… Oliver runs third fastest 110 hurdles time
(REUTERS) – World record holder Usain Bolt overcame a slow start to power past Jamaican compatriot Asafa Powell and win their first 100 metres showdown of the season in 9.84 seconds at the Paris Diamond League meeting yesterday.
Triple Olympic champion Bolt, whose season has been interrupted by an Achilles tendon strain, pulled away over the latter part of the race from Powell, who finished second in 9.91 seconds.
Bolt’s time was the third fastest in the world this year.
Yohan Blake completed a Jamaican sweep of the top three with a personal best time of 9.95.
“I’m happy with my time. I’m feeling very good,” said Bolt, who returned from injury last week to equal Powell’s fastest time in the world this season of 9.82.
“The crowd was wonderful. Thank you for your support,” said the exuberant Jamaican, who raced in a distinctive purple vest with his surname emblazoned across the front.
His victory lap of the stadium was greeted with cheers and rapturous applause.
Bolt said he completed the race without any pain from the Achilles injury and, according to his doctor, should be completely recovered in two to three weeks.
Clear skies and good conditions at the Stade de France helped provide five-year bests. Olympic bronze medallist David Oliver thundered home in the 110 metres hurdles in a time of 12.89 seconds, just 0.02 slower than the world record set two years ago by Cuba’s Dayron Robles, who withdrew from yesterday’s meeting with an injury.
“I was hungry before this season and wanted very much again to win races. Now it is coming,” Oliver said.
“Today was excellent. I broke the U.S. record and became the third fastest under 12.90. I executed well today, maybe at 90 percent.”
In the first race of the evening, former world and Olympic 400 metres champion Jeremy Wariner coasted home in world leading 44.49 seconds. “Another world lead in the last two weeks. I still have three races this season and the goal is to run at least one of them under 44 seconds,” the American said.
In the men’s 3 000 metres steeplechase, Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto of Kenya set a season’s best of 8:00.90 ahead of compatriot Paul Kipsiele Koech.
The women’s 5 000 was comfortably won by Kenyan world champion Vivian Cheruiyot, who shaved nearly three seconds off the year’s best time with 14:27.41.
Russian Anna Alminova also set a season’s best by more than a second in the women’s 1500 of 3:57.65.
Australia’s world pole vault champion Steve Hooker failed to clear his opening height of 5.40 metres as France’s Renaud Lavillenie maintained his season’s unbeaten run, clearing 5.91 for a fourth Diamond League victory.