Clayton shines, Jackson struggles in Oslo

WORLD ATHLETICS Championships 400-metre hurdles bronze medallist Rushell Clayton continued her impressive form with another Diamond League success at yesterday’s Bislett Games.

World leader in the event with her 53.72-second clocking at the Jamaica Invitational recently, Clayton led a Jamaican 1-2-3 finish to follow up on her win two weeks ago in Rabat.

Clayton’s win came on a day when Diamond League 100 and 200-metre champion, Shericka Jackson failed to ‘fire’ in the half-lap event, finishing fifth in 22.97 seconds.

Clayton looked undisturbed despite a heavy downpour, dominating the event from start to finish to stop the clock at 54.02 seconds.

Andrenette Knight and Janieve Russell finished second and third in season’s bests 54.63, and 55.07 to close out the Jamaica podium finish.

In a post-race interview, Clayton said she was surprised by the heavy downpour but still thought the race went well.

“I never expected conditions like that, but nevertheless it was a good race,” she said.

“My execution felt well, and I cannot ask for more than to win.

“It is always good to win each race I compete in, and I am looking towards a bigger goal,” said Clayton.

Natoya Goule-Toppin had her best performance this season, improving in both the position and time she had in Eugene two weeks ago.

Staying in mid-pack for most of the race, Goul-Toppin found extra legs over the last 100 metres to end second in a season’s best 1:59.10 minutes as South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso held on to win in 1:58.66.

Jackson, who showed some rust in her 200 metres season debut in Rabat, was hoping to send a strong statement in her second race.

At a press conference on the eve of the meet, the Jamaican said she was in better shape and had predicted a better showing.

However, Great Britain’s Darryl Neita got a flying start, with Jackson looking sluggish once again. Jackson was never able to get back in the race, while the top three produced season’s bests. The United States’ Brittaney Brown, running out of lane eight, won in 22.32 seconds, ahead of Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Côte d’Ivoire, second in 22.36, and Neita, third in 22.62.

Sprinters Yohan Blake and Rohan Watson, along with quarter-miler Rusheen McDonald continued to find the going extremely tough this season.

In the men’s 100 metres, Blake and Watson got off to very slow starts, with the latter finishing sixth in a season’s best 10.23. Blake was seventh in 10.29.

South Africa’s Akani Simbine maintained his good form, clocking a season’s best 9.94 seconds for the win. Hakim Abdul Sani Brown of Japan also had a season’s best, finishing second in 9.99, and third-place finisher, Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon, who clocked 10.01, also went faster than he has all year.

McDonald never got going in the men’s 400 metres and was left at the back of the field for the entire race, ending eighth in 47.60 seconds.

Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain won in an area record and personal best of 44.07 seconds, and Grenada’s Kirani James finished in a season’s best 44.58 for second. Vernon Norwood of the United States clocked 44.68 for third.

Fedrick Dacres, the other Jamaican competing at the meet, had to settle for sixth in the men’s discus with a best throw of 65.06 metres. Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania won with a meet record of 70.91.