed Powell. “I need to keep my focus and run fast like that. “I saw Jimmy was close and I thought ‘wow’.” Defending two-time Olympic 100m champion Fraser-Pryce is not doubling up at the World Championships in Beijing, saying her coach Stephen Francis wanted to regain her explosive start.
That certainly did not hinder her at the Stade de France as she blasted to an impressive victory in 10.75, ahead of Nigerian Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor (10.80) and American English Gardner (10.97).
“When you have good runners you always run fast,” said Fraser-Pryce. “That’s the motivation for me. But I have room to improve in my technique and in the start.”
In a gripping 5,000m, Dibaba and compatriot Almaz Ayana were glued together until the last lap when the former struck out.
But her efforts were to no avail as she fell an agonising 4.26 seconds short of her sister’s record of 14:11.15 set in Oslo in 2008.
There was the unusual sight in the women’s shot put of seeing double Olympic and fourtime world champion Valerie Adams finishing off the podium in fifth, her first loss in almost five years breaking a 56-event winning streak.
The 30-year-old’s comeback from double surgery ended meekly with a foul, but she promised to be in shape for the Beijing worlds.
“I knew the winning streak was in danger and I lost it, but I do not feel that sorry. We can start again!” Adams said.
“With better execution, I will improve. There’s still a lot of time until Beijing.”