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ITA | Sep 7, 2021

Stephenie-Ann McPherson wins 400m race in Italy

/ Our Today

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Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Athletics – Women’s 400m – Round 1 – Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan – August 3, 2021. Stephenie McPherson of Jamaica in action during Heat 5 REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Stephenie-Ann McPherson made a winning return to the track on Sunday (September 5) at the Meeting Citta di Padova where compatriots Ronald Levy and Shanieka Ricketts were also victorious.

“Today was a good day. It feels good to be back,” McPherson tweeted on Sunday after she ran 50.78 seconds to win the 400m in her first race back from the injury she suffered in the final at the last month’s Tokyo Olympics.

McPherson, who was favoured to win a medal in Tokyo before an injury caused her to limp across the line in fourth place, just missing out on a medal of the fierce final.

In Italy on Sunday, however, there was no stopping the Jamaican who left Polina Miller (50.96s) in her wake. Junelle Bromfield was third in 51.19s.

Despite the victory, missing out on a medal in Tokyo still stings the 32-year-old McPherson, who had gone into the games in good form. “Injuries can be very frustrating. It can take away so much from athletes.”

Meanwhile, Levy, who won a bronze medal in the 110m hurdles in Tokyo, won in commanding fashion clocking 13.34s.

Italy’s Paolo Dal Molin was more than 0.1 behind in 13.45s while Brazil’s Rafael Pereira finished third in 13.66s.

Ricketts, who missed out on a medal in Tokyo, also won in commanding fashion in the women’s triple jump. She set a winning mark of 14.74m, 17cm better than second-placed Theo LaFond of Dominica, whose best effort was 14.57m.

Cuba’s Liadagmis Povea took the final podium spot with 14.35m.

Meanwhile, America’s Sha’Carri Richardson finally got onto a podium in her third race since she resumed her season from a short ban in August. She was ninth in the 100m in Eugene last month and fourth over 200m in Brussels on September 3 but on Sunday she was second in the 100m in a time of 11.19s.

The polarising 21-year-old surged late to cross the line alongside compatriot Javianne Oliver, who was awarded the win albeit on the same time.

It was an American 1-2-3 finish as Candace Hill finished third in 11.26s. Olympic relay gold medalist Briana Williams finished fifth in a pedestrian 11.44s.

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