FONTVIEILLE, MONACO, July 11 — The most impressive performance at the Meeting Herculis came in the evening’s final race. Olympic champion Julien Alfred, looking for a better result than her runner-up at Pre, blasted a 10.79 into a stiff 1.4 wind. That left Jacious Sears far behind in 2nd with her 11.02. Kiwi Zoe Hobbs ran 3rd in 11.12 and Aleia Hobbs 4th at 11.14.
Said Alfred, “The last week was not the best for me, but it also showed me that I am not where I should be and that there are things that I still need to work on. The season is long, but I don’t have any Trials, so I will have time to work on the details. I took a step back and realized that I won’t put any pressure on myself this year.”
Alfred is obviously a perfectionist. Putting up two 100-meter performances within 5 days that rate in the top 25 on our all-time wind/altitude-adjusted compilation is a rare feat. Only WR holder Florence Griffith Joyner (twice, at the ’88 Olympic Trials and Games) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (a pair of August ’22 times) have stacked faster dashes closer together.
A fast 1000 produced, among other things, a new American Record. With the pacing lights set to target the WR of 2:28.96, Australia’s Jessica Hull positioned herself behind the pacer and led a group that included Addy Wiley, Jemma Reekie and Mary Moraa. The Kenyan had moved to the front of that group as she passed 400 a bit fast in 58.7. That was too much for her, and she faded toward the back.
Hull led at 600 in 1:28.6 but on the final lap fell to the come-from-behind charge of Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir. She led at 800 in 1:58.4 and held on to finish in 2:29.77. With a solid performance in 2nd, Wiley clocked 2:30.71 to break her own 2:31.49 U.S. standard from last summer. Hull got an Australian Record 2:30.96, and in 4th Sinclaire Johnson moved to No. 2 U.S. with her 2:31.30 ahead of Reekie (2:31.44).
Chepchirchir, who trains with Emmanuel Wanyonyi’s group, said, “I am happy with the way I did it. I set my own pace.”
Said the 21-year-old Wiley, “I am still very young, which also motivates me to train even harder. Today I felt strong and good. I threw myself into the fast race, but I knew I had it in me for a while.”
Aaliyah Butler produced a very impressive 400, leading much of the way and going to the line with Olympic gold medalist…
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