American Justin Gatlin outclassed the men’s 100-metre field at the Rome Diamond League on Thursday as Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim continued to soar by beating Ukrainian world champion Bohdan Bondarenko in the men’s high jump.
Gatlin, who served a four-year drugs ban from 2006 to 2010, clocked a winning time of 9.91secs to finish comfortably ahead of Jamaica’s Nesta Carter, while Britain’s Adam Gemili was third.
It was a repeat of last year’s success for Gatlin, who in 2013 edged Usain Bolt on the line to beat the Jamaican for the first time.
Barshim, meanwhile, had the sparse crowd at the Olympic Stadium on their feet with a string of strong performances before triumphing with a new personal best of 2.41m.
Merritt dominates American Lashawn Merritt clocked a winning time of 44.48 in a dominant men’s 400m, with Youssef Ahmed Masrahi of Saudi Arabia stunning David Verburg of the United States for second place in a time of 45.14.
Meanwhile, world and Olympic 100 metres champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s problems continued at the Diamond League meeting when the Jamaican was again upstaged by long jump specialist Tori Bowie.
Bowie, 23, again showed the sprinters how it is done by taking another surprise victory in a personal best 11.05, ahead of Jamaicans Kerron Stewart (11.08) and Simone Facey (11.13).
Vikas Gowda seventh India’s Vikas Gowda, who won the men’s discus throw silver in the Diamond League in Doha last month with 63.23m, was seventh in the event in Rome with 62.42m.
The results:
Men: 100m: 1. Justin Gatlin (US) 9.91; 2. Nesta Carter (Jam) 10.02; 3. Adam Gemili (GBR) 10.07.
200m: 1. Alonso Edward (Pan) 20.19; 2. Christophe Lemaitre (Fra) 20.24; 3. Curtis Mitchell (US) 20.46. 400m: 1. LaShawn Merritt (US) 44.48; 2. Yousef Ahmed Masrahi (KSA) 45.14; 3. David Verburg (US) 45.18.
800m: 1. Mohammed Aman (Eth) 1:44.24; 2. Abubaker Kaki (Sud) 1:44.57; 3. Marcin Lewandowski (Pol) 1:44.60.
1500m: 1. Silas Kiplagat (Ken) 3:30.44; 2. Ayanleh Souleiman (Dji) 3:31.19; 3. Asbel Kiprop (Ken) 3:31.89.
3000m Steeplechase: 1. Jairus Kipchoge Birech (Ken) 8:06.20; 2. Paul Kipsiele Koech (Ken) 8:10.53; 3. Brimin Kiprop Kipruto (Ken) 8:11.39.
High jump: 1. Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qat) 2.41; 2. Bohdan Bondarenko (Ukr) 2.34; 3. Erik Kynard (US) 2.31.
Triple jump: 1. Will Claye (US) 17.14; 2. Christian Taylor (US) 17.11; 3. Lazaro Martinez (Cub) 17.07.
Discus: 1. Robert Harting (Ger) 68.36; 2. Piotr Malachowski (Pol) 65.86; 3. Victor Butenko (Rus) 64.87.
Women:100m: 1. Tori Bowie (US) 11.05; 2. Kerron Stewart (Jam) 11.08; 3. Simone Facey (Jam) 11.13.
800m: 1. Eunice Jepkoech Sum (Ken) 1:59.49; 2. Sahily Diago (Cub) 2:00.01; 3. Ajee Wilson (US) 2:00.18.
5000m: 1. Genzebe Dibaba (Eth) 14:34.99; 2. Almaz Ayana (Eth) 14:37.16; 3. Viola Jelagat Kibiwot (Ken) 14:40.05.
100m hurdles: 1. Brianna Rollins (US) 12.53; 2. Dawn Harper-Nelson (US) 12.54; 3. Queen Harrison (US) 12.61.
400m hurdles: 1. Kaliese Spencer (Jam) 53.97; 2. Georganne Moline (US) 54.56; 3. Eilidh Child (GBR) 54.82.
Pole vault: 1. Yarisley Silva (Cub) 4.70; 2. Lisa Ryzih (Ger) 4.60; 3. Silke Spiegelburg (Ger) 4.50.
Triple jump: 1. Caterine Ibargueen (Col) 14.48; 2. Yekaterina Koneva (Rus) 14.42; 3. Mabel Gay (Cub) 14.38.
Shot put: 1. Valerie Adams (NZ) 20.01; 2. Christina Schwanitz (Ger) 19.60; 3. Gong Lijiao (Chi) 19.17.
Javelin: 1. Barbora Spotakova (Cze) 66.43; 2. Martina Ratej (Slo) 63.12; 3. Kimberley Mickle (Aus) 63.05.
