STOCKHOLM, July 27: Olympic champion Justin Gatlin overcame a slow start to win the men’s 100 metres in 10.15 seconds at the IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting on Tuesday. The American, running competitively for the last time before the world championships in Helsinki which begin on August 6, edged out Jamaicans Dwight Thomas (10.19) and Michael Frater (10.30).
“I just wanted to go out there and make a great race,” Gatlin told reporters. “It’s funny, sometimes you feel like you run fast but you are running slow and sometimes you feel slow but you run fast,” added Gatlin, whose personal best is 9.85 seconds.
Gatlin said he would be travelling to Helsinki on Wednesday.
“I am starting to feel good. I had a slight quadriceps injury in London and Rome but it is feeling better now.”
Olympic champion and world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia dominated the pole vault event, setting a stadium record of 4.79 metres. Poland’s Anna Rogowska (4.65) and Monika Pyrek (4.65) were second and third respectively.
Isinbayeva attempted to set her 18th world record when she tried to clear 5.01 but narrowly missed out. Four days ago at Crystal Palace in London, the Russian became the first woman in history to clear five metres.
Swede Stefan Holm, the Olympic high jump champion, delighted his home crowd by winning with an effort of 2.33 metres. Americans Jesse Williams (2.30) and Jamie Nieto (2.27) were next best.
Kajsa Bergqvist made it a Swedish high jump double, leaping 1.95 metres to triumph in the women’s event.
IAAF results:
Men’s 100m 1. Justin Gatlin (United States) 10.15 2. Dwight Thomas (Jamaica) 10.19 3. Michael Frater (Jamaica) 10.30