KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s Janieve Russell and Leah Nugent were third and eighth in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Monaco Diamond league in France today.

Russell, who was fourth at the Jamaican Senior Championship and missed the trip to London, once again finished ahead of one of the top three finishers, this time Nugent.

She was third in 54.36s while Nugent, who was never in the hunt from lane eight, finished at the back in 58.07s and looked very uncomfortable at the end of the race. It’s a far cry from her seasonal best of 54.54s and her personal best of 54.45s.

Interesting though, Nugent’s time might suggest that she could be injured, hence the door is not closed for Russell just days before the Jamaican team is named for London. But again, it might just have been a poor race by Nugent. Only time will tell.

American Kori Carter ran a blinder from lane six and won in 53.36 seconds, well ahead of compatriot Shamier Little in 54.02s. Eilidh Doyle of Great Britain was fourth in 54.75s.

Howard Walker