Big wins for Spencer, Veroncia

Raymond Graham, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica's Kaliese Spencer and Veronica Campbell-Brown scored contrasting victories at yesterday's penultimate Diamond League meet in Zurich, Switzerland.

Spencer, 23, clocked a personal-best 53.33 seconds in the women's 400 metres hurdles while scoring a runaway victory in her event. Yesterday's win sewed up the event title as she accumulated eight points to push her tally to 24, which gives her a 12-point cushion over the absent American Lashinda Demus going into the Brussels meet next week.

Campbell-Brown clipped her American rival Carmelita Jeter by a whisker in a very close finish to the women's 100 metres. Both athletes were awarded the same time, 10.89 seconds. Jeter was left in her blocks as Campbell-Brown took the early lead and held on for the win despite a strong late surge from Jeter. Another American, Marshavet Myers, was third in 10.97. Jamaica's Sherone Simpson was fifth in 11.18.

There were top-two finishes for Jermaine Gonzales, Yohan Blake, Dwight Thomas and the men's 4x100 metres team.

Gonzales ran another fast time, 44.51, for 400 metres but was no match for American Jeremy Wariner, a former World and Olympic champion. Wariner raced to victory in a world-leading 44.13. Angello Taylor, also of the United States, finished third in 44.72 while Jamaica's Ricardo Chambers was fourth in 44.96.

An injured Walter Dix failed to show for the expected 200m clash against Blake but another American, Wallace Spearmon, upstaged the Jamaican. Blake was off to a terrible start and although leading 20 metres out he was caught and beaten by the fast-finishing Spearmon, who turned in a season-best 19.79 seconds for the win. Blake was second in 19.86 and Steve Mullings fourth in 20.11.

Thomas clocked 13.25 seconds for second in the men's 110m hurdles behind world leader David Oliver. The American raced to victory in an impressive 12.93.

Season best

A second-level Jamaican sprint relay team of Mario Forsythe, Michael Frater, Steve Mullings and Blake ran a season best of 37.76 seconds but were well adrift in second to the United States quartet of Trell Kimmons, Spearmon, Tyson Gay and Mike Rodgers, who raced to a world leading 37.45.

In the women's 400 metres, Shericka Williams (50.73) and Novlene Williams-Mills (50.80) were fourth and fifth, respectively. American Allyson Felix maintained her unbeaten run in the event, winning in 50.37 seconds to beat her countrywoman Debbi Dunn (50.57) and Botswana's Amantle Montsho, 50.63.