Taylor, Farah ease to victory; Merritt wins

Sleep-deprived double Olympic champion Mo Farah was almost caught napping during the two-mile race at the Diamond League meeting in Birmingham on Sunday before easing to victory to the delight of a sellout crowd.

There was relief for American sprinter Tyson Gay after he safely negotiated his first competitive 200 metres for two years and compatriot Carmelita Jeter beat Jamaica's Olympic 100M champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce for the second time in four days.

Britain's Farah, whose wife gave birth to twin girls on Friday, had to produce his trademark turn of speed on the final lap of the distance race when Italian Daniele Meucci suddenly attacked on the outside.

Results: Men: 200M: Nickel Ashmeade (Jamaica) 20.12 seconds, 1; Tyson Gay (US) 20.21, 2; Wallace Spearmon (US) 20.23, 3.

400M: Angelo Taylor (US) 44.93 seconds, 1; Luguelin Santos (Dominican Republic) 44.96, 2; Jonathan Borlee (Belgium) 45.15, 3. 1500M: Mekonnen Gebremedhin (Ethiopia) 3:34.80, 1; Nixon Kiplimo Chepseba (Kenya) 3:35.09, 2; James Kiplagat Magut (Kenya) 3:35.74, 3.

Two miles (3.22 kms): Mohamed Farah (Britain) 8:27.24, 1; Daniele Meucci (Italy) 8:28.28, 2; Garrett Heath (US) 8:29.43, 3.

110M hurdles: Aries Merritt (US) 12.95 seconds, 1; Jason Richardson (US) 12.98, 2; David Oliver (US) 13.28, 3.

3000M steeplechase: Jairus Kipchoge (Kenya) 8:20.27, 1; Abel Kiprop Mutai (Kenya) 8:25.42, 2; Donald Cabral (US) 8:32.55, 3.

High jump: Robert Grabarz (Britain) 2.32 metres, 1; Ivan Ukhov (Russia) 2.28, 2; Andrey Silnov (Russia) 2.28, 3.

Long jump: Aleksandr Menkov (Russia) 8.18 metres, 1; Christian Taylor (US) 7.95, 2; Greg Rutherford (Britain) 7.88, 3.

Discus throw: Robert Harting (Germany) 66.64 metres, 1; Gerd Kanter (Estonia) 65.79, 2; Virgilijus Alekna (Lithuania) 65.63, 3.

Women:

100M: Carmelita Jeter (US) 10.81 seconds, 1; Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) 10.90, 2; Alexandria Anderson (US) 11.22, 3.

400M: Rosemarie Whyte (Jamaica) 50.20 seconds, 1; Christine Ohuruogu (Britain) 50.67, 2; Francena McCorory (US) 51.00, 3.

800M: Mariya Savinova (Russia) 2:00.40, 1; Pamela Jelimo (Kenya) 2:01.43, 2; Marilyn Okoro (Britain) 2:01.96, 3.

1500M: Anna Pierce (US) 4:11.33, 1; Laura Weightman (Britain) 4:11.79, 2; Hilary Stellingwerff (Canada) 4:11.94, 3.

3000M: Mercy Cherono (Kenya) 8:41.21, 1; Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (Kenya) 8:41.22, 2; Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego (Kenya) 8:42.74, 3.

400M hurdles: Kaliese Spencer (Jamaica) 53.78 seconds, 1; Perri Shakes-Drayton (Britain) 54.08, 2; Zuzana Hejnova (Czech Republic) 54.14, 3.

Pole vault: Jennifer Suhr (US) 4.65 metres, 1; Yarisley Silva (Cuba) 4.65, 2; Fabiana Murer (Brazil) and Jirina Ptacnikova (Czech Republic) 4.42 metres, 3.    

Triple jump: Olha Saladuha (Ukraine) 14.40 metres, 1; Kimberly Williams (Jamaica) 14.37, 2; Olga Rypakova (Kazakhstan) 14.34, 3.

Shot put: Valerie Adams (New Zealand) 20.52 metres, 1; Michelle Carter (US) 18.71, 2; Cleopatra Borel (Trinidad and Tobago) 18.36, 3.

Javelin throw: Barbora Spotakova (Czech Republic) 66.08 metres, 1; Christina Obergfoell (Germany) 63.19, 2; Vira Rebryk (Ukraine) 62.82, 3.