Midway through the IAAF Golden League series, four competitors remain in the running for the $1 million jackpot. Kerron Stewart, Kenenisa Bekele, Yelena Isinbayeva and Sanya Richards all won their events for the third consecutive time in the six-race series during last Friday’s meet in Rome.

From a non-monetary point of view, however, the big news coming from Rome was Tyson Gay’s 100-meter victory in a wind-legal 9.77 seconds. Gay’s effort is the best in the world this year as he moves toward the highly-anticipated showdown with 2008 triple-gold medal winner Usain Bolt at the World Championships in Berlin. Bolt’s best legal time this year is 9.86. Gay also has a statistical edge on Bolt in the 200. Gay ran a world-leading 19.58 in May, while Bolt ran 19.59 on July 7. But while Gay’s run was backed by a 1.3 meters-per-second wind, Bolt ran his time into a .9 mps breeze.

Six performers entered the Rome competition in the hunt for the jackpot. Damu Cherry, however, didn’t compete in Rome, and Tero Pitkamaki was defeated in the men’s javelin by his nemesis, two-time Olympic gold medalist Andreas Thorkildsen. Thorkildsen won with a final-round toss that traveled 87.46 meters (286 feet, 11 inches), beating Pitkamaki’s first-round effort of 83.68/274-6.

Stewart ran a world-leading 10.75 in the women’s 100 to remain in the jackpot chase. Bekele also produced a world-leading run, winning the 5000 in 12:56.23. Isinbayeva, who continues to improve steadily on her way to Berlin, won the pole vault after clearing 4.85 meters, while Richards won the women’s 400 in 49.46, the world’s second-best performance this year.

Other women’s winners in Rome included Maryam Jamal in the 1500 (3:56.55), Gulnara Samitova-Galkina in the steeplechase (9:11.58), Italy’s Antonietta DiMartino in the high jump (2.00/6-6¾), Maggie Vessey in the 800 (a personal best 2:00.13), Dawn Harper in the 100 hurdles (12.55), and Anna Jesien in the 400 hurdles (54.31).

On the men’s side, Dwight Phillips won the long jump with his second-best effort of the year (8.60/28-2½). Dayron Robles remained unbeaten on the year by winning the 110 hurdles (13.17), Kerron Clement (48.09) edged Isa Phillips (48.11) in the 400 hurdles, Asbel Kiprop finished first in the 1500 (a personal best 3:31.20), Alfred Yego won the 800 (1:45.23) and Chris Brown prevailed in the 400 (44.81).

The fourth Golden League event is set for Friday in Paris, France. The series will then take a break until after the World Outdoor Championships.

Neither rain nor wind, nor, well, anything, it seems, can stop Usain Bolt. Running on a wet track, into a .9 meters-per-second (mps) headwind, Bolt ran the 200 meters in 19.59 seconds at Tuesday's Athletissima 2009 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The meet was part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour.

That's the second-fastest 200 of Bolt's career, trailing only his world record 19.30 set in Beijing last year. It's also the second-fastest 200 of the season. Tyson Gay ran 19.57 in May, on a dry track with a tailwind of 1.3 meters-per-second.

Looks like we're in for some exciting action in Berlin next month when Bolt and Gay face off in the 100 and 200.

Of course, Asafa Powell hopes to insert his name into the 100-meter competition as well. He won the 100 in Lausanne in 10.07 while running into a 1.8 mps headwind. Shelly Ann Fraser won the women's 100 (11.03) to deal runner-up Carmelita Jeter (11.06) her first loss of 2009. Kerron Stewart won the women's 200 (22.73 into a 3.7 mps headwind). Beijing silver medalist Ahmed Ismail Ahmed won the men's 800 (1:44.80), while Oksana Zbrozhek won the women's race (2:01.24).

World record-holder Dayron Robles won the 110 hurdles (13.18), while Sally McLellan won the 100 hurdles in the third fastest time this year (12.59). The 400 hurdles winners were Isa Phillips (48.18) and Tiffany Williams (54.73), with 2008 Olympic champ Melaine Walker finishing fourth in the women's event (55.24).

Gelete Burka won a tight women's 1500 race in 4:00.67 with Maryam Yussuf Jamal a close second (4:01.99). Anter Zerguelaine finished first in the men's event (3:37.15). Deresse Mekonnen won the 3000 in a personal best 7:37.62.

In the jumps, 2007 world champion Yargelis Savigne won the women's triple jump with the second-longest leap of 2009, 14.91 meters (48 feet, 11 inches). Savigne owns the top six jumps of the season. Godfrey Mokoena (8.05/26-5) edged Dwight Phillips (8.03/26-4) in the men's long jump. Beijing gold medalist Steve Hooker cleared 5.75/18-10¼ to win the pole vault, while Jaroslav Baba finished first in the high jump (2.26/7-5).

Steffie Nerius out-distanced fellow German and Olympic javelin bronze medalist Christina Obergfoll for the second time in one week. Nerius threw (65.37/214-5) to defeat world record-holder Barbora Spotakova (64.38/211-2) and Obergfoll (62.31/204-5).

Six performers remain in contention for the Golden League Jackpot after last weekend’s meet in Oslo, Norway. Kenenisa Bekele (3000/5000 meters), Tero Pitkamaki (javelin throw), Kerron Stewart (100), Sanya Richards (400), Damu Cherry (100 hurdles) and Yelena Isinbayeva (pole vault) all won their events for the second consecutive meet. They need to win the remaining four Golden League meets to earn at least a share of the jackpot. The third event of the six-meet series will be held Friday (July 10) in Rome.

Richards, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, bettered her own 2009 world lead by winning the 400 in 49.23 seconds. Beijing silver medalist Shericka Williams was second in a season-best 49.98 while fellow Jamaican Christine Ohuruogu, last year’s Olympic gold medalist, was sixth (51.19).

Stewart captured the women’s 100 fairly easily, as the Beijing 100-meter silver medalist won in 10.99 seconds.

Cherry, who was fourth in Beijing, won the sprint hurdles race in a season-best 12.68, followed by Brigitte Foster-Hylton (a season-best 12.75) and defending Olympic bronze medalist Priscilla Lopes Schliep (12.78).

Isinbayeva shocked nobody in winning the pole vault by clearing 4.71 meters (15 feet, 5½ inches) on her second attempt. Runner-up Monika Pyrek topped 4.71 on her third try. The shock will occur if Isinbayeva, the world record-holder and two-time Olympic champion, does not win all six Golden League meets.

On the men’s side, three-time Olympic gold medalist Bekele held off James Kwalia to win the 5000 in 13:04.87. Kwalia finished in 13:05.46. Pitkamaki won his second consecutive Golden League javelin title with a fifth-round throw measuring 84.63 meters (277-7). Teemu Wirkkala, the fifth-place finisher in Beijing, was second (83.54/274-1) while two-time Olympic gold medalist Andreas Thorkildsen placed third (83.15/272-9).

One of the Golden League’s opening-meet winners, Chris Brown from the Bahamas, withdrew from the Oslo meet due to injury, opening the door for Renny Quow to win the men’s 400 (45.18).

Oslo’s annual Dream Mile resulted in two winners. World Indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen won the race in 3:48.95, while runner-up William Biwott set a new World Junior record of 3:49.29. Biwott’s mark is subject to the standard IAAF verification procedures.

Anton Hicks won the 110 hurdles in 13.41 while fellow American Dexter Faulk, who won the first Golden League event in Berlin, fell to sixth in Oslo (13.80). Daniel Bailey, who won the 100 in Berlin, was literally out-leaned at the finish line by Asafa Powell. Both recorded times of 10.07.

Blanka Vlasic, who lost in Berlin to Ariane Friedrich, won the women’s high jump by clearing two meters (6-6¾). American Chaunte Howard took second (6-5¾).

For the first time since 2006 there was no world record in the women’s 5000 at Oslo. Beijing double-gold medalist Tirunesh Dibaba, who set the current world mark in Oslo last year, withdrew due to injury. Meseret Defar, who broke the existing world record in Oslo in 2007, did compete, pulling away early in the final lap to won in 14:36.38. Vivian Cheruiyot took second (14:37.01) and Meselech Melkamu third (14:37.50).

Yuriy Borzakovskiy won the 800 (1:44.42) as World Indoor champ Abubaker Kaki fell early in the race, reportedly due to a leg cramp.

In the final day of competition at the U.S. Outdoor Championships Sunday, Bershawn Jackson broke away after the last hurdle to win the men’s 400 hurdles final in a 2009 world- leading 48.03 seconds. Johnny Dutch, who was about even with Jackson at the final hurdle, was an impressive second (48.18) while 2008 Olympic gold medalist Angelo Taylor faded a bit near the end but still made the World Championships team by placing third (48.30).

Shawn Crawford ran a wind-aided 19.73 to win the men’s 200, followed by Charles Clark (20.0) and Wallace Spearmon (20.03). Earlier in the day, Crawford (20.19) and Xavier Carter (wind-aided 20.28) won their semifinal heats. Carter was fifth in the final. The 2007 women’s World Outdoor champion, Allyson Felix, had a bye to the World Championships but ran the full competition anyway and was rewarded with a U.S. title. Felix won the 200 final in 22.02, followed by Muna Lee (22.13) and Marshevet Hooker (22.36). Felix won the first semifinal Sunday (wind-aided 22.31) and Lauryn Williams won the second (22.54). Williams was sixth in the final.

Beijing 100 hurdles champion Dawn Harper ran a slightly wind-aided 12.36 (2.2 MPS) to win the women’s finals Sunday. Oft-injured Virginia Powell was a solid second (12.47) with Damu Cherry third (12.58). Defending World Outdoor champion Michelle Perry, who enjoys a bye to the World Championships, withdrew before Sunday’s final. Cherry (wind-aided 12.44) and Harper (12.53) won their semifinal heats earlier on Sunday. Lolo Jones suffered another setback as she struck a hurdle and didn’t finish her semifinal race.

Lopez Lamong won an exciting men’s 1500 in 3:41.68, with Leonel Manzano second (3:41.82) and Dorian Ulrey third (3:42.84). Stephen Pifer led on the final lap, trailed by Manzano and then Lamong. After Manzano passed Pifer with less than 200 meters remaining, Lamong passed Pifer and Manzano. Pifer fell to fifth. Qualifier Alan Webb withdrew prior to the race due to a hamstring injury.

U.S. steeplechase record-holder Jennifer Barringer pulled away from defending U.S. champion Anna Willard late in Sunday’s final to win decisively in 9:29.38. Willard gained second (9:35.01) ahead of third-place Bridget Franek (9:36.74).

Hazel Clark grabbed a quick lead and never let go to win the women’s 800 final in 2:00.79. Two-time NCAA champion Geena Gall ran behind Clark for much of the race and finished second (2:01.01), while Phoebe Wright took third (2:01.12). Nick Symmonds took a different route to victory in the men’s race. He was fifth midway through the event, second on the final turn, then burst to the front and won in 1:45.86. Khadevis Robinson couldn’t quite catch Symmonds on the final straight but Robinson held second place (1:45.97), while Ryan Brown (1:46.67) edged Christian Smith (1:46.92) for third.

Hyleas Fountain opened the day’s heptathlon competition by winning the long jump event with a leap measuring 6.95/22-9¾. However, Fountain, who seemed to have an insurmountable lead in points with two events remaining, aggravated a neck injury she suffered in Saturday’s high jump. Fountain was taken to a hospital for observation, dropping out of the heptathlon competition, and leaving Diana Pickler with the lead. Pickler finished fifth in the final event, the 800, to clinch the overall championship with 6290 points. Sharon Day, who won the 800, took second (6177) while Bettie Wade placed third (5908). Earlier, Emily Pearson won the sixth event, the javelin throw (43.66/143-3).

Tora Harris won the men’s high jump by clearing 2.31/7-7 on his second attempt. Andra Manson and Keith Moffatt mirrored each other’s performances and tied for second, clearing 2.28/7-5¾ on their second attempts. Jesse Williams also cleared 2.28 but did so on his third attempt and finished fourth.

U.S. record-holder Jenn Stuczynski cleared 4.65/15-3 to win the women’s pole vault final. Chelsea Johnson took second (4.60/15-1) while Stacy Dragila placed third (4.55/14-11).

Women’s long jump favorite Brittney Reese didn’t disappoint Sunday, leaping 7.09/23-3¼ to win the U.S. championship. Brianna Glenn took second (6.82/22-4½). Funmi Jimoh and Grace Upshaw both leaped 6.77/22-2½, but Jimoh took third place based on her second-best jump (6.72/22-½ in the final round).

Christian Cantwell had the two longest throws to win the men’s shot put (21.82/71-7). Dan Taylor took second (21.21/70-7), defending World Champion Reese Hoffa was third (21.10/69- 2¾) and Adam Nelson finished fourth (21.01/68-11¼). Because Hoffa has a bye to the World Outdoors, Nelson will join the four-member U.S. men’s shot put contingent in Berlin.

Any of Jessica Cosby’s five legal throws would’ve been good enough to capture the women’s hammer throw title Sunday. Her best toss measured 72.04/236-4. Amber Campbell was second (68.92/226-1) while Erin Gilreath took third (68.08/223-4).

Teresa Vaill earned the 20-kilometer race walk title with a time of 1:37:13. Joanne Dow placed second (1:39:59) and Maria Michta third (1:41:16).