Lemaitre storms 100m

European sprint champion Christophe Lemaitre cruised to victory in the 100 metres sprint at the Super Track and Field Meet Sunday, clocking 10.26 seconds. The Frenchman finished his final race of the season by shrugging off a challenge from American 200 metres specialist Wallace Spearmon, who finished second running 10.47 seconds.

“I am happy just to win the race,” said Lemaitre.

“It would have been better if the time was better. But it has been a long season. I am happy with my performance.”

Lemaitre, who marked his personal best of 9.97 seconds in July, said he was aiming at 9.92 seconds or better in the coming season, adding that he an even faster time is possible if he can improve his starting.

Meanwhile, world champion high jumper Blanka Vlasic sailed to a victory in her event by clearing 1.97 metres.

Despite the win, the two-time World champion and 2008 Olympic high jump silver medallist said she struggled to stay focused after a long travel to Japan. The Croatian, who marked her personal best of 2.08 metres last year, is considered to be among the closest athletes to possibly break the 23-year-old world mark of Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadionva, who jumped 2.09 metres.

“I wasn’t able to react (to jump) the way I wanted, the way I am capable of in this moment,” she said.

“I was just dead inside, like my nerves were sleeping,” she said. In the rest of the competition, the men’s 400 metres hurdles saw American Bershawn Jackson win in 49.87 seconds, stunning rivals from Japan, Canada and the Dominican Republic.

Male javelin thrower Tero Pitkamaki of Finland, 2007 world champion, won with a 83.12-metre effort.

KAWASAKI,AFP