Salmon shines in Diamond League with PB in 400m hurdles

Shiann Salmon led the way with a personal best (PB) 52.97 seconds win in the 400 metres hurdles as Jamaica picked up three victories at yesterday’s Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League meet in Switzerland.

Roshawn Clarke (400m hurdles) and Wayne Pinnock (long jump) also celebrated wins at the meet.

Salmon, a finalist at the Olympic Games, was at her best in the latter stage of the event. Coming off the final barrier in third, behind the American pair of Shamier Little and Paris silver medallist Anna Cockrell, Salmon powered home late to score her first Diamond League win of the season. Cockrell was second in 53.17 and Little third in 54.07. Janieve Russell was fourth in 54.75 and Andrenette Knight sixth in 55.42.

“I came into the race with a strategy to come out well and then finish strong. I did that and I came out with the victory, so I am grateful. It was just executed well tonight. I really wanted to end the season with sub 53 seconds and I did it,” said the 25 year-old Salmon.

Clarke, who failed to finish the event in Paris, also picked up his first Diamond League win of the season. He took control from the start and won in a season’s best 47.49, ahead of Abderrahman Samba of Qatar, second also in a season’s best 47.58, and Rasmus Magi of Estonia, 48.02.

“I came out with the mindset that this is a race that anybody could win, and I wanted to come out on top and that is what I did today,” Clarke said. With the win, Clarke punched his ticket for next weekend’s grand final in Brussels.

Pinnock had the satisfaction of securing his first win over Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece. Tentoglou, who used his final attempt to get by Pinnock the last time they met at the Lausanne meeting, could not repeat the feat this time as Pinnock, who led on his second attempt with 8.18m, held on for the win. Tentoglou was second with 8.02m while Simon Ehammer of Switzerland was third with 7.98m. Tajay Gayle was sixth with 7.85m.

“My result today shows what I can do. My victory is not like a revenge. I came out there with (the aim of getting) my best, that is all,” said Pinnock.

Five other Jamaicans competed at the meet. Hansle Parchment was fourth in the 110m hurdles in a season’s best 13.18 seconds. American Grant Holloway won the event in 12.99.

Danielle Williams was sixth in the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.57 behind winner Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (12.36) of Puerto Rico. Rajindra Campbell was eighth in the men’s shot put with 20.19m and Lamara Distin was also eighth in the women’s high jump with 1.85m.

Tia Clayton was sixth in the women’s 100m in 11.09. In a rematch of their clash at the Olympic Games, American silver medallist Sha’Carri Richardson (10.84) got the better of gold medallist Julien Alfred of St Lucia (10.88).