Brianna Rollins (L) crosses the finish line at the 2014 IAAF Beijing Challenge at National Sports Center on May 21, 2014 in Beijing.
Brianna Rollins led a 1-2-3 finish for the United States in the women’s 100-meter hurdles to top off a strong showing by U.S. athletes at Thursday evening’s Diamond League meet in Oslo, Norway.
Rollins, the 2013 world champion in the event, secured her lead in the Diamond Race as it reached the halfway point, taking the win in 12.56 seconds to give her 22 points in the series, two points ahead of the Keni Harrison’s 20. Dawn Harper-Nelson, who has won the last three Diamond Race titles, had a season-best of 12.75 seconds to finish second, which moved her into third in the series standings. Jasmin Stowers placed third Thursday, hitting the line in 12.79 seconds.
“It was great and smooth,” said Rollins of her race. “I ran the same time as in Birmingham (where she finished second), so the consistency is there. The plan at Olympic Trials now is to execute well, nothing more.”
Joe Kovacs continued to build his Diamond Race lead in men’s shot put, winning with a best of 22.01 meters and pushing his series total to 24 points, double that of his closest competition, Tom Walsh of New Zealand. Kovacs still holds the world’s best throw of the season with his 22.13-meter toss at the Diamond League event in Eugene, Oregon, the site of the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track and Field, set for July 1-10.
“My last two throws were excellent,” the reigning world and Diamond Race champion said afterward. “I had big warm-ups, but it took me through the full competition to achieve the right throws. Now I’m heading to Los Angeles to train, then maybe do one small meet in the U.S. It’s all (pointing) toward our Olympic Trials.”
The men’s 100-meter saw the U.S. take four of the top six spots. Michael Rodgers led the American assault, finishing second in 10.09 seconds, 0.02 slower than the 10.07 season best clocked by Canada’s Andre De Grasse. Dentarius Locke was third as he matched his season’s best with a time of 10.12 seconds. Ameer Webb placed fourth in 10.18 seconds, and Sean McLean was sixth in 10.32 seconds.
Natasha Hastings, a member of the 4x400-meter team that won gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, finished second in the women’s 400-meter with a time of 51.38, moving into third in the series standings with 14 points. Stephenie Ann McPherson of Jamaica won Thursday in 51.04 seconds to firm up her grip on second in the series standings with 19 points.
In the men’s 400-meter hurdles, 2012 Olympic silver medalist Michael Tinsley secured his hold on the series lead by placing third in 49.02 seconds. Seeking his second Diamond Race title in three years, his 24 points for the series is 10 ahead of Thursday’s winner, Yasmani Copello of Turkey, who had a season-best time of 48.79. Kerron Clement, the 2007 and 2009 world champion, was fourth for the U.S. in 49.61 seconds, placing him third in the series standings.
