By Gary Smith, Track and
Field Contributor| SportingAlert.com
BAIE-MAHAULT,
Guadeloupe (Sporting Alert) – Olympic champion Lashawn Merritt got his outdoor season off to a
flyer after clocking a world-leading time to win the men’s 400-metres at the
Stade de Baie-Mahault in Guadeloupe on Tuesday.
The American who was impressive at the
Penn Relays last weekend took his main event in 44.73, the quickest so far this
season – signalling his intent to defend his title successfully in London.
Merritt is expected to battle again with
world champion Kirani James of Grenada and others for the crown this summer.
Finishing second to Merritt was Luguelin
Santos of Dominican Republic, who posted 45.29, with another American and 400m
hurdles specialist Angelo Taylor taking third in 45.31secs.
Another Olympic champion winning at the
meeting was Dayron Robles, who opened his outdoor term with a winning
performance of 13.19 seconds in the men’s 110m hurdles.
USA’s Ronnie Ash was second to him in
13.30 with his teammate Joel Brown coming home third at 13.37. Barbadian 2009 World
champion Ryan Brathwaite, who has run 13.29 this season finished last in a
disappointing 13.72.
Beijing Olympic gold medallist Dawn Harper
of USA won the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.71. Compatriot Virginia Crawford took
second with 12.87 and Priscilla Lopez of Canada finished third in 12.95.
There were also wins at the meet for
sprinters Lashauntea Moore of USA, and Churandy Martina of Netherlands.
Martina won the men’s 200m dash in in
20.40 – beating Trinidad & Tobago’s Rondell Sorillo (20.42) and Canadian
Jared Connaughton (20.60).
Moore took the women’s 100m title with an
impressive 11.11secs. Fellow Americans Jenaba Tarmoh (11.24) and Lauryn
Williams (11.26) finished behind her.
In field events competition, Will Claye of
USA took the men’s triple jump with a leap of 17.05m, while the women’s event
went to Catherine Ibarguen of Columbia, who did a best mark of 14.73m. The
men’s high jump went to Mike Mason with 2.31m.
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