ZURICH, Sept 8: American Sanya Richards produced a year’s best in the 400 metres on Friday when she clocked 49.36 seconds at the Weltklasse IAAF Golden League meeting in Zurich.

Richards remained in contention for the $1 million Golden League Jackpot.

Jamaican Novlene Williams was a distant second in 50.85, while Briton Christine Ohuruogu, the new world champion, was fourth in 51.32.

Competing before a capacity crowd of 26,500 at the newly rebuilt Letzigrund Stadium, Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia also kept her hopes alive in the jackpot chase, winning the pole vault with a leap of 4.80 metres.

The 25-year-old later missed three times at a potential world leading 4.93. Her compatriot Svetlana Feofanova, the world bronze medallist, finished second with a clearance of 4.75.

American Michelle Perry was eliminated from the jackpot after she was defeated by Swede Susanna Kallur in the 100 meters hurdles.

Kallur, the European champion who finished just out of the medals in Osaka, started superbly en route to a narrow victory in 12.66 seconds. Perry, who ran to her second world title last week, was third, clocking 12.68.

Other highlights on an unseasonably chilly evening was the victory in the high jump by Croatia’s Blanka Vlasic, who cleared 2.04. The champion then twice came close to a world record of 2.10.

On an evening when many Osaka medalists underperformed, Bernard Lagat was not among them. The Kenyan-born American, who completed an unprecedented 1,500 and 5,000 metres double, ran away from another strong field to win the 3,000 in 7:38.77.

American Xavier Carter, who missed the world championships due to injury, resumed competition in the 200 metres and took an overwhelming victory in 19.92, a meeting record, 0.30 ahead of Osaka silver medallist Usain Bolt.

Results:

MEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Francis Obikwelu (Portugal) 10.17 seconds; 2. Jaysuma Saidy (Norway) 10.20; 3. Marlon Devonish (Britain) 10.20; 4. Olusoji Fasuba (Nigeria) 10.20; 5. Leroy Dixon (US) 10.23; 6. Marc Burns (Trinidad and Tobago) 10.36; 7. Matic Osovnikar (Slovenia) 10.40; 8. Craig Pickering (Britain) 10.58.

200 metres: 1. Xavier Carter (US) 19.92 seconds; 2. Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 20.19; 3. Johan Wissman (Sweden) 20.47; 4. Joshua Johnson (US) 20.49; 5. Rodney Martin (US) 20.53; 6. Marvin Anderson (Jamaica) 20.55; 7. Chris Williams (Jamaica) 20.75; 8. Marcin Jedrusinski (Poland) 20.98.

1500 metres: 1. Mehdi Baala (France) three minutes 38.62 seconds; 2. Tarek Boukensa (Algeria) 3:38.84; 3. Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (Kenya) 3:38.96; 4. Antar Zerguelaine (Algeria) 3:39.18; 5. Asbel Kiprop (Kenya) 3:39.31; 6. Christian Obrist (Italy) 3:39.50; 6. Christian Obrist (Italy) 3:39.50; 7. Alan Webb (US) 3:39.69; 8. Alex Kipchirchir (Kenya) 3:39.84.

3000 metres: 1. Bernard Lagat (US) seven minutes 38.77 seconds; 2. Edwin Cheruiyot Soi (Kenya) 7:39.02; 3. Moses Kipsiro (Uganda) 7:39.69; 4. Joseph Ebuya (Kenya) 7:41.05; 5. Mo Farah (Britain) 7:41.86; 6. Tariku Bekele (Ethiopia) 7:42.35; 7. Thomas Longosiwa (Kenya) 7:43.69; 8. Matt Tegenkamp (US) 7:54.44.

110-metre hurdles: 1. Dayron Robles (Cuba) 13.15 seconds; 2. Terrence Trammell (US) 13.22; 3. Allen Johnson (US) 13.23; 4. Anwar Moore (US) 13.24; 5. Ryan Wilson (US) 13.33; 6. David Oliver (US) 13.37; 7. David Payne (US) 13.39; 8. Aries Merritt (US) 13.42.

4x100 metres relay: 1. US 38.40 seconds; 2. Jamaica 38.82; 3. Germany 39.12; 4. Switzerland 39.24; 5. Britain 39.30; 6. Poland 39.36; 7. Italy 40.12; 8. Netherlands 40.20.

Pole vault: 1. Igor Pavlov (Russia) 5.75 metres; 2. Bjoern Otto (Germany) 5.75; 3. Yevgeniy Lukyanenko (Russia) 5.75; 4. Brad Walker (US) 5.65; 5. Tim Lobinger (Germany) 5.65; 6. Danny Ecker (Germany) 5.50.

Triple jump: 1. Walter Davis (US) 17.20 metres; 2. Nelson Evora (Portugal) 17.18; 3. Aarik Wilson (US) 17.11; 4. Jadel Gregorio (Brazil) 16.86; 5. Aleksandr Petrenko (Russia) 16.79; 6. Dmitrij Valukevic (Slovakia) 16.60; 7. Alexander Martinez (Switzerland) 16.59; 8. Nikolay Savolaynen (Ukraine) 16.40.Javelin throw: 1. Andreas Thorkildsen (Norway) 89.51 metres; 2. Tero Pitkaemaeki (Finland) 87.44; 3. Breaux Greer (US) 83.15; 4. Magnus Arvidsson (Sweden) 82.47; 5. Aleksandr Ivanov (Russia) 81.00; 6. Igor Janik (Poland) 80.09; 7. Vadims Vasilevskis (Latvia) 78.20; 8. Felix Loretz (Switzerland) 75.62.

WOMEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Christine Arron (France) 11.17 seconds; 2. Torri Edwards (US) 11.22; 3. Carmelita Jeter (US) 11.24; 4. Kim Gevaert (Belgium) 11.26; 5. Tezdzhan Naimova (Bulgaria) 11.30; 6. Me’Lisa Barber (US) 11.32; 7. Lauryn Williams (US) 11.34; 8. Laura Turner (Britain) 11.59.

400 metres: 1. Sanya Richards (US) 49.36 seconds; 2. Novlene Williams (Jamaica) 50.85; 3. Amy Mbacke Thiam (Senegal) 50.95; 4. Christine Ohuruogu (Britain) 51.32; 5. Ilona Usovich (Belarus) 51.45; 6. Mary Wineberg (US) 51.53; 7. Natalya Antyukh (Russia) 51.94; 8. Joanne Cuddihy (Ireland) 52.44.

800 metres: 1. Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya) one minute 59.03 seconds; 2. Maite Martinez (Spain) 2:00.42; 3. Elisa Cusma Piccione (Italy) 2:00.50; 4. Brigita Langerholc (Slovenia) 2:00.70; 5. Diane Cummins (Canada) 2:00.90; 6. Olga Kotlyarova (Russia) 2:00.99; 7. Jemma Simpson (Britain) 2:01.17; 8. Svetlana Cherkasova (Russia) 2:01.43.

1500 metres: 1. Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Bahrain) four minutes 6.32 seconds; 2. Yelena Soboleva (Russia) 4:07.66; 3. Olga Yegorova (Russia) 4:08.10; 4. Viola Kibiwot (Kenya) 4:08.96; 5. Yuliya Chizhenko (Russia) 4:09.97; 6. Shalane Flanagan (US) 4:10.86; 7. Natalya Pantelyeva (Russia) 4:11.37; 8. Daniela Yordanova (Bulgaria) 4:11.86.

100-metre hurdles: 1. Susanna Kallur (Sweden) 12.66 seconds; 2. Delloreen Ennis-London (Jamaica) 12.68; 3. Michelle Perry (US) 12.68; 4. Perdita Felicien (Canada) 12.71; 5. Lolo Jones (US) 12.81; 6. Sally McLellan (Australia) 12.86; 7. Angela Whyte (Canada) 12.89; 8. Josephine Onyia (Nigeria) 12.96.

High jump: 1. Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) 2.04 metres; 2. Yelena Slesarenko (Russia) 2.01; 3. Yekaterina Savchenko (Russia) 1.98; 4 equal. Ruth Beitia (Spain) 1.90, 4 equal. Kajsa Bergqvist (Sweden) 1.90, 4 equal. Anna Chicherova (Russia) 1.90, 4 equal. Antonietta Di Martino (Italy) 1.90, 4 equal. Vita Palamar (Ukraine) 1.90.

Pole vault: 1. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) 4.80 metres; 2. Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 4.75; 3 equal. Yuliya Golubchikova (Russia) 4.65, 3 equal. Monika Pyrek (Poland) 4.65; 5. Tatyana Polnova (Russia) 4.65; 6. Katerina Badurova (Czech Republic) 4.55; 7. Fabiana Murer (Brazil) 4.55; 8. Vanessa Boslak (France) 4.40.—Reuters