| Sally sizzles in Stockholm |
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Sally Pearson has made a sizzling return to top form with victory in the 100m hurdles in the season-best time of 12.57 (w:0.2) at the DN Galan Diamond League meet in Stockholm (SWE) overnight. Pearson was joined in Stockholm by fellow Commonwealth Games nominees Ben Offereins (fourth, 400m), Jarrod Bannister (sixth, javelin throw), Collis Birmingham (18th, 5000m) and New Delhi hopeful Youcef Abdi (seventh, 3000m steeplechase) on what was a big night for the Australians. Pearson, the Olympic silver medallist in Beijing in 2008, triumphed over a field that included the two fastest women in the world this year in Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (second in 12.59) and American Lolo Jones (third in 12.70) in front of a sell-out crowd of 15,472 at Stockholm Olympic Stadium. The time was Pearson's third-fastest ever behind last year's 12.50 Australian record set in Monaco and the 12.53 she clocked in 2008, also in Monaco. Pearson said the victory meant a great deal as she continued her return from a back injury sustained in the lead-up to the 2009 world championships. "It's not a shock because I always believe I can do it,” she said. “It's a huge confidence booster and a relief. In my eyes, last year was a huge disaster because I went into the world championships wanting to win and then I got injured and things were out of my control. "I've come into the international season this year with a different mental attitude. I've learnt to love the sport again." Earlier in the night the 23-year-old Queenslander ran a then-season's best time of 12.70 (w:0.0) to place third in the heats behind Lopes (12.66) and American college champion Queen Harrison (12.70), a pep-talk from coach Sharon Hannon preparing her for the final. "My start in the heat was terrible and my coach just said to get that Sally Pearson start in the final and I could have those girls," Pearson said. The hurdles gun celebrated her first Diamond League win with a victory lap. "I'm not sure if I was supposed to do a lap of honour but you don't get to do it that much," she said. National one-lap champion Ben Offereins drew the prize lane in the men’s 400m, one of several non-Diamond League events on the program and one that suffered a blow with the late withdrawal of two-time world champion and 2004 Olympic title-holder Jeremy Wariner (USA). Running from lane four, the 24-year-old recovered from a slow start to lead a field that included 44.10 man Gary Kikaya (COD) through the first 200m. Still in front at 300m, Offereins began to tire in the final straight, the Western Australian crossing the line fourth in 46.21. Offereins said he gave himself every chance of winning his 2010 European debut. "I had a crack. I didn't feel like I was going that fast so I didn't think it would hurt that much but 50m down the straight I just blew up," he said. "I was feeling great at 300m and then it hit me." Offereins will return to action in Lucerne (SUI) on Sunday with a showdown against Wariner. In the field Jarrod Bannister placed sixth in the men's javelin throw with a second round effort of 77.89m, 2007 world champion Tero Pitkamaki (FIN) taking out the event with a winning throw of 84.41m. In other track action Collis Birmingham finished 18th in the men’s 5000m in a time of 13:31.96 behind Kenyan winner Mark Kosgei Kiptoo's personal best run of 12:53.46 and Youcef Abdi finished seventh in the non-Diamond League men’s 3000m steeplechase in a time of 8:29.40, the race dominated by Kenyan Paul Kipsiele who was over 10 seconds clear of his nearest rival when crossing the line in 8:02.18. Also on the track, the highly-anticipated 100m clash between sprint titans Usain Bolt (JAM) and Tyson Gay (USA) lived up to its pre-race hype with a bumper show. Gay, the second-fastest man of all time, reversed the result of last year’s world titles decider with a powerful mid-race burst to take victory in the new meet record time of 9.84 (w:0.0), the world record-holder 0.13 behind in a time of 9.97. Coincidentally, Gay’s winning margin was exactly the same as that by which he was trumped by Bolt in Berlin last year. "I'm happy with the victory but still looking forward to when Usain and Asafa (Powell) will be in 9.6 shape to race with them. My body worked well today, I was excited and motivated," Gay said. Bolt arrived in Stockholm with the equal-fastest time of the year at 9.82, a time he shares with countryman Asafa Powell, who withdrew from the meet with a groin injury. Bolt left with his first taste of defeat since 2008. "It wasn't one of my best races but Tyson came prepared. This season I’ve lacked power and it showed up here again. I'm just going to try to get prepared for the rest of the season. I've always said that I can be beaten," the triple Olympic medallist said. The 14-meet Diamond League series now moves to London for a two-day blockbuster on Friday, August 13 and Saturday, August 14. With thanks to Pat Birgan in Stockholm |