Thompson cops Diamond League 100m jackpot

Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson secured her second successive Diamond Trophy over 100 metres while Yohan Blake secured victory in the men's 100 metres as the IAAF Diamond League season ended in Brussells, Belgium on Friday.

Thompson was seeking to make it six straight Diamond Trophy wins for Jamaica in the women's 100 metres, and although the race was tighter than was expected, the 25 year old had enough to prevail.

Thompson, who secured the Diamond Trophy and US $50,000, finished in 10.92 seconds, just ahead of Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast who clocked 10.93. Two other Jamaicans, Jura Levy 11.17 and Christania Williams 11.35, finished 7th and 8th respectively.

Blake was the only other Jamaican winner at the meet, taking a non-Diamond league 100 metres in 10.02 seconds.
 
American Mike Rodgers secured second in 10.09 with the other Jamaicans Julian Forte 10.12 and Asafa Powell 10.18, finishing third and fourth respectively. Discus thrower Fedrick Dacres secured the only other top three finish by a Jamaican.

The World Championship 4th place finisher needed a final round effort of 66.31 metres to take second and US $20, 000 behind world champion Andriuz Gudzius of Lithuania who threw 68.16 metres. Ronald Levy registered 13.41 seconds for fifth in the men's sprint hurdles won by Sergey Shubenkov in 13.14. Shericka Jackson was the best placed Jamaican in the women's 400 metres after placing 5th in 51.16.

Novlene Williams-Mills in possibly the final race of her distinguished career, clocked 51.27 seconds for 6th while Stephenie McPherson was 7th in 51.72. Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas took the top spot in a personal best 49.46 seconds. Janieve Russell was also a sixth place finisher in the women's 400 metre hurdles.

She stopped the clock at 55.60 as American Dalilah Muhammad claimed top spot in 53.89. Rasheed Dwyer 20.67 seconds ended last in the men's 200 metres won by 20 year old American Noah Lyles in 20.00.

The top eight athletes in each of the Diamond Trophy events pocketed from US $50,000 for first to $2,000 for eighth.