OSLO : Jamaica’s Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Novlene Williams-Mills were first and third in the 400 metres respectively... ‘MAC’ ON TOP

BY HOWARD WALKER Observer senior reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, June 10, 2016   

Jamaica’s Stephenie-Ann McPherson and Novlene Williams-Mills were first and third in the 400 metres respectively, while Elaine Thompson was once again upstaged by Dafne Schippers in the 200m at the Olso ExxonMobil Bislett Diamond League Games.

McPherson, running out of lane four, went past American Natasha Hastings coming into the straight and powered for a very good morale-boosting win in 51.04 seconds.

Hastings, who withdrew from the Racers Grand Prix at the last minute, finished second in 51.38 seconds ahead of Jamaica’s veteran Williams-Mills in third with 51.66 seconds.

Jamaica’s Stephenie-Ann McPherson (left) wins the women’s 400m
 during the IAAF Oslo Diamond League athletics meeting at the Bislett
 Stadium in Oslo, Norway, yesterday. Also pictured are Australia’s
Morgan Mitchell (centre) and Great Britain’s Anyika Onuora.Photo: AFP

McPherson, who will now turn her attention to Jamaica’s senior championship, said it was ideal preparation towards Jamaica’s trials. “I must admit I expected a bit faster time, but I executed well in last 100m,” said McPherson in flash quotes provided by meet organisers.

“It was a good race, the right preparation before our trials, so it will be about execution in Kingston,” she added.

McPherson now jumps into a clear second in the Diamond race with 19 points after the completion of three of the seven races. Shaunae Miller of The Bahamas leads with 20 points with American Hastings third with 14 points. Williams-Mills is fourth with seven points.

Meanwhile, Elaine Thompson and Simone Facey finished second and fourth in the women’s 200m in 22.64 and 22.88 seconds, respectively.

The flying Dutch woman Dafne Schippers won the race in a world-leading and meet record of 21.93 seconds (0.7 m/s) with Ivet Lalova-Collio third with 22.78 seconds.

Both Schippers and Thompson had hoped to achieve their season’s best, but it was Schippers who looked as though she wanted it more.

Schippers, drawn between the Jamaicans in lane four and six, blasted out of the blocks and quickly went by Thompson in lane six and came into the turn with a huge lead and powered her way home to a most impressive victory. more