RABAT, June 10: European champion Christophe Lemaitre claimed a notable scalp as he beat American Justin Gatlin over 100 metres at the International Mohammed VI track and field meeting here on Sunday.

The Frenchman recorded a winning time of 9.98 seconds with a strong tailwind of 2.9m/s with Gatlin coming home in 10.02.

The exploit is all the more impressive as 2004 Olympic champion Gatlin, who subsequently served a four-year doping ban, beat Usain Bolt in Rome on Thursday.

Gatlin beat the Jamaican superstar, who won 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay gold medals at the last two Olympics, in a time of 9.94 in the Italian capital, with Bolt clocking 9.95.

Lemaitre was slow out of the blocks in Morocco but surged through to gallop past Gatlin in the final few strides. It was the 22-year-old's first outing under 10-seconds this season. His French record is 9.92 set two years ago.

In the 400 metres, LaShawn Merritt of the US won in a time of 45.22 seconds. Compatriot Joshua Mance was second (45.65) with Britain's Nigel Levine third in 45.86.

Leading results:

Men's:

100 metres: 1. Christophe Lemaitre (France) 9.98 seconds; 2. Justin Gatlin (US) 10.02; 3. Kim Collins (St Kitts and Nevis) 10.10. 200 metres: 1. Aziz Ouhadi (Morocco) 20.59 seconds; 2. Mosito Lehata (Lesotho) 20.63; 3. Jonathan Borlee (Belgium) 20.64. 400 metres: 1. LaShawn Merritt (US) 45.22 seconds; 2. Joshua Mance (US) 45.65; 3. Nigel Levine (Britain) 45.86. 800 metres: 1. Mohammed Aman (Ethiopia) 1:44.37; 2. Duane Solomon (US) 1:44.91; 3. Anthony Chemut (Kenya) 1:45.48. 1,500 metres: 1. Fouad Elkaam (Morocco) 3:34.68; 2. Carsten Schlangen (Germany) 3:35.07; 3. Collins Cheboi (Kenya) 3:35.45.

5,000 metres: 1. Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa (Kenya) 13:03.58; 2. Aweke Ayalew (Bahrain) 13:05.00; 3. Aziz Lahbabi (Morocco) 13:09.45. 3,000-metre steeplechase: 1. Yoann Kowal (France) 8:12.53; 2. Hamid Ezzine (Morocco) 8:13.27; 3. Roba Gari (Ethiopia) 8:14.39. High jump: 1. Bohdan Bondarenko (Ukraine) 2.28 metres; 2. Silvano Chesani (Italy) 2.28; 3. Kabelo Kgosiemang (Botswana) 2.25. Long jump: 1. Eusebio Caceres (Spain) 8.22 metres; 2. Louis Tsatoumas (Greece) 8.02; 3. Yeoryios Tsakonas (Greece) 7.87 . Discus throw: 1. Mario Pestano (Spain) 65.79 metres; 2. Ercuement Olgundeniz (Turkey) 62.96; 3. Przemyslaw Czajkowski (Poland) 62.14. Women’s: 100 metres: 1. Kerron Stewart (Jamaica) 11.24 seconds; 2. Ruddy Zang Milama (Gabon) 11.29; 3. Tori Bowie (US) 11.31.

800 metres: 1. Ekaterina Poistogova (Russia) 1:59.80; 2. Siham Hilali (Morocco) 2:00.20; 3. Yekaterina Kupina (Russia) 2:00.45. 1,500 metres: 1. Hellen Onsando Obiri (Kenya) 4:03.55; 2. Mary Kuria (Kenya) 4:05.40; 3. Luiza Gega (Albania) 4:05.79. 400-metre hurdles: 1. Angela Morosanu (Romania) 54.37 seconds; 2. Hanna Titimets (Ukraine) 56.02; 3. Muizat Ajoke Odumosu (Nigeria) 56.08. 3,000-metre steeplechase: 1. Hiwot Ayalew (Ethiopia) 9:18.72; 2. Lydiah Chepkurui (Kenya) 9:18.77; 3. Etenesh Diro Neda (Ethiopia) 9:22.87. Triple jump: 1. Hanna Knyazyeva (Ukraine) 14.29 metres; 2. Valeriya Zavyalova (Russia) 13.99; 3. Natalia Kutyakova (Russia) 13.98. Javelin throw: 1. Linda Stahl (Germany) 60.34 metres; 2. Madara Palameika (Latvia) 60.31; 3. Nora Aida Bicet (Spain) 59.81. —Agencies