Brilliant Merritt tops the list in one-lapper

Athletics: Athens Grand Prix: Campbell-Brown powers home in womens 100M

The 23-year-old Merritt, who finished behind Wariner in the 2007 World Championships but beat his fellow American to win gold in Beijing, clocked 44.54 seconds to cruise to victory at the Olympic Stadium.

Merritt only missed his season best performance by 0.04 seconds and his run suggested Wariner would need to produce something special to retain his world title in Berlin next month.

"I wanted to run a little faster but I'll take the victory," Merritt told Reuters after finishing ahead of compatriot David Neville and Congolese athlete Gary Kikaya.  "I ran well, but more importantly I feel fresh and ready for Berlin."

Merritt said he believed Michael Johnson's world record mark of 43.18 would be broken soon.  "I think it can be broken," he said. "I've come off a long season last year and I'm still running well this year. I'm still kind of young and the record is definitely one of my goals.”

Jamaica's women also sent out a strong message to their rivals. World champion Veronica Campbell-Brown sealed victory in the 100M in impressive fashion, pulling away from American Carmelita Jeter to win in 10.96 seconds.
It was the first time this season the 27-year-old has gone under 11 seconds.
"I am very happy with my performance, it was a close race," she said.
Campbell-Brown's compatriot Novlene Williams-Mills enjoyed a comfortable victory in the 400 metres in a season's best time of 50.05 seconds and another Jamaican, Isa Philips, showed why he is highly fancied to win gold in Berlin by winning the 400 metres hurdles in 48.09 seconds.
Reuters
Results:
Men: 100M (Race 2): Ivory Williams (US) 9.95 seconds, 1; Mark Jelks (US) 9.99, 2; Ainsley Waugh (Jamaica) 10.23, 3. 200M: Mark Jelks (US) 20.28 seconds, 1; Stephan Buckland (Mauritius) 20.33, 2; Shawn Crawford (US) 20.42, 3. 400M: LaShawn Merritt (US) 44.54 seconds, 1; David Neville (US) 45.14, 2; Gary Kikaya (Congo) 45.29, 3.  800M: Asbel Kiprop (Kenya) 1:43.48, 1; Ismail Ahmed Ismail (Sudan) 1:43.82, 2; Gary Reed (Canada) 1:43.95, 3. 110M hurdles: Joel Brown (US) 13.18 seconds, 1; Ryan Brathwaite (Barbados) 13.22, 2; Eric Mitchum (US)  13.34, 3. 400M hurdles: Isa Phillips (Jamaica) 48.09, 1; Louis Van Zyl (South Africa) 48.18, 2; Danny McFarlane (Jamaica) 48.53, 3.

3000M steeplechase: Brimin Kipruto (Kenya) 8:03.17, 1; Ezekiel Kemboi (Kenya) 8:05.14, 2; Tareq Mubarak Taher (Bahrain) 8:06.13, 3. High jump: Ivan Ukhov (Russia) 2.34 metres, 1; Jaroslav Baba (Czech Republic) 2.31, 2; Jesse Williams (US) 2.28, 3.

Long jump: Fabrice Lapierre (Australia) 8.24 metres, 1; Louis Tsatoumas (Greece) 8.21, 2; Brian Johnson (US)  8.16, 3. Javelin throw: Vadims Vasilevskis (Latvia)  88.33 metres, 1; Ainars Kovals (Latvia) 80.72, 2; Eriks Rags (Latvia) 79.98, 3.

Women's 100M:  Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 10.96 seconds, 1; Carmelita Jeter (US) 11.02, 2;  Debbie Ferguson (Bahamas) 11.04, 3.

400M: Novlene Williams (Jamaica) 50.05 seconds, 1; Monica Hargrove (US) 50.39, 2; Amy Mbacke Thiam (Senegal) 50.72, 3.   1500M: Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Bahrain) 3:58.72, 1; Oksana Zbrozhek (Russia) 4:02.40, 2; Kalkidan Gezahegne (Ethiopia) 4:02.98, 3. 3000M steeplechase: Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (Russia) 9:17.86, 1; Gladys Kipkemboi (Kenya) 9:26.03, 2;  Lydia Jebet Rotich (Kenya) 9:26.51, 3.

High jump: Marina Aitova (Kazakhstan) 1.99 metres, 1; Amy Acuff (US) 1.95, 2; Viktoriya Slivka-Klugina (Russia) 1.91, 3. Pole vault: Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 4.68 metres, 1; Yuliya Golubchikova (Russia) 4.53, 2; Chelsea Johnson (US) 4.48, 3.

Triple jump: Yargelis Savigne (Cuba) 15.00 metres, 1; Anna Pyatykh (Russia) 14.37, 2; Dana Veldakova (Slovakia) 14.34, 3. Shot put: Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Belarus) 19.68 metres, 1; Nadine Kleinert (Germany) 19.67, 2; Michelle Carter (US) 18.16, 3.