STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — Jamaica’s Novlene Williams-Mills wins at Stockholm Grand Prix ...Simone Facey second in 200m

 Friday, June 17, 2016    

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AFP) — Jamaica’s Novlene Williams-Mills won the women’s 400m while Simone Facey was second in the 200m at a rainy Stockholm Grand Prix Diamond League meet in Sweden yesterday.

WILLIAMS-MILLS.... eased to 52.29 seconds to win ahead
of Anyika Onuora of Great Britain in 52.46

Williams-Mills, 34, eased to 52.29 seconds to win ahead of Anyika Onuora of Great Britain in 52.46 with fast-starting Italian Libania Grenoty third in 52.62 seconds.

Williams, who brilliantly led Jamaica to gold in the 4x400m relay at the World Championships last year, moved into third spot in the Diamond Race with 17 points. Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas leads with 20 points ahead of Jamaica’s Stephenie-Ann McPherson with 19 points. American Natasha Hastings is fourth with 14 points with three races left.

With the Jamaica Senior Championship a few weeks away, only two Jamaicans were on the circuit, and Facey, who could be attempting the 100m, 200m double at the Olympics, was second in the women’s 200m in 22.81 seconds. Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith won in 22.72 seconds with her compatriot Desiree Henry in third with 22.88 seconds. Fourth went to Josee-Marie Ta Lou of Ivory Coast in 23.29 seconds.

Asher-Smith moved into joint second spot in the Diamond League 200m with 10 points along with Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson, Torie Bowie and Murielle Ahoure. Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers leads with 16 points after four of the seven Diamond Races.

Facey, who is sixth overall with six points, said it was difficult running in adverse conditions.

Simone Facey (left) of Jamiaca and Dina
 Asher-Smith of Great Britain compete
 in the women’s 200m event of the
IAAF Diamond League Bauhaus
 Athletics meeting at the Stockholm
 Olympic Stadium yesterday.
Asher-Smith won the race,
while Facey was second. Photo: AFP

“I was surprised that the weather turned out to be like this because it has been really sunny here in Stockholm. So the conditions was tough, but everyone is running in this conditions, so I’m just happy I was able to get here and finish the race healthy,” said Facey.

Earlier, Olympic pole vault champion Renaud Lavillenie warmed up for the Rio Games by clearing 5.73 metres to win

But Kenya’s David Rudisha, Olympic and world champion over 800m, finished just fourth in his race as many athletes struggled in wet and windy conditions in the Swedish capital.

It was the seventh Diamond League win for the 29-year-old Lavillenie, who kicked off his challenge under the drizzle by clearing 5.65m on his third attempt.

He then jumped 5.73m on his second attempt to pull ahead of Canadian Shawn Barber (5.65), the 2015 world champion, the only title missing from Lavillenie’s collection. more