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Diamond League Meet at Gateshead: American Alysia Johnson Wins Women's 800m
From USA Track & FieldJuly 12, 2010
Indianapolis, IN
Two-time USA 800m (2010, 2007) champion Alysia Johnson posted an impressive win in the women's 800m (1:59.84) on Saturday, July 11 at the Aviva British Grand Prix in Gateshead, England. Finishing second was Halima Hachlaf (2:00.49) of Morocco, with Ukranian Yuliya Krevsun third (2:00.67), and 2008 American Olympian Christin Wurth-Thomas fourth (2:00.75).
The British Grand Prix is a member of the prestigious new IAAF Samsung Diamond League series consisting of 14 of the greatest invitational track meets in the world. For more information, see www.diamondleague.com.
Other noteworthy American distance performanaces in Gateshead:
2010 USA Outdoor Championships runner-up Leonel Manzano placed third (3:33.51) in the men's 1500m, the fastest time by an American this outdoor season.
Ben Bruce finished third in the men's 3000m steeplechase (8:22.88), which is a personal best and the second-fastest time by an American this year. Bruce was the runner-up at the 2010 USA Championships.
Morgan Uceny placed second in the women's 1500m (4:04.26). Earlier in the week, Uceny finished fifth (4:02.40) in the 1500m at Lausanne, Switzerland; that time was a career best and the fastest time by an American this outdoor season.
Olympian Galen Rupp ran a personal best (13:10.05) and finished ninth in the men's 5000m. Rupp won the USA men's 10,000m title.
American sprinters and field event athletes:
In his first 100m competition of the year, American record-holder Tyson Gay won the men's 100m (9.94) with an impressive finishing burst, passing former world record holder Asafa Powell (9.96) of Jamaica. The closely fought race made international headlines.
Gay trailed Powell for most of the race before passing him with 20 meters to go. In the first battle this season between two of the 'big three' of men's sprinting (Gay, Powell and Usain Bolt), Gay put an end to Powell's unbeaten season.
Competitors in the 100m dealt with a +1.7 meters per second headwind. "I felt good," Gay told the IAAF. "Asafa's one of my favorite competitors and I managed to get him today. I really had to stretch to the finish line and he didn't see me coming. The wind maybe affected the time slightly, but not much."
2008 Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix won the men's 200 meters with his time of 20.26 seconds. Dix has won the 200m this month at the Nike Prefontaine Classic (19.72) and at Lausanne. 2010 USA champion Wallace Spearmon was the runner-up (20.29), and Jaysuma Saidy Ndure of Norway was third (20.31).
2009 USA women's 100m champion Carmelita Jeter won the women's 100m in 10.95 seconds. Kelly-Ann Baptiste of Trinidad was the runner-up in 11.00, with Sherone Simpson of Jamaica third in 11.02.
2007 USA Junior champion and Pan Am Junior gold medalist Bianca Knight was victorious in the women's 200m in 22.71. Rosemarie Whyte of Jamaica was the runner-up in 22.81, with Anneisha McLaughlin of Jamaica finishing third in 22.95.
Two-time World Indoor champion and 2010 USA Outdoor champion Lolo Jones won the women's 100m hurdles in 12.79 seconds. The runner-up was Danielle Carruthers (12.98), and Canadian standout Perdita Felicien was third in 13.01.
U.S. women with runner-up performances in Gateshead included 2010 USA 400m champion Debbie Dunn (50.66), and 2008 Olympic javelin thrower Kara Patterson (63.11m/207-0).
All-time Hurdles Great Allen Johnson Retires
According to a report by the BBC, 1996 Olympic gold medalist, four-time World Outdoor champion and all-time 110m hurdles great Allen Johnson announced his retirement at the age of 39.
"It's just come to the point where my body can't take it anymore," said Johnson. "Maybe I can coach some hurdlers or some sprinters . . . give something back. I'm going to miss it, I really am, but it was fun."
Johnson was slated to compete at an event in Glasgow on Wednesday, July 7, but pulled up during the warm-up period. For more information on the 2010 British Grand Prix in Gateshead, including the complete results, see www.iaaf.org.