Jamaicans secure victories at Diamond League meet

Double Olympic 200-metre gold medallist Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kaliese Spencer secured victories for Jamaica at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich, Switzerland today.



It was the penultimate meet of the inaugural Samsung Diamond League series.



World leader Campbell-Brown won the women's 100 in a photo finish with Carmelita Jeter of the United States, as the two women both timed 10.89.



Jamaican Sherone Simpson was fifth in 11.18.



Spencer became the 400-metre hurdles Diamond League champion after a convincing win. She clocked a personal-best 53.33 for the victory.



Meanwhile, Jamaicans Jermaine Gonzales, fast-rising sprinter Yohan Blake and Dwight Thomas had to settle for second in their events.



Gonzales, clocked 44.51 to finish behind Jeremy Wariner of the United States, who won the men’s 400-metres in a world leading 44.13 seconds. He took 0.27 off the season’s best set by Gonzales at the Monaco Diamond League meet last month. Ricardo Chambers of Jamaica was fourth in 44.95.



Blake was beaten by American Wallace Spearmon, who ran a meet record 19.79 seconds to win the men’s 200 metres. Blake clocked 19.86 and his Jamaican teammate Steve Mullings clocked a season-best 20.11 for fourth place.



Thomas stopped the clock at 13.25 behind American winner David Oliver in the men’s 110-metre hurdles.



Jamaica also secured second in the men’s 4 x 100-metre relay. The quartet of Mario Forsythe, Michael Frater, Mullings and Blake clocked 37.76 to finish behind the United States. The quartet of Trell Kimmons, Wallace Spearmon, Tyson Gay and Michael Rodgers won in a world-best 37.45.



In the women’s 400 metres, Sherica Williams was fourth in 50.73 and her Jamaican teammate ended fifth in 50.80.