Gay is Strong in 100; 4 Remain in $1 Million Hunt

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.