Former Olympic gold-medallist Justin Gatlin and world champion Carmelita Jeter ramped up their preparations for London 2012 when they led a U.S. sprint clean sweep in the men's 100m at the IAAF World Challenge meeting on Wednesday.
Gatlin grabbed the men's 100m at 9.93sec and Jeter won the women's 100m with 11.11 as American runners snatched all five sprint titles at the world challenge meeting in Daegu.
Gatlin, 30, has hit scintillating form as he bids to recover from a four-year doping ban by reclaiming the 100m Olympic title he won at Athens in 2004.
Fresh from an impressive victory at the Diamond League opener in Doha last week, the 30-year-old was the only sprinter to break 10 seconds at the venue which hosted last year's world championships.
Compatriot Mike Rodgers was second at 10.06, and Jacques Harvey of Jamaica was third at 10.16.
In the men's 110m hurdles, Aries Merritt led an American one-two-three at 13.21, with U.S. record- holder David Oliver and world champion Jason Richardson taking second and third spots respectively.
Jeter leads charge
Jeter led the American charge on the women's side. Though her winning time was well off her world-leading 10.81 set earlier this month, she remains unbeaten in 10 consecutive finals and hasn't lost a 100m race for a year.
Dawn Harper was another American sprint champion, capturing the women's 100m hurdles at 12.65, beating compatriot Kellie Wells by one-hundredth of a second.
The women's 200m also had a one-two finish by the Americans, with LaShauntea Moore winning at 22.71 and ChaRonda Williams in second at 22.82. Sherone Simpson of Jamaica was disqualified for a false start.
James sets record
In the men's 400m, Kirani James of Grenada finished first in 44.72 sec, a meet record, on the same track where he upset Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt for the world title last year.
Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia, the world indoor champion this year, also set a new meet standard of 1:43.51 in the men's 800m. Kenya's Leonardo Kirwa Kosencha was second and Denmark's Andreas Bube was third.
Kenya's Eunice Jepkoech Sum topped the women's 1500m race at 4:05.99, edging Ethiopian Meskerem Assefa, who came in at 4:06.52.
The results:
Men: 100m: 1. Justin Gatlin (USA) 9.93 sec; 2. Mike Rodgers (USA) 10.06; 3. Jacques Harvey (Jam) 10.16.
400m: 1. Kirani James (Grn) 44.72; 2. Renny Quow (Tri) 45.65; 3. Calvin Smith (USA) 45.70.
800m: 1. Mohammed Aman (Eth) 1:43.51; 2. Leonard Kirwa Kosencha (Ken) 1:44.74; 3. Andreas Bube (Den) 1:45.27.
110m hurdles: 1. Aries Merritt (USA) 13.21; 2. David Oliver (USA) 13.22; 3. Jason Richardson (USA) 13.34.
High jump: 1. Trevor Barry (Bah) 2.25m; 2. Jamie Nieto (USA) 2.22; 3. Samson Oni (GBr) 2.22.
Long jump: 1. Ignisious Gaisah (Gha) 7.99; 2. Elvijs Misans (Lat) 7.96; 3. George Kitchens (USA) 7.92.
Shot put: 1. Ryan Whiting (USA) 21.14; 2. Dylan Armstrong (Can) 20.72; 3. Adam Nelson (USA) 20.34.
Javelin throw: 1. Dmitri Tarabin (Rus) 82.75; 2. Ari Mannio (Fin) 81.06; 3. Igor Janik (Pol) 80.23.
4x400m relay: 1. Japan 3:01.04; 2. Australia-A 3:01.58; 3. Australia-B 3:07.29.
Women: 100m: 1. Carmelita Jeter (USA) 11.11; 2. Blessing Okagbare (Ngr) 11.21; 3. Aleen Bailey (Jam) 11.34.
200m: 1. LaShauntea Moore (USA) 22.71; 2. ChaRonda Williams (USA) 22.82; 3. Aleen Bailey (Jam) 23.15.
1500m: 1. Eunice Jepkoech Sum (Ken) 4:05.99; 2. Meskerem Assefa (Eth) 4:06.52; 3. Kaila McKnight (Aus) 4:06.54.
100m hurdles: 1. Dawn Harper (USA) 12.65; 2. Kellie Wells (USA) 12.66; 3. Brigitte Foster-Hylton (Jam) 13.00.
Pole vault: 1. Anastasia Savchenko (Rus) 4.60; 2. Lacy Janson (USA) 4.50; 3. Silke Spiegelburg (Ger) 4.45.
Long jump: 1. Janay Deloach (USA) 6.79; 2. Karin Mey (Tur) 6.48; 3. Saeko Okayama (Jpn) 6.45.
Hammer throw: 1. Betty Heidler (Ger) 77.24; 2. Tatiana Lysenko (Rus) 76.14; 3. Zhang Wenxiu (Chn) 75.68.
Keywords: IAAF World Challenge
