Melissa Jefferson-Wooden wins the 100m in Philadelphia (© Grand Slam Track)
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden notched up her third consecutive short sprints victory in the Grand Slam series, thanks to a blistering 10.73 run in Philadelphia on Sunday (1).
The Olympic bronze medallist had won the 200m on Saturday in a PB of 21.99, beating Olympic champion Gabby Thomas by 0.11. But it was in her specialist event where Jefferson-Wooden turned heads as she sped to a lifetime best of 10.73 (1.4m/s) to win by 0.30 from US compatriot Tamari Davis. Thomas was fourth in 11.16.
Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek was similarly dominant in the men’s short sprints. On Saturday he won the 200m by more than half a second in 19.95, then took the 100m on Sunday in a PB of 9.86 (0.8m/s), making it six wins out of six races in the Grand Slam series so far.
World indoor bronze medallist Ackera Nugent won both of her races in the short hurdles category, taking the 100m hurdles in 12.44 and then winning the 100m flat in 11.11. Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin stepped down in distance to compete in this category in Philadelphia, clocking 12.70 in the hurdles and 11.21 on the flat.
World champion Marileidy Paulino took another long sprints win, running a season’s best of 49.12 to win the 400m and following it with a 22.42 triumph in the 200m.
Diribe Welteji was another double winner, taking maximum points in the short distance class, winning the 1500m on Saturday (3:58.04) and then the 800m on Sunday (1:58.94).
The men’s short distance was a lot closer as world champions Marco Arop (1:43.38) and Josh Kerr (3:34.44) won the 800m and 1500m respectively. Arop clinched the category victory by one point, though, as he finished fourth in the 1500m while Kerr placed fifth in the shorter discipline.