media_artricles :: 2014

Thompson second in Diamond League

T&T Olympic sprinter Richard Thompson placed second in the eighth leg of the IAAF Diamond League with his 10.08 finish in the Men’s 100m dash at the Meeting Areva, in Paris, France. Thompson, who had the best response time, finished behind USA’s Michael Rodgers, who clocked 10.00 seconds. Only two days prior, Rodgers took third in the Diamond League meet in Laussanne, Switzerland, with a 9.98 run, behind the race winner Justin Gatlin.

Gatlin ran the fastest time in the world this year in 9.80 seconds to cancel out Thompson’s previous world leading time. St Kitts’ Kim Collins, the oldest man on the track at 39, placed third in a season-best 10.10 seconds. Jamaica’s Nesta Carter finished fourth in 10.12 seconds, while him compatriot Kemar Bailey-Cole took fifth in 10.14. Briton Chijindu Ujah, who made his debut clocked 10.20 seconds for sixth. Originally carded to compete, Jamaica’s Asafa Powell pulled out with an injured hamstring. Another Jamaican, Nickel Ashmeade, who was recently crowned his country’s national 100m champion, was disqualified for a false start which he protested.

Thompson carried a good run of form heading into yesterday’s meet, following his golden performance at the T&T National Championships, last month where he clocked a then world leading time of 9.82 seconds. Two weeks before, he won the 100m event at the Hengelo FBK Games, in Holland, where he clocked 9.95. Three days after, he won yet again at the Oslo ExxonMobil Bislet Games, in 10.02 seconds.

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