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Feet on the ground - Bloomfield not getting carried away after creating history at London DL

Published:Sunday | July 22, 2018 | 12:00 AMRaymond Graham/Gleaner Writer
Bloomfield

After creating history and becoming the first Jamaican to run faster than 44 seconds in the 400m and 20 seconds in the 200m, it is perhaps to be expected that Akeem Bloomfield would draw comparisons to another towering Jamaican, Usain Bolt.

Bolt did, after all, enjoy early career success as a 400m and 200m athlete, but the young Jamaican, who won the half-lap event in an impressive 19.81 seconds at the London Diamond League meet yesterday to follow up on the 43.94 seconds he posted in Eugene last month, is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

"I'm very happy with the time because that is phenomenal. I don't think anyone can ever surpass Usain Bolt, and I don't think he should be compared with mere mortals like me. If I even accomplish half of what he did, it would be an amazing achievement," Bloomfield told reporters after his win.

"It's a wonderful experience to be here. This will be my last race of the season, and I'm extremely happy. Being here competing in London is a dream for me," said Bloomfield.

 

MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT

 

Drawn in lane eight in a strong line-up, Bloomfield got away from his rivals very quickly, coming off the curve in first place before extending his lead for a big win and in the process making a massive improvement on his previous personal best of 20.00 seconds. Trailing into second place was Alonso Edwards of Panama in 20.01 seconds, with Ecuador's Alex QuiÒonez finishing third in 20.13 seconds.

Ronald Levy and Stephenie-Ann McPherson also scored victories on the final day of the two-day Diamond League event.

National champion McPherson took the women's 400 metres in a season-best 50.31 seconds after shaking off the early challenge of countrywoman Anastasia Le-Roy, who finished second in 50.85 seconds, with the United States' Courtney Okolo running third in 50.93 seconds.

"It was good, but I started the race off a bit too slow, but a season's best shows that I'm running myself back into shape," said McPherson, who also won at the World Cup of Athletics last week.

Meanwhile, Levy posted a season's best of 13.13 seconds to easily win the men's 110m hurdles, ahead of the United States duo of Devon Allen, 13.30 seconds, and Freddie Crittended,13.33.

Fresh off her national record two days earlier in Monaco in the women's 800m, Natoya Goule,1:58.67, was upstaged by the United States' Ce'Aira Brown, who won with a personal best of 1:58.57.

Shericka Jackson, despite her usual strong finish, had to settle for third in the women's 200m in 22.22 seconds. The United States' Jenna Prandini took the win in a personal best 22.16 seconds and it was also personal best for runner-up, Gabrielle Thomas, also of the United States in 22.19 seconds.

 

Fastest Jamaican Men - 200m

 

Usain Bolt 19.19 seconds

Yohan Blake - 19.26 seconds

Warren Weir - 19.79 seconds

Rasheed Dwyer - 19.80 seconds

Akeem Bloomfield - 19.81 seconds

 

Fastest Jamaican Men - 400m

 

Rusheen McDonald - 43.93 seconds

Akeem Bloomfield - 43.94 seconds

Nathon Allen - 44.13 seconds

Jermaine Gonzales - 44.40 seconds

Roxbert Martin - 44.49 seconds