Lawson
ROME, Italy, CMC:
JAMAICAN SPRINTER Asafa Powell's explosive start appeared set to propel him to a big win in the men's 200 metres, but he weakened in the last 20 metres and Stephane Buckland of Mauritius finished well to deny him in 20.20 seconds at the TDK Golden League meet at Rome's Olympic Stadium last night.
Powell ran second in 20.24, followed by Namibian veteran Frankie Fredericks (20.36). Bahamian World Indoor champion Dominic Demeritte was eighth in 20.70 seconds.
Rising Bahamian star Tonique Williams set a new Caribbean record as she snapped Mexican Ana Guevara's winning streak and captured the women's 400 metres. Williams ended world champion Guevara's 29-race unbeaten run to win in a world leading and career-best 49.25 seconds, topping the previous Caribbean best of 49.28 by another Bahamian, Pauline Davis.
With the win, the 28-year-old Williams maintains her status as one of the gold medal favourites for the Athens Olympics this summer, and overtakes Davis, and Jamaicans Lorraine Fenton (49.30) and Grace Jackson (49.57) on the all-time Caribbean list of fastest runners in the event. There were several other top-three placings for Caribbean athletes, including Kittitian world champion Kim Collin, taking third in the men's 100 metres.
In the men's 100 metres, Ghana's Aziz Zakari finished fast to win in 10.10 seconds over Jamaican Dwight Thomas (10.15) and Collins (10.21).
Yuliya Nesterenko won the women's 100 metres in 11.13 seconds, chased by Vincentian Natasha Mayers (11.17), with Jamaican Aleen Bailey third in 11.19 seconds, and Bahamian Debbie Ferguson fourth in 11.23.
The Dominican Republic's World Champion Felix Sanchez registered a predictable win in the men's 400-metre hurdles in 48.43 seconds, topping Keita Naman (48.82) of France, and Britain's Chris Rawlinson (48.86).
Jamaican Kemel Thompson finished fifth in 49.01 seconds.
The women's equivalent went to Australian Jana Pittman (54.05) over Romania's Irina Tirlea (54.38) and Russian world record holder Yuliya Pechenkina(54.88). Jamaica's Debbie-Ann Parris finished fifth in 55.28 seconds.
Slovenia's Jolanda Ceplak won the women's 800 metres in one minute 57.68
seconds, with Guyana's Marian Burnett fifth in 2:00.29, and Jamaica's Michelle Ballentine 11th in 2:01.83.
In other events, Spain's Nigeria-born Glory Alozie (12.69) registered a
fighting win over American Jenny Adams (12.70) in the 100-metre hurdles, in
which Jamaica's Commonwealth Games champion Lacena Golding-Clarke was sixth in 12.96.
