By Philip Blenkinsop
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -American sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden blew away a strong field in the 100 metres in Brussels on Friday to underline her status as the firm favourite at next month’s world championships.
Last year’s Olympic bronze medallist, unbeaten all season over 100 metres, was fast out of the blocks and finished a good five metres ahead of her rivals in 10.76 seconds at the Diamond League athletics meet.
Compatriot and current world champion Sha’Carri Richardson was second in 11.08 seconds, with Britain’s Daryll Neita third in 11.15 seconds.
Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was fourth in one of her last races in an illustrious career that has brought two Olympic and five world 100 metre titles. The 38-year-old plans to retire at the end of the season.
Jefferson-Wooden’s winning time was short of the 10.65 seconds she ran in the U.S. track and field championship at the start of August, but only bettered this year by Olympic champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.
Alfred had been due to compete in Brussels, but opted out of a series of Diamond League events in August to focus on Tokyo. The world athletics championships take place on September 13-21.
On a cool evening in the Belgian capital, a number of world medallists and hopefuls fine-tuned before the season-ending event. Many set personal or season bests or national records.
However, the cool conditions were not conducive to world records as Kenya’s Agnes Jebet Ngetich found in her bid in the 5,000 metres during a long solo run at the end of the evening.
(Reporting by Philip BlenkinsopEditingby Christian Radnedge)
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