BIRMINGHAM — Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria upstaged illustrious rivals Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter to win the 200 meters at the Birmingham GP Sunday, capping a tough day for a string of reigning Olympic champions on their returns to Britain. The standout race of the Diamond League meet was billed as a head to head between Fraser-Pryce and Jeter, but triple African champion Okagbare made an unusually strong start and held off Fraser-Pryce, the two-time Olympic 100-meter champion from the United States, to win in 22.55 seconds. Jeter, the world 200 champion, trailed in a disappointing seventh in 23.36. “I just focus on myself, I don't care who is in the lineup,” said Okagbare, who won an Olympic bronze in the long jump in 2008. “I don't underestimate those two, I know they are good. “The time wasn't so fast but it's always a good feeling winning so I'm happy.” Double Olympic long-distance champion Mo Farah thrilled home fans by winning the 5,000 ahead of Ethiopian challengers Hagos Gebrhiwet, Yenew Alamirew and Ibrahim Jeilan, but it wasn't such a great day for many other gold medalists from the London Games. World-record holder Aries Merritt of the US finished second in the 110 hurdles behind 2009 world champion Ryan Brathwaite, who clocked 13.13 into a headwind, and Sally Pearson of Australia slumped to fourth in the women's 100 hurdles as Dawn Harper-Nelson led an American 1-2 ahead of Kellie Wells. Olympic champion Felix Sanchez was seventh as Javier Culson dominated a high-quality 400 hurdles field to win in 48.59 and Jennifer Suhr of the US could only come third in the women's pole vault. Nesta Carter of Jamaica capitalized on the absence of the leading men's sprinters such as Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin to win the 100 in 9.99. Britain had female winners in Christine Ohuruogo in the 400, Perri Shakes-Drayton in the 400 hurdles and Jessica Judd in the 800 but the loudest roar greeted the victory of Farah, who was looking to make a statement of intent against the three Ethiopian rivals he will likely face in Moscow. This was the seventh Diamond League event of the year. There are four more before the world championships start August 10. Blake not out of world 100m World 100m champion Yohan Blake has not been ruled out of defending his title in Moscow in August because of injury, his manager Cubie Seegobin said Sunday, knocking down media reports that the Jamaican was to undergo surgery. “There is absolutely no discussions or plans for any surgery and I don't know where that information is coming from,” an upset Seegobin told Reuters by telephone from Edmonton, Canada. “No decision has been made about Yohan missing the world championships,” he added. “The coach has not yet decided on pulling him from the world championships.” — Agencies
