Sacramento, Jamaica: World indoor champion Francena McCorory held off Olympic gold medallist Sanya Richards-Ross to win the women’s 400 meters at the US athletics championships on Saturday in a world leading 49.48 seconds.
McCorory, who earned the indoor world title in Sopot, Poland, in March, seized the lead through 300 metres and held on for the victory in a personal best.
Her time was a big advance on the previous best of the year of 50.03, set by Courtney Okolo on May 18 in Lubbock, Texas, and matched by Richards-Ross in the semi-finals on Friday.
Richards-Ross was second 49.66 and Natasha Hastings a distant third in 50.53.
“I just wanted to go out, execute my race and finish strong,” McCorory said. “I’m just happy for the win.”
Richards-Ross, three months into a comeback from surgery on her right big toe, was delighted with a time that made her second-fastest in the world this year and confirmed that she has her eye on the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“What keeps me going now is my legacy,” Richards-Ross said. “I do want to be a two-time Olympic [individual] champion, so I’m working hard to get back to Rio.
The race was one of 10 finals on the fourth day of the US championships, which lack a little excitement this year since they don’t serve as a qualifier for any major international championship.
Even so, the 100-metre hurdles final was a thriller, Dawn Harper Nelson, who won Olympic gold in 2008 and silver in 2012, edging out Queen Harrison by one one-hundredth of a second.
Harper-Nelson out-leaned the late-surging Harrison to win in 12.55, with Harrison taking silver in 12.56 and Lolo Jones third in 12.65.
“Oh my goodness!” a beaming Harper-Nelson said. “I think I had a better start this time. I made a little mistake in the middle and I was like ‘Oh lord, don’t let it go.’”
Reigning world champion Brianna Rollins settled for fifth in 12.81.
World and Olympic champion Brittney Reese won the women’s long jump with a leap of 6.92 metres, easily out-distancing Tianna Bartoletta, whose 6.86 was well off the season-leading 7.02 she posted at the Oslo Diamond League meeting on June 11.
Gil Roberts won the men’s 400-metre in 44.53 seconds, waiting out a few anxious moments as officials reviewed the video to make sure he didn’t step out of his lane.
A battle between Andrew Riley and Hansle Parchment in the 110-metre hurdles final brought the third day of the Jamaican athletics championships at the National Stadium to a fitting close.
Riley successfully defended his title with a season’s best 13.27 seconds on Saturday, lunging to the finish line ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Parchment, who clocked 13.29. Richard Phillips was third in 13.72 seconds.
The first man in NCAA division one history to win the 110-metre hurdles and 100-metre title at the same championships, Riley was pleased with his race, calling it “my best technical race all season.”
