EUGENE, Oregon, CMC – Jamaican sprint hurdler Hansle Parchment clocked a world-leading time and new national record while Grenada’s World and Olympic champion Kirani James suffered defeat at the hands of American archrival Lashawn Merritt, at the Prefontaine Classic here Saturday.
Competing in the fourth meet of the lucrative Diamond League, the 22-year-old Parchment clocked a swift 13.05 seconds to win the 110 metres hurdles, ahead of Cuban Orlando Ortega in a personal-best 13.08 seconds.
American David Oliver was third in a season-best 13.10 seconds.
Parchment was the holder of the previous national mark of 13.12, set at the London Olympics last year
when he took bronze.
James, meanwhile, finished second to Merritt who crossed the line first in season-best 44:32 seconds, in the men’s 400 metres.
The 20-year-old James clocked 44.39 seconds, which was well off his exciting world-leading mark of 44.02 seconds set in Shanghai a fortnight ago.
Merritt’s victory was revenge following his defeat to James in Shanghai when he ran second.
Rising Jamaican star Nickel Ashmeade, meanwhile, won the men’s 200 metres in a time of 20.14 seconds. American Walter Dix was second in 20.16, with Jamaican Jason Young third in a season-best 20.20.
In women’s action, Oympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica took the 100 metres in a time of 10.71, beating Nigerian Blessing Okagbare (10.75) into second spot.
Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown, who took bronze in London last year, was third in 10.78 seconds.
