Queen Harrison (right) defeats Lolo Jones (left) in Turin (© Giancarlo Colombo)
The Memorial Primo Nebiolo in the Italian city of Torino saw US 100m hurdler Queen Harrison break the meeting record when clocking an impressive 12.64 into a headwind to hold off her compatriot Lolo Jones, who finished second in 12.74 on Saturday night (8)
“I never expected this time. I was just focused on executing my own race. I am now going back to the USA for the US nationals. I am expecting to do my best and stay healthy. This year I'm focusing on the 100m Hurdles. Next year, I will run the 400m Hurdles,” revealed Harrison, at the meeting named after the former IAAF President who hailed from the city.
“I had a bad start but it’s a race,” said Jones, who returned to the Turin track for the third time after winning in 2005 and in 2012. "I am going back to the US to try to make the team for the World Championships in Moscow. This winter I did something different and competed in bob. This sport gives me a different feeling as I am part of a team."
Great Britain’s Tiffany Porter took third place in 12.83 ahead of 2011 American collegiate (NCAA) champion Nia Ali who crossed the line in 12.93.
Veronica Borsi, who broke the Italian record last week clocking 12.76 in Orvieto and finished fifth in Thursday’s IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rome with 12.97, looked tired and struggled home seventh in 13.14.
Another US hurdler, Dalila Muhammad, ran a personal best of 54.64 to win the women’s 400m Hurdles in 54.64, ahead her compatriot Christine Spence who clocked 55.99. Yadisleidis Pedroso, who recently set an Italian record of 54.54 at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai last month, finished a distant fifth in 56.86.
Omo Osaghae made it a third American win over the barriers when he clinched the 110m Hurdles in 13.49, into slight headwind.
Cuba’s former Olympic champion and World record-holder Dayron Robles finished a distant and modest sixth with13.82 in his first race since he pulled a muscle in the London 2012 Olympic Games final.
“But I never thought about retirement. I suffered from an injury last summer and I am coming back. Today I was like a kid in the block who has never run a Hurdles race," reflected Robles.
US long jumper Funmi Jimoh leapt 6.63m on her fourth attempt, which was enough to win. Russia’s Dariya Klishina, the 2011 and 2013 European indoor champion, is still struggling to find her best form and had to settle for second place with 6.59m.
Young Kenyan 800m runner Nelly Kepkosgei, 21, who bore the brunt of some criticism for her poor job as a pacemaker in the Rome women’s 1500m on Thursday, looked much more at home running her own race in Torino and pulled away from the rest of the field at 600m to romp home in a personal best of 2:00.34.
Italian discus thrower Giovanni Faloci had another consistent competition with a best throw of 62.82m and he had five more throws over 60 metres. Silvia Salis, seven-time Italian champion, won the women’s Hammer throw with 67.87m in the second round.
The meeting was capped by two 4x100m Relay races. An All Stars men’s team made up of Osaghae, Jamaica's Jacques Harvey, USA's Calesio Newman and Great Britain's Mark Lewis Francis took the win in 39.04 beating an Italian squad who clocked 39.52.
A women’s 4x100m all-star quartet formed by Ukraine's Olesia Povh, the US pair of Chauntae Bayne and Yvette Lewis, and Jamaica's Aleen Bailey clocked 43.98 to just win ahead of Italy, who finished second in 44.02.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
