LAUSANNE, Switzerland :Jamaican Oblique Seville left Olympic champion Noah Lyles trailing in his wake to win the Lausanne Diamond League 100 metres on Wednesday, where Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson continued her impressive return to the track in the 800m.
Seville stormed to victory over Lyles in London last month, and it was almost a carbon copy performance in Switzerland as the Jamaican roared out of the blocks and was never going to be caught, posting a blistering 9.87 seconds despite the wet conditions.
“Running 9.87 in those conditions shows I can go much faster, anywhere in the world,” Seville said.
Heavy rain poured down at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise all evening, dispelling any thoughts of world records, but Cordell Tinch looked red hot in the men’s 110m hurdles and Nadine Visser was a surprise winner of the women’s hurdles.
The men’s 100m was the final event, which ensured that the Swiss crowd braved the weather to the end, and all eyes were on Lyles as he continues his build-up to next month’s World Championships in Tokyo.
Lyles, who only began his season in earnest in July after an ankle injury, lost out to another Jamaican, Kishane Thompson, on Saturday in Silesia, and his poor start left him playing catch-up before a surging finish saw him snatch second spot from Ackeem Blake.
“I just had a horrible reaction to the gun. That was the only thing wrong,” Lyles said.
“Technically I felt good, my warm-up was good, but once you miss the start at this level the race is basically over. The goal is to sharpen the details, especially my drive phase and my start, heading to Tokyo and the World Championships.”
Blake and Lyles both clocked 10.02, and Seville’s win will give him more confidence heading to Tokyo.
“That’s a good time. I’ve beaten the Olympic Champion twice, in London and here, and that gives me a lot of confidence heading into the championships,” Seville said.
HODGKINSON HEALED
Olympic champion Hodgkinson made a stunning return in Silesia in her first race since Paris last August, with a world lead time dispelling any doubts over her world championships credentials after a season hampered by hamstring injuries.
The Briton backed that performance up with a comfortable win, in a meeting record time of 1:55.69, having made her move down the back straight and extending her lead in the final 100 metres.
Hodgkinson’s training partner Georgia Hunter Bell had to settle for third after she was caught before the line by Switzerland’s Audrey Werro.
American Tinch had a comfortable win in the hurdles coming home in 12.98 seconds, ahead of compatriot Jamal Britt (13.13). Tinch looks like the man to beat in Tokyo as he continues his impressive season having posted the fastest time this year (12.87) in May.
“I felt great through the warm-up, this is my kind of weather,” Tinch said.
Olympic champion Masai Russell had to settle for second in the women’s 100m hurdles, where Dutchwoman Visser hit the front early and never let up, with a winning time of 12.45 seconds while world record holder Tobi Amusan trailed home in fifth.
“In the weather it’s all about placing, the conditions spoke for themselves but I’m happy to finish top three,” Russell, who clocked 12.53, said.
“Right now the goal is to stay healthy and focus everything towards Tokyo.”
American Josh Hoey came with a late burst to win the men’s 800m ahead of Kenyan Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Belgian Isaac Kimeli outpaced Olympic bronze medallist Grant Fisher to win the men’s 5,000m.
