SANYA Richards is in line to claim another cash windfall at the venue where she won US Dollars 500,000 almost two years ago.
Richards, who then shared the IAAF Golden League jackpot with Russia’s pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva, produced another superb performance yesterday at the DKB-ISTAF meeting.
The 24-year-old outclassed the opposition, winning in a world-leading time for the year of 49.57 seconds – well ahead of Amantle Montsho (50.94sec) and Yulia Gushchina (51.10sec). It means Richards is challenging Kenenisa Bekele and Yelena Isinbayeva – who clinched 5,000m and pole vault victories - for the big prize.
‘‘I am really looking forward to coming back in August and leaving Germany with gold,’’ she said.
Richards needs no reminding that standing in her way to achieving that ambition will be Britain’s Chrissy Ohuruogu – who has swept all before her at the last two major global championships.
Ohuruogu won the world title two years ago in Osaka where Richards was a spectator – having failed to qualify at the US trials.
The Briton then silenced the doubters when decisively claiming the Olympic crown last summer ahead of Shericka Williams and the stunned Richards.
Richards revealed: ‘‘It took some time for me to get over the disappointment of last year but this is a new start and I’m looking forward to racing Ohuruogu at the World Championships.’’ The Jamaican-born star added: ‘‘If I were to pick up an injury, hopefully I won’t, I would certainly stop competing at Golden League meetings and others.’’ Lee McConnell finished fourth in 52.22sec and the meeting saw some solid performances from other Britons, headed by Simeon Williamson and Michael Rimmer.
After a false start Williamson powered to second place in the 100m, just one-hundredth-of-a-second behind Antigua’s Daniel Bailey with new discovery James asaolu was last in 10.64sec.
In the B race Marlon Devonish won in 10.25sec ahead of former world junior champion Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (10.30sec) and Tyrone Edgar (10.33sec). With pacemaker Richard Kiplagat running in the 800m field, Rimmer did not have to adopt his frontrunning tactics.
Instead, he ran conservatively and, lying fourth, came powerfully off the final bend to clinch second behind Germany’s Robin Schembera.
Schembera struck first in the home straight to win in 1min 45.96sec.
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