Athletics-Powell, Simpson shine but Isinbayeva flops
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-26 12:47
STOCKHOLM, July 25 - Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson
powered to victory at a super grand prix meeting on Tuesday but pole vault
supremo Yelena Isinbayeva was surprisingly upstaged following a lacklustre
showing.
Despite enjoying a near perfect start to win the men's 100 metres in 9.86
seconds in Stockholm, Powell never came close to breaking his own world record
time of 9.77 set in Athens in 2005.
He swept past second-placed American Tyson Gay (9.97) while Marcus Brunson
finished third (10.09).
"It felt like an easy and comfortable win," said Powell, who shares the world
100 record with American Justin Gatlin.
"I've been running nine-eights all season and that's what I came here to do.
"All I worried about was running against the clock. I didn't mind anyone in
the race."
In the women's 200 Simpson equalled this year's best time of 22.00 seconds to
beat American Sanya Richards (22.35) into second place. Bahamas's Debbie
Ferguson was third (22.59).
Simpson clocked 22.00 in Rome earlier this month.
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"I was actually planning to go under that time but I won so I'm happy," said
Simpson, who is also the world's fastest woman in the 100 metres this year. "I
beat some good girls tonight."
American Allyson Felix, the event's world champion, finished only fifth
(22.71).
Poland's Monika Pyrek caused the biggest upset of the evening when she
relegated Isinbayeva to second place in the women's pole vault.
The Russian only managed to clear 4.62 metres, which was well short of her
world record clearance of 5.01.
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