Rome, Italy – Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent demonstrated that her win in Silesia, Poland last week was not a fluke. She delivered a flawless run to dominate the field in the women’s 100m hurdles with a new world-leading time of 12.24 seconds at the Golden Gala meeting in Rome, Italy.
Nugent’s performance was also a meeting and national record, which augurs well for the 22-year-old, who is adjusting seamlessly to the senior level. “This victory is not like revenge for the Olympics for me,” said Nugent. “I am just in really good shape.”
Olympic champion Masai Rusell closed rapidly to clinch second in 12.35 seconds. “Running on the circuit is still a new experience for me, and it has been amazing, she opined. “The fans are great, and it is a great experience. I need this experience so that when the next big international event comes up, it is just another game in the park for me.”
In the men’s 110m hurdles, Frenchman Sasha Zhoya was the slickest, bursting the tape in 13.18 seconds. Spanish star Asier Martinez was second in 13.27, edging Jamaica’s Omar McLeod (13.28).
Sasha Zhoya and Letsile Tebogo Shine: A Night of Records at the Rome Diamond League
Letsile Tebogo looked peerless in the men’s 100m, cruising to a nonchalant win in 9.87 seconds (+0.3 m/s). Tebogo made light work of a quality field, including world indoor champion Christian Coleman (9.92) and Olympic bronze medallist Fred Kerley (9.95). Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake finished fourth in 10.03 seconds.
“This was one of my best 100m races,” said Tebogo, who, had he not celebrated so early, would have smashed his personal best of 9.86 seconds. “Before this, I imagined what the perfect race over 100 would look like. You have to lock it in your mind, and then it can happen. Today, I had a great start, and it made me think, ´Why did I not have one like this in the Olympic final? ´
Tebogo added, “I didn’t plan to set a PB today. I remember how my body felt after the last time I ran at 9.8. It was hard to come back from that to run the 200 the next day in Paris. I still have more races coming up, and I didn’t want to get injured before Zurich. I believe in having strong bonds with other sprinters. We compete against each other, but we all do the same thing and should stick together.”
Zambia Muzala Samukonga outpaced his Caribbean rivals Kirani James and Jereem Richards in the men’s 400m. Samukonga, the Olympic bronze medallist, stopped the clock at 43.99 seconds. “My life changed completely this year. It is hard to even explain this fully,” said Samukonga. “I am recognizable in my home country now, and it is not easy sometimes. But you have to be strong enough as an athlete to deal with it. Not everyone is going to like you. It is normal.”
James, who clocked 44.30 seconds, admitted he was not race-sharp. “I feel good; it was a great race, considering I have not competed for two weeks.”
Anna Cockrell Commands the Track: Dominant Win in Women’s 400m Hurdles at Golden Gala
Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell was a commanding winner in the women’s 400m hurdles in 52.59 seconds. She was chased home by Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon, who clocked 53.20 seconds. “I feel good; I have been running consistently over the last races,” reasoned Salmon. “I practice this rhythm and the race so much; I have done it so often this season that it comes naturally.”
Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford demonstrated his vast improvement with another creditable performance in the men’s high jump. Beckford finished second on countback to South Korea’s Sanghyeoch Woo in the men’s high jump after clearing 2.30m, a new personal best.
“2.30 is something every high jumper dreams of doing at some point,” said Beckford. “It is an answer to my prayers that I achieved it today. I knew I had to be patient, and everything would come together eventually. Jamaica is rising in the jumping events, and I want to put us on the map for the high jump to be a part of this. Gianmarco Tamberi caught the energy of the crowd here. With me jumping right after him, it also gave me a push. Jumping against him in this stadium is a great experience, just like jumping in my first Diamond League was recently.”
Roje Stona’s Discus Challenge: Olympic Champion Faces Tough Competition in Rome
Olympic champion Roje Stona had to settle for the runner-up spot in the men’s discus with 67.85m: “This is my first time in Rome, my first time at a Diamond League. I got beaten at the last attempt, but these things happen in sports; I had my opportunities.”
Elsewhere, Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women’s long jump, cutting the sand at 7.02m in the second round. “It is almost surreal; I mean, no one has jumped 7m so many times this year like me; I have been undefeated,” said Davis-Woodhall, who will fly to Paris to watch her husband compete in the Paralympics.
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