Friday, August 06, 2010

Gay stuns Bolt over 100m in Stockholm

INDIANAPOLIS - Tyson Gay stunned the crowd Friday night in Stockholm when he beat world record holder Usain Bolt in the men's 100m final at the DN Galan - Samsung Diamond League.



Starting off in the semifinals, Gay had the fastest time winning his heat in 10.02 while Bolt won the first heat in 10.10. Ninety minutes later it was time for the final. It was the first race for the pair in over a year, and just their third head-to-head matchup over 100m ever.



When the gun went off, Gay burst from the blocks, immediately taking the lead over Bolt. Powering down the straight, Gay was able to hold off the reigning Olympic and World champion to get the win in a meet record 9.84 seconds. Bolt crossed the line in second in a pedestrian 9.97. It was Bolt's first loss since the DN Galan in 2008 and the second-slowest final of his career. Meet records at the DN Galan earn the winner a diamond valued at $10,000 and Gay walked away with that prize.



In the final event of the evening, Chris Solinsky became just the third American man ever to run sub-thirteen in the men's 5,000m tonight when he finished fifth in 12:55.53.



2008 Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson mined a diamond of his own, winning the men's 400m hurdles in a meet record 47.65. The previous record of 47.98 was set by Danny Harris (Perris HS) some 20 years ago. He won by nearly a full second over Puerto Rico's Javier Culson, who clocked 48.50.



Christian Cantwell won the men's shot put on Thursday with a meet record heave of 22.09m/72-5.75. His nearest competitor, reigning Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski (POL), finished second over a meter back with a best put of 21.01m/68-11.25.



Three-time World Outdoor champion Allyson Felix (LA Baptist HS)cruised to victory in the women's 200m, crossing the line in 22.41. She led an American sweep of the podium that saw Shalonda Solomon finish second in 22.51 and Bianca Knight take third in 22.59.



The reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion, Blanka Vlasic extended her unbeaten streak in Samsung Diamond League competition to five with a victory over current world leader Chaunte Lowe (J.W. North HS)in the women's high jump. Even through 2.00m/6-6.75 when they both cleared with their second tries, the Croatian took control with her second-attempt clearance at 2.02m/6-7.5, while Lowe was unable to clear that bar.



Australia's Sally Pearson, the Olympic silver medalist, surged over the second half of the women's 100m hurdles to beat a formidable field with 12.57. She edged Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep by just 0.02, reigning USA Outdoor champion Lolo Jones, the over all Diamond Race leader, took third in 12.70.



Russian Tatyana Firova, fresh off her win the European Championships, won the women's 400m in 50.46 over World Indoor champion Debbie Dunn, who finished second in 50.59. American Indoor record holder Francena McCorory finished third in 50.66.



For complete results from the DN Galan, visit www.diamondleague.com.
About USA Track & Field

USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.

For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org

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