Pryce of Jamaica” src=”https://sportingalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Shelly_Pryce1-221×300.jpg” width=”221″ height=”300″ /> Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce of JamaicaEUGENE (Sporting Alert) — Olympic champion Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce continued her impressive form this season with a wind-aided 10.71 seconds performance to win the women’s 100m at the 2013 Prefontaine Classic IAAF Diamond League meeting at Hayward Field in Oregon on Saturday.
The Jamaican star sprinter, as she’s been doing all season, rocketed from the blocks and kept the advantage on her way to the 2.2 m/s wind-assisted performance.
Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria finished strongly for second place in 9.75secs and went crazy about the time before realizing that he would not stand as a personal best because of the wind speed being over the allowed 2.0 m/s.
Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown was third in 10.78, while another Jamaican, Kerron Stewart took fourth in 10.97.
USA’s Allyson Felix, who is targeting the 100/200 double this season, finished seventh in 11.07.
American Justin Gatlin won the men’s race in 9.88 seconds, but was assisted by a 2.6 m/s tailwind.
He defeated fellow countrymen Michael Rodgers, who clocked 9.94 and Ryan Bailey, who finished in 10.00.
Jamaica’s Olympic 4x100m relay gold medal winner Nesta Carter faded to fourth in 10.03 after looking as though he was on his way to victory.
Meanwhile, LaShawn Merritt handed Olympic and World Champion Kirani James of Grenada a rare defeat in the men’s 400m.
The American pushed the front heading into the home-straight and then held off the strong finish by the Caribbean star to win in 44.32 to James’ 44.39.
The women’s race went to world champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana who posted 50.01 to beat USA’s Francena McCorory (50.37) and Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills (51.14).
Olympic champ Sanya Richards-Ross was last in 53.77.
Jamaican athletes enjoyed more success at the meet, after upcoming star hurdler Hansle Parchment took the men’s 110m hurdles title in a world-leading and personal best and national record of 13.06 seconds.
Cuba’s Orlando Ortega was second in a personal best of 13.08. USA’s David Oliver was third in a season’s best of 13.10.
