Gay, Isinbayeva win at Shanghai GP

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By Lei Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-21 09:36

SHANGHAI: US sprinter Tyson Gay beat Asafa Powell of Jamaica to take the men's 100m title at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix meet yesterday while Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva leapt 4.85m to claim that event's crown.

American Tyson Gay wins the men's 100 meters at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix yesterday in his season's best time of 9.69 seconds.Former world record holder Asafa Powell was second in 9.85.[Agencies]

Despite being without reigning world and Olympic champion Usain Bolt, the clash between the World Championships' silver and bronze medalists, Gay and Powell, in the men's 100m was a highlight at the Shanghai Stadium.

Fast-finishing Gay clocked a personal best 9.69 seconds, a new US record, and equaled Bolt's gold-medal winning time at last year's Beijing Games

"I'm very pleased with the national record that's my goal, to break it next season," said the silver medalist at last month's World Championships in Berlin.

Powell placed second in 9.85, followed by Darvis Patton of the US in 9.89.

Jamaican superstar Bolt did not compete in Shanghai due to fatigue.

Isinbayeva, the world record holder, claimed the gold easily in the women's pole vault, but failed in three attempts to set a record at 5.07m.

Her previous best mark of 5.06m, set at last month's Golden League meet in Zurich, still stands.

Isinbayeva won after clearing 4.85m; ahead of Poland's Anna Rogowska (4.60m).

The Russian came to Shanghai seeking redemption after failing to win a medal at the World Championships, where she was chasing an unprecedented third consecutive gold.

American Carmelita Jeter also shone bright yesterday. The women's 100m World Championships bronze medalist posted the world's fourth fastest time over the distance, clocking 10.64.

She also became the second fastest woman in history, behind fellow American and world-record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner.

The result was the fourth fastest on the all-time list. Griffith-Joyner clocked three faster times: 10.49, 10.61 and 10.62, all in 1988.

Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica was second in 10.89 and Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas was third in 11.03.

"I started well today and the track was comfortable," said 30-year-old Jeter.

On Griffith-Joyner's world record, she said, "It is a great record. I am now closer to it".

In the women's 400m, Olympic silver medalist Shericka Williams of Jamaica beat fellow countrywoman Novlene Williams-Mills to win in 49.83. Williams-Mills was second in 49.85.

Olympic finalist Amantle Montsho of Botswana was third in 50.64.

Xinhua contributed to the story