ROME: Shericka Jackson won the 200m title at the fifth meeting in this season’s Wanda Diamond League series while Kenya’s Nicholas Kimeli stormed his way up the world 5000m all-time list on an evening of top-class action at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea on Thursday.
In a field featuring four reigning global champions, it was Jamaica’s Olympic 100m bronze medallist Jackson who triumphed above them all in the women’s 200m.
Blasting out of the blocks, she surged off the final bend and couldn’t be caught, setting a meeting record of 21.91 (1.3m/s) – her third-quickest ever time behind her 21.81 PB set in Zurich last year.
Becoming the first athlete to break 22 seconds in the event at this meeting, the 27-year-old – who also has world and Olympic 400m medals to her name – blazed away ahead of her five-time Olympic champion compatriot Elaine Thompson-Herah (22.25), Britain’s world champion Dina Asher-Smith (22.27) and two-time Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo (22.48).
“I just wanted to come out and run a strong race, so I think I did pretty good,” said Jackson, who will soon race for World Championships places at the Jamaican Championships. “The thing is, when it comes to Jamaican trials or major championships, I try not to have a different mindset than when I am at a Diamond League meeting or a development meet. Anything could happen on the day, so I just focus on coming out and performing at my best.
Harrison wins high jump gold
USA’s two-time double NCAA champion JuVaughn Harrison triumphed in the high jump to leave home favourite Gianmarco Tamberi still searching for his first win at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea.
Harrison cleared a season’s best of 2.27m to win on countback ahead of Norbert Kobielski, while joint Olympic champion Tamberi claimed another third-place finish in front of a passionate adoring audience as one of three athletes to clear 2.24m.
(Source: World Athletics)
