MOSCOW – The United States–Jamaica sprint a rivalry is turning into a rout at the World Championships.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce rubbed it in yesterday with a winning margin of Boltesque proportions in the women’s 100 metres.
With hot-pink coloured hair slashing in the air behind her, Fraser-Pryce flashed to an early lead and kept building on it before crossing in a world leading 10.71 seconds.
She had time to clench her fist as she crossed the line, while silver medallist Murielle Ahoure, of the Ivory Coast, crossed a massive .22 behind. The first American, defending champion Carmelita Jeter, took bronze in 10.94.
Like Usain Bolt, she now has two Olympic and two World titles in the 100. And in Moscow, she gave Jamaica a 2-0 lead over the Americans in the sprint duel, showing the Caribbean island produces the fastest runners on the planet.
The United States got their part of the glory too, when David Oliver led a 1-2 finish in the 110 hurdles. Oliver won in 13.00 seconds, the fastest time of the year.
Ryan Wilson took silver in 13.13, and Sergey Shubenkov, of Russia, crossed ahead of defending champion Jason Richardson for bronze in 13.24. Olympic champion Aries Merritt was sixth.
In the women’s 400, Christine Ohuruogu set a British record to regain the world title she first won in 2007, dipping at the line to cap a great comeback and beat defending champion Amantle Montsho, of Botswana, by .004 seconds.
Both were given the same time of 49.41 seconds, while Antonina Krivoshapka, of Russia, took bronze in 49.78.
Olympic champion Valerie Adams, of New Zealand, won the shot put, the first woman to capture four straight individual titles at the World Championships.
Adams won with a toss of 20.88 metres. She has now won 38 straight events and has won every major championship at least twice. Christina Schwanitz, of Germany, took silver with a throw of 20.41m and Gong Lijiao, of China, was the bronze medallist at 19.95m. (AP)
