Reversals of Fortune

Felix, Tarmoh Inseparable?

American sprinters Jeneba Tarmoh and Allyson Felix can’t seem to escape each other. The two met yet again in the 200m at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix on Sunday (7) and crossed the line in the same time of 22.29secs, with Tarmoh given the edge.

The twin-like relationship began three years ago at the US Olympic Trials, when the training partners finished joint third in the 100m and could not be separated. With the Olympic berths going to the top three finishers, both women had to be separated one way or another. After discussion of a re-run, which Tarmoh refused to do, and even the flipping of a coin, Tarmoh eventually let Felix have the place on the team.

The two ladies were at it again last month at the World Relays in the Bahamas, when the incoming Tarmoh collided with the outgoing Felix in the 4x200m and crashed to the ground, ending USA’s chance of winning gold.

Birmingham is the first time that Tarmoh has finished ahead of Felix in a 200m race, and it was redemption of sorts for her 100m third-place loss at the Trials in 2012.

World Leader Stowers DQs Again

American sprint hurdler Jasmin Stowers had three recent wins in rapid succession and a world-leading time for each victory. Her fastest was 12.35 in Doha on the third occasion. However, her last two subsequent outings have been less than encouraging. On Thursday (4), the world leader hit a hurdle in Rome and fell and was disqualified. That was followed by another disqualification in Birmingham Sunday, this time for a false start.

In a reversal of fortune, Dawn Harper Nelson, the 2014 Diamond Race winner finished eighth in Doha, second in Rome and in Birmingham Sunday came from trailing European champion Tiffany Porter and 2013 World champion Brianna Rollins to win in a season’s best of 12.58 (1.5mps) .

It was her third consecutive win in Birmingham following victories in 2014 and 2013 and her fastest one to date. Rollins clocked a season’s best of 12.63 for second, just 0.02 ahead of Porter.

Gemili Splits the Americans

In the absence of sprint double world-leader Justin Gatlin of the USA, his compatriot and US champion Mike Rodgers was the favorite to win the men’s 100m in Birmingham and won the first heat in 10.04. In the very next heat the 2014 World Indoor 60m silver medalist Marvin Bracy answered Rodgers message with 9.97 to win.

In the final, however, Bracy showed his earlier run was no fluke, when he breezed to victory in a personal best (PB) of 9.93 (2.0mps) to leave Rodgers in third place (9.97) behind Britain’s European 200m champion Adam Gemili, who clocked a PB of 9.97 before crashing to the track with a torn hamstring. Jamaica’s Nesta Carter was fourth and Great Britain’s World and European 60m Indoor champion Richard Kilty finished fifth in a PB of 10.05. Full Results