Blake finds winning formula in Switzerland

SPRINTER ACKEEM Blake warmed up for this weekend’s Brussels Diamond League final with a convincing win in the men’s 100 metres at yesterday’s Gala dei Castelli World Athletics Continental Tour silver meet in Switzerland.

Despite a slow start, Blake found his best form midway the race, pulling away from his rivals for an easy win, stopping the clock at 9.96 seconds.

Akani Simbine of South Africa was second in 10.04 with third going to Emmanuel Esme of Cameroon in 10.11.

The next best performance from a Jamaican at the meet came from Roshawn Clarke in the men’s 400m hurdles, who was fourth. Clarke failed to replicate his first Diamond League success a few days earlier in Zurich. Clarke clocked 49.23 seconds to finish behind Clement Ducos of France, who won the event in 47.94, ahead of Allison Dos Santos of Brazil, second in 48.78. Sweden’s Carl Bengtström was third in 48.83.

Olympic Games shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell had to settle for sixth in the event with a heave of 20.80 metres, as Olympic champion Ryan Crouser of the United States won with 22.25.

There were mixed results for two of the sprint hurdlers favoured to go all the way in their events at this weekend Diamond League finals.

Diamond League leader and Olympic Games bronze medallist Jasmine Camacho Quinn of Puerto Rico had a close win in the women’s 100-metre hurdles in 12.52 seconds, to edge out Grace Stark of the United States, 12.54, while Jamaica’s Yanique Thompson failed to finish.

In the men’s 110-metre hurdles, the United States Grant Holloway, the Olympic champion, suffered his second defeat of the season, beaten by Sasha Zhoya of France who won in 13.22, just ahead of the American second in 13.23. Jamaican Orlando Bennett could only manage seventh in 14.01.