Blake clocks 10.06 to beat the wind and chill in Rovereto
Rovereto, Italy – Yohan Blake’s 100m victory was the highlight of the 46th edition of the Palio della Quercia on a cool and windy evening in Rovereto, Italy on Tuesday (31 Aug).
Blake clocked 10.06, narrowly missing the meeting record set by his compatriot Steve Mullings who ran 10.05 last year. American Justin Gatlin, the former double sprint World champion and Olympic 100m champion, lowered his seasonal best from 10.17 to 10.09 finishing second. Italian Emanuele Di Gregorio has continued his best ever season highlighted by the 4x100 European silver medal in Barcelona with a third place showing in 10.28. Only five men contested the 100m after two false starts forced early exits for American Ryan Bailey, who clocked 9.88 in Rieti on Sunday, and Italian Fabio Cerutti, the 60m European silver medallist in Torino last year.
Blake slowed in the final metres due to a minor muscle injury. This probably dashed any hopes to break the 10 seconds barrier for the first time in the history of the Palio della Quercia. However, Blake capped an impressive season in which he clocked 9.89 in London and 9.91 in Brussels and 19.78 in the 200m in Monaco.
“It was a bit cold and I got hurt in the final metres. I am happy with my season and I am looking forward to 2011. It will be a big year. It’ s wonderful to train with Usain Bolt, an encouraging guy,” said Blake.
Kelly-Ann Baptiste from Trinidad and Tobago, who clocked 10.84 this year, was pushed by a tornado of +6.7 m/s to 11.13 in the women’s 100m which earned her the win by 0.04 over American Mikele Barber. Japanese record holder Chisato Fukushima took the win in the 100m B-race in 11.65, 0.01 over European 100m finalist and 4x100 gold medallist Mariya Ryemyen in a race slowed by a -3.3 m/s headwind.
In the women’s 3000m Steeplechase, Ethiopian Mekdes Bekele won a thrilling neck-to-neck battle over Ayana Almaz, who set a new World junior record with 9:22.51 at the Brussels Samsung Diamond League meeting last Friday.
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