Wins for Levy, McPherson and Thompson-Herah in London
LONDON, UK- National champions Ronald Levy and Stephenie-Ann McPherson and double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah were winners at Tuesday’s Muller Anniversary Games in London, the seventh stop on the Wanda Diamond League circuit.
Levy clocked 13.22 seconds (0.8m/s) to win the 110m hurdles, beating national record holder Omar McLeod who was second in13.42 seconds.
McPherson came from behind to win the women’s 400m while Thompson-Herah extended her perfect win record in Europe, running 22.43 seconds (0.2m/s) for the 200m title.
A day after saying he was “heartbroken” and would be running on emotions due to being left out of Jamaica’s Olympic team, McLeod fell short after he was caught by a slow starting Levy.
McLeod held a slight lead approaching the final barrier but hit the hurdle and was almost stopped in his tracks before Levy went on to win. Another Jamaican, Rasheed Broadbell was fifth in 13.84 seconds.
McPherson trailed after the first 250 metres but took over the lead to win in 50.44 seconds. Great Britain’s Jodie Williams ran a lifetime best 50.94 seconds for second and Lieke Klaver was third in 51.54 seconds.
Thompson-Herah ran a superb curve and was never challenged winning her first race in the UK in two years easily as Great Britain’s Jodie Williams ran a season’s best 22.60 seconds for the runner up spot while Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare was third in 22.61 seconds. Natasha Morrison was eighth in 23.16 seconds.
Janieve Russell was third in the women’s 400m hurdles, running 54.66 seconds. She beaten again by Holland’s Femke Bol, 53.24 seconds, and American Shamier Little who was second with 54.53 seconds.
-Paul Reid