Diamond League: Justin Gatlin wins 100m in new Rome record

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Justin Gatlin (centre) races to victory in RmeImage source, AFP
Image caption,

Gatlin finished well clear of Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut, who clocked 9.98 seconds

American Justin Gatlin beat Usain Bolt's Rome Diamond League record with a superb performance in the 100m.

The 33-year-old surged clear of the field to win in 9.75 seconds - the seventh-fastest time in history - eclipsing Bolt's 9.76 set in 2012.

Gatlin, who has served two doping bans, ran a 9.74 in the opening Diamond League meeting of the year last month.

Olympic champion Sally Pearson suffered a wrist injury as a result of a fall in the women's 100m hurdles.

The 28-year-old Australian was one of three fallers in the race, won by USA's Sharika Nelvis in 12.52 seconds, with Briton Tiffany Porter third in 12.69.

Gatlin insisted he had not yet turned his attention to his battle with Bolt at the World Championships in Beijing in August.

Gatlin performances leave Campbell cold

Listen to former European 100m champion Darren Campbell on 5 live: "I cut off emotions. Justin Gatlin ran the 100m in 9.75 seconds and… yeah."

"The key thing to keep winning is to not think about it. I do not think of beating Usain Bolt because the championships are not tomorrow - we still have some time to come," he said.

Britain's Shara Proctor was second in the women's long jump with a leap of 6.85 metres, narrowly behind Russian Darya Klishina's 6.89m.

Laura Muir just missed out on the podium as she finished fourth in the 1500m, while Bianca Williams was sixth in the 200m.

Thomas Barr set a new Irish record in the 400m hurdles, finishing fourth in 48.65 seconds to take 0.25 seconds off the record he set in Geneva last year.

Image source, AFP
Image caption,

Pearson clipped a hurdle midway through the race and injured her left wrist

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