LONDON, CMC – World champion Kirani James warmed up for his first-ever assault on an Olympic medal with a victory in the men’s 400 metres but Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce tasted defeat on the final day of the London Grand Prix here yesterday.
On a chilly, wet day in the United Kingdom capital, the 19-year-old Grenadian clocked 44.85 seconds to cross the line first. Bahamian Chris Brown was second in 44.95 while American Tony McQuay finished third in 45.00.
Running out of lane five, James was reserved over the first half of the race but accelerated off the final turn to overtake Brown and get home first.
James, who edged American LaShawn Merritt to win the World title in Daegu last year, will enter the July 27 to August 12 London Olympics as one of the favourites to win the 400m.
Meanwhile, reigning women’s Olympic 100m champion Fraser-Pryce had no such luck as she finished last in that event.
She seemed to stumble coming out of the blocks and was last after 30 metres. She eased off the throttle to trail home the field and said afterward she had taken “precautionary measures” with the Olympics in mind.
“As an athlete you have to take precautionary measures to make sure everything is ok going into the Olympics. It makes no sense you come here and you win and you can’t compete at the Olympics,” said Fraser-Pryce who clocked 11.82 seconds.
“It’s all about getting things fine-tuned and working on some stuff and I just hope everything works together good for the Olympics.”
The race was won by Nigerian Blessing Okagbare (11.02) who upset one of the Olympic favourites American Carmelita Jeter, who was timed at 11.03.
In the men’s 200 metres, the Netherland Antilles’ Churandy Martina clocked 19.95 seconds to finish second behind France’s Christophe Lemaitre (19.91).
Jamaicans Marvin Anderson (20.55) and Mario Forsythe (20.60) were third and fifth respectively.
