Sha’Carri Richardson produced a spectacular show in the women’s 200m at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday, leading her compatriots in the US top three with a meeting record run of 22.07 (1.7m/s).
Kyra Jefferson finished second in 22.77, with Shannon Ray running a personal best of 22.82 in third.
The victory came a week after Richardson clocked a world-leading 10.76 seconds to easily beat Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson in the Wanda Diamond League season-opening meeting in Doha.
Richardson said she wanted to run in the 100 in a showdown with Jamaica’s two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. In the end, Fraser-Pryce withdrew from the meet with a muscle strain and Richardson stepped up to the 200.
In the absence of both of them in the 100, Tawnisha Terry won in 10.86 seconds. Terry, or “Tee Tee” as she’s known, was on the U.S. gold medal-winning 4×100 relay team at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon last year.
“The race was good. I wanted to impress the home crowd and it’s an amazing feeling to keep doing what I do,” she said.
New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs was second in 10.97 and Belgium’s Rani Rosius third.
Home favourite Ferdinand Omanyala won the men’s 100m, beating a pair of Americans for a world-leading time of 9.84 seconds.
Kenya’s Omanyala, who has eyes on the 100 title at the world championships in Hungary in August, had the backing of the crowd at the Moi International Sports Centre, which included Kenyan President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Omanyala won a tight race to edge Kenneth Bednarek, who was second in 9.98 seconds. Marvin Bracy-Williams (10.03) was third.
“Though I did not break the African record as promised, I’m happy with the world lead,” Omanyala said. “This year, it’s me against time with the target of the world title.”
Canada’s Aaron Brown (20.12) dipped ahead of the U.S.’ Kyree King (20.18) and Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh (20.19) in the men’s 200.
American Janee’ Kassanavoid threw up a big surprise in the women’s hammer with her heave of 74.25m to win. Compatriot Janeah Stewart was second with 71.43, both ahead of Poland’s reigning three-time Olympic champion and world record-holder Anita Wlodarczyk.
Ethiopians Negasa Dekeba and Samuel Duguna won gold and silver in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, stunning a Kenyan crowd that’s used to seeing a home winner over the jumps at this meet. Abraham Kibiwot was the first Kenyan home in fourth.
Ukraine’s world silver medallist, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, leapt 2.00m for the victory and the world lead in the women’s high jump, and another Ukrainian, Kateryna Tabashnyk, took third behind Britain’s Laura Zialor.