SHANGHAI, China (CMC) – Jamaica’s Omar McLeod survived two false starts to run his third straight world-leading time of the year in the men’s sprint hurdles at the Shanghai Diamond League meet here Saturday.

The 22-year-old watched on as Cuban Orlando Ortega and then World record holder, American Aries Merritt, were dumped from the final event of the programme, for their premature reaction to the gun.

However, McLeod held his nerves to storm from the blocks on the third attempt at the race, dismissing his opposition in 12.98 seconds, which was just 0.01 outside the meet record set by former World and Olympic champion Liu Xiang four years ago.

His compatriot Hansle Parchment finished second in 13.12 seconds while Xie Wenjun of China claimed third in 13.34.

“Before the race I expected to run a sub-13 time. However, after two false starts it got a little cold and I told myself to stay focused and run safe,” said McLeod, who clocked 13.05 in the opening Diamond League meet in Doha just over a week ago.

“Because of this, I did not expect to run this time. It’s the first time I have been in a race with two false starts. This is something you never experience in training,” he added.

Meanwhile, in the women’s 400m Novlene Williams-Mills finished fourth in 51.96 while fellow compatriot Shericka Jackson finished sixth in 52.06.

The women’s 200m saw Veronica Campbell-Brown (22.84) and Anneisha McLaughlin-Whilby (22.94) finishing second and third respectively, behind Cote d’Ivoire’s Murielle Ahoure (22.72).

There was no success for the Caribbean in the men’s 100 metres as veteran St Kitts and Nevis sprinter Kim Collins (10.17) finished fourth, Julian Forte (10.23) was sixth and Barbadian Ramon Gittens (10.24) seventh.

American Justin Gatlin was the winner in 9.94 seconds.