Allyson Felix wins the women's 400-meter at the Muller Anniversary Games at London Stadium on July 9, 2017 in London.
Allyson Felix ran the fastest 400-meter in the world this year and led a 1-2-3 sweep for the United States at the Muller Anniversary Games Sunday in London, part of the IAAF Diamond League series.
The U.S. men also swept the 200-meter, led by a win by Ameer Webb.
Felix, a six-time Olympic champion and the most decorated woman in Olympic track and field history, blazed over the track in London in 49.65 seconds, surpassing the previous world’s best time this year of 49.72 set by fellow U.S. runner Quanera Hayes two weeks ago. Felix won the full-lap sprint by more than a half-second.
“It was good,” the 31-year-old Felix said of her effort. “I just wanted to put my plan together and execute my race. I just wanted to run my race and concentrate on me. This is my first Diamond League [this year] so it is good to get underway with a win. I am looking forward to get some more training in before the world champs. It was great to get a run out on the track before the champs."
The 2017 IAAF Word Championships are being run on the same track Aug. 4-10.
The U.S. dominated in the 400 with Courtney Okolo taking second in a season-best time of 50.29 and Shamier Little setting a personal best in 50.40.
In the men’s 200, Webb ran 20.13 through the curve, followed by Fred Kerley and Isiah Young in identical 20.24 times. Kerley set a personal best in his first professional race.
Reigning Olympic champion Kerron Clement ran a season-best 48.02 to win the men’s 400-meter hurdles.
Olympic long jump champion Tianna Bartoletta added to the U.S. showcase by winning that event, setting a meet record with a leap of 7.01 meters accomplished on her last jump, setting a season’s best for her. Bartoletta eclipsed the previous meet record of 6.99 set by Portugal’s Naide Gomes in 2009.
Aries Merritt, the 110-meters hurdles champion at the Olympic Games London 2012, was first in a time of 13.09, shy of his meet record of 12.93 set in 2012, the same year he set the world record of 12.80.
Keni Harrison won the women’s 100-meter hurdles, finishing in 12.39, with Sharika Nelvis taking third.
Donavan Brazier set his season’s best in the men’s 800 with a time of 1:43.95, but settled for second behind Botswana’s Nijel Amos.
Vashti Cunningham, a 19-year-old Olympian from Las Vegas and the daughter of former NFL cornerback Randall Cunningham, jumped 1.97 meters in the high jump to place second.
Gary R. Blockus is a journalist from Allentown, Pennsylvania who has covered multiple Olympic Games. He is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
