Julian Forte clocks personal best in Berlin

WORLD Championships 100m semi-finalist Julian Forte was in blistering form yesterday as he had the best performance by a Jamaican at the Berlin ISTAF World Challenge Meet after clocking a personal best of 9.91 seconds to win the men's 100m sprint.

His winning time was the third fastest over the distance in the world this year, as only Christian Coleman of the United States, with 9.80 seconds, and Jamaica's Yohan Blake, clocking 9.90 seconds, have gone faster. World Championships 200m gold medallist Ramil Guliyev of Turkey, stepping down to the shorter sprint, was second in 10.09 seconds, as Great Britain's Adam Gemili finished third in 10.10 seconds.

Following disappointment at the World Championships, where he failed to move out of the first round in the men's shot put, it was a better result for O'Dayne Richards in the event yesterday. He had a heave of 20.85m, his second-best mark this season, to finish as runner-up in the event behind winner David Storl of Germany, who won with 21.11m. Jacko Gill of New Zealand was third with 20.71m.

OUT OF TOP THREE

Both Andrew Riley and Ronald Levy finished outside the top three in the men's 110m hurdles. Riley, the Common-wealth Games champion, was fourth in 13.37 seconds, while Levy, competing for the first time since tripping over a hurdle at the London World Championships, was fifth in 13.40 seconds. It was a one-two finish for the United States, as world record holder Aries Merritt won in 13.17, ahead of Devon Allen (13.26).

Among the females, two Jamaicans, in Danielle Williams and Shericka Jackson, had top-three finishes in their events. Williams, who failed to defend her World 100m hurdles title successfully in London after crashing out in the semi finals, had a second-place finish in the event in 12.58 seconds. The United States' Christina Manning was first in 12.54 seconds. Megan Simmonds also competed, but she finished sixth in 13.09.

Jackson had to settle for third in a close finish in the women's 200m in 22.46 seconds, behind winner Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain in 22.41 seconds. Runner up Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast clocked 22.44 seconds.