Brilliant run by Spencer

Jamaica's Kaliese Spencer clocked an impressive world-leading, personal-best 52.79 seconds to win the women's 400 metres hurdles on day one of the Samsung Diamond meet at Crystal Palace in London yesterday.

Spencer, last year's Diamond League champion in the event, literally blew away a top-class field which included fellow Jamaicans Melaine Walker and Ristananna Tracey.

Her time placed her joint ninth on the all-time list and second-fastest Jamaican ever behind Walker's 52.42. She is now a warm favourite for gold at the August 27-September 4 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

Walker, the Olympic and World champion, has not been at her best this season and could only manage 53.90 for second yesterday. Tracey was seventh in 56.07.

Yohan Blake took full advantage of Asafa Powell's withdrawal from the men's 100 metres to register Jamaica's second win on the day at the prestigious meet. Blake, running against a 1.6 metres per second wind, clocked 9.95 seconds easing down to equal his season best. Fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter was second in 10.01 with American Mike Rodgers third in 10.04.

Earlier, Powell had pulled out of the event because of what had been described as a tightness in his groin.

The athlete's agent, Paul Doyle, confirmed the withdrawal and explained that it's merely a precautionary measure.

"We're making this decision to not race tonight as a precaution. Asafa has a tightness in his groin that has been getting better every day, but to run tonight would put him at risk for injury.

"If we had two or three more days I think he would be fine and able to race but, unfortunately, that is not the case," Doyle said. Jamaica's Kenia Sinclair lost out to Britain's Jennifer Meadows in the women's 800 metres. Sinclair led into the final 100 metres but Meadows came with a storming late run to win in 1.58.60. Sinclair clocked 1.59.16 for second while Lucia Klocova of Slovakia was third in 1:59.65.

Gonzales beaten

Also gaining a runner-up spot was national 400-metre record holder Jermaine Gonzales. Gonzales, 44.85 seconds, was defeated by the rising Grenadian star, 18-year-old Kirani James, a man who is being referred to in some circles as the new Usain Bolt. The lanky James, running his first professional race, literally glided past Gonzales in the straight to post a world-leading, personal-best 44.61. Grenadians now hold the two fastest times in the world over the distance this year. Rondell Bartholomew, 21, is next with 44.65. The latter finished seventh yesterday in 45.86.

Olympic 100m silver medallist Sherone Simpson ran well out of lane eight to grab second in the women's 200 metres. American Bianca Knight topped the field in 22.69 seconds with Simpson second in 22.84. Another American, Shalonda Solomon, was third in 22.85 while in a really close finish Jamaica's Aleen Bailey took first in 22.89.

National 110 metres record holder Dwight Thomas finished fourth in the event yesterday in 13.29 seconds. Cuba's world record holder Dayron Robles won in 13.04 with American Jason Richardson just behind in 13.08.

In one of the big clashes of the day, world 800 metres record holder, Kenya's David Rudisha, clocked 1:42.91 to hold off the challenge of Sudan's Abubkar Kaki in the two-lap event. Kaki came close 70 metres out but Rudisha proved too powerful in the end. Kaki was second in 1.43.13 and Kenya's Boaz Lalang third in 1.44.13.

The meet continues today with several other Jamaicans in action, including World and Olympic 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Today's schedule

8:34 a.m.: Men's 400m Hurdles

8:44 a.m.: Men's 200m

8:55 a.m.: Women's 400m

9:05 a.m.:Women's 3000m Steeplechase

9:18 a.m.: Women's Shot

9:22 a.m.: Emsley Carr Mile

9:34 a.m.: Women's 100m

9:45 a.m.: Women's 5000m

10:06 a.m.: Women's 100m Hurdles

10:18 a.m.: Men's 4x100m