Williams wins 400m at Birmingham Indoor

BIRMINGHAM, England (CMC) -- Novlene Williams clocked a season-best time to be the only English-speaking Caribbean athlete to win at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix yesterday.

The 27-year-old quarter-miler from Jamaica looked assured as she covered the two laps of the National Indoor Arena in 52.03 seconds.

Williams, a bronze medallist over the distance at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan, came under pressure through the early fractions.

But she gradually stamped her class on the field to finish 40 ticks ahead of Christine Amertil of the Bahamas with Ebonie Floyd of the United States third in 53.16.

The final of the women's 60m was a mouth-watering treat between Laverne Jones-Ferrette of the United States Virgin Islands and the indefatigable Carmelita Jeter of the United States.

The world's two fastest women this indoor season did not let the spectators down -- they could not be split by the naked eye when they dashed over the line.

It took a photo finish to decide that Jeter had come out on top, although both were clocked at a world class 7.06 secs apiece.

Daniel Bailey of Antigua & Barbuda also gave grief to Michael Rodgers, the American winner of the men's 60m.

Three seconds separated the top three finishers with Rodgers flashing over the line in 6.57 secs, two ticks ahead of Bailey, with hometown boy Nick Smith pulling in third in 6.60.

The day belonged, however, to hometown girl Jenny Meadows. She delivered an impressive new national indoor 800m record.

Taking on the pace with 300m to go, Meadows drew strength from the home support, and eased over the line in one minute, 59.11 secs, one tenth of a second inside Dame Kelly Holmes' seven-year-old record.

Olympic champion and World record-holder Dayron Robles of Cuba stamped his authority on the 60m hurdles field with victory in 7.44 secs.

World triple jump champion Phillips Idowu leaped a personal season's best of 17.25m but could only finish fourth, with Christian Olsson of Sweden taking victory in Birmingham.

Olsson is on the comeback trail, following a long spell with injury. He leaped 17.32m, with Cuban Yoandri Betanzos claiming second with 17.30.

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