Posted: July 26, 2005

Athletics: News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 59

Five Americans win, Williams hits "A" qualifier in Stockholm

Justin Gatlin, Jeremy Wariner, Anwar Moore, Bershawn Jackson and Grace Upshaw each won their respective events, and high jumper Jesse Williams achieved the "A" qualifying standard for the 2005 World Outdoor Championships Tuesday at the DN Galan IAAF Super Grand Prix in Stockholm, Sweden.

In front of a capacity crowd, the meet featured strong performances despite cold and rainy conditions.

After posting the second-fastest wind-legal time of his career with his 9.89 100m win in London on July 22, reigning Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin continued his winning ways in crossing the finish line in 10.15 seconds. Jamaicans Dwight Thomas (2nd-10.19) and Michael Frater (3rd-10.30) trailed Gatlin, with American Leonard Scott finishing fourth in 10.32.

In a much-anticipated men's 400m battle between Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner and fellow Americans Kerron Clement and LaShawn Merritt, Wariner was the victor in 44.90 seconds. Jamaica's Brandon Simpson was the runner-up in 45.18, with Clement, who owns the two-fastest times in the world this season in the 400m hurdles, third in 45.31 and Merritt fourth in 45.54.

Also on the track, 2005 USA Outdoor Championships runner-up Bershawn Jackson won the 400m hurdles in 48.07 seconds, with two-time Olympic Games fourth-place finisher James Carter the runner-up in 48.64. Former St. Augustine's standout Anwar Moore led an impressive American onslaught in the men's 110m hurdles with his victory in 13.20 seconds. Countrymen David Oliver (13.23), Dawane Wallace (13.33) and Aries Merritt (13.34) grabbed the next three spots.

In field event action, 2005 USA Outdoor champion and 2004 Olympic Games finalist Grace Upshaw won the women's long jump with a best of 6.60 meters/21 feet, 8 inches. Fellow American Tianna Madison was the runner-up with a leap of 6.58m/21-7.25.

The clutch performance of the day was turned in by 2004 USA Outdoor Championships runner-up Jesse Williams, who set a personal best and equaled the "A" qualifying standard (2.30m/7-6.50) for the men's high jump for the 2005 World Outdoor Championships next month in Helsinki on the final day of the qualifying period.

Williams, who finished as the runner-up in Stockholm, cleared the bar on his second attempt at that height. Seconds after landing in the pit, the stadium public-address announcer exclaimed "Welcome to Helsinki!" Named the Pac 10 Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Year, in 2005 as a junior at the University of Southern California, Williams won the NCAA Outdoor title, the Pac 10 Outdoor crown and was the runner-up at the 2005 USA Outdoor Championships.

Elsewhere at Stockholm, Bernard Lagat was the runner-up in the men's 1,500 meters (3:33.55), and Me'Lisa Barber was the runner-up in the women's 100 meters in 11.24 seconds, with Allyson Felix third in 11.29 and indoor Visa Championship Series champion Angela Daigle fifth in 11.50.

For more information on the 2005 DN Galan IAAF Super Grand Prix in Stockholm, including the complete results, visit IAAF.org.