Steven Gardiner defeated a quality field over 400m at the 2021 Gyulai Istvan Memorial in Hungary today to send the clearest message yet that he intends to add the Olympic title to the World title he won in Doha in 2019.
The soft-spoken Bahamian, who is entered in both 200m and 400m at the Olympic Games later this month, was a commanding winner in 44.47 which had the US Champion and Olympic gold medal favourite, Michael Norman staring at his heels.
The American didn’t even finish second. That went to Bryce Deadmon who ran 44.58. Norman clocked 44.65.
Gardiner was the second Caribbean athlete to win over 400m at the meet. Jamaica’s Stephenie-Ann McPherson, fresh from her lifetime best of 49.61 at Jamaica’s national championships, just over a week ago, eased to victory in 49.99.
The outcome was not as pleasing for Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards in the 200m.
SOUTH AFRICA’S SIMBINI WINS 100M
He finished fourth in 20.13. Canada’s Andre DeGrasse surged past the USA’s Kenneth Bednarek down the stretch to win in 19.97 with the American close behind in 19.99. Teen sensation Erriyon Knighton ran 20.03 for third place.
It was a similar story for Trinidad’s Deon Lendore and Jamaica’s Nigel Ellis in the second 200m, who ran 20.72 and 20.73, for fifth and sixth respectively.
Akani Simbini from South Africa, who won the 100m in a lifetime best of 9.84, won the race in 20.25 while holding off the challenge of Alonso Edward of Panama, who clocked 20.29.
Nigeria’s Divine Oduduru was third in 20.38 while Adam Gemili was fourth in 20.41.
Meanwhile, Fedrick Dacres enjoyed his best result of the three meets he has competed in Europe in the past week.
After failing to throw beyond 65m in Oslo and Stockholm, Dacres, whose personal best is 70.78m, threw and encouraging 65.08m for third place in the men’s discus.
Sweden’s Daniel Stahl, who won in Stockholm, threw 67.71m that was good enough to secure victory over Lithuania’s Andrius Gudzius (66.71m).
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