BERLIN, Aug 11: Maria Mutola remained the only athlete in contention for the Golden League’s $1 million jackpot with a commanding win in the women’s 800 metres in Berlin on Sunday (partly reported in Monday’s edition).

The Olympic and world champion, undefeated this year over two laps, had earlier seen Bahamian Chandra Sturrup drop out of the running for a share of the prize for athletes with victories in all six events in the showcase series.

Sturrup was beaten into third place in the women’s 100 metres by American champion Kelli White, who confirmed her status as a favourite for the title at the world championships in Paris which start on Aug 23.

A determined drive to the line propelled White to a wind-assisted 10.84 seconds victory — her second over a high-class field in three days after winning in London on Friday.

White recovered from a poor start to narrowly outsprint fellow American Chryste Gaines and Sturrup into second and third on a tropical day in the German capital.

Making the most of the absence of triple Olympic champion Marion Jones, who is on maternity leave, Sturrup had won the 100 metres at the previous three Golden League meetings in Oslo, Paris and Rome.

Mutola made her move after a cautious first lap and destroyed the field in the finish straight for a comfortable victory in 1:59.01. Austrian Stephanie Graf, Mutola’s arch-rival, came second in 1:59.32.

Mutola is two races away from the jackpot, with victories in Zurich on Friday and Brussels on Sept 5 standing between her and $1 million.

American Allen Johnson suffered his first defeat of the year with a surprise third place in the 110 metres hurdles, won by Latvia’s Stanislavs Olijars ahead of American Duane Ross.

Turkey’s Sureyya Ayhan braved stifling heat to clock the world’s fastest time this year in the women’s 1,500 metres in 3:59.58.

South African Hestrie Cloete set an African record in the women’s high jump by clearing 2.05 metres — the second best performance this year behind Sweden Kajsa Bergqvist’s sensational 2.06.

Leading results:

WOMEN’S: