Sprinter Tyson Gay emerged from giant shadow cast by Usain Bolt to lead the United States' domination of the British Grand Prix Monday. Gay, 27, has trailed Bolt over recent months and the Olympic and world champion's decision not to compete in Gateshead ensured an easy win for the American in the 100 meters. On a damp track and running into a headwind, he clocked 10.15 seconds. At this month's World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Gay ran the third-fastest 100 meters time ever (9.71 seconds) but was good enough only for second place behind Bolt's stunning world record of 9.58. Gay decided against competing in the 200 meters, which left the way open for Shawn Crawford to triumph. It was not easy for the 31-year-old, who beat fellow American Wallace Spearmon by one hundredth of a second in a time of 20.80 seconds. American LaShawn Merritt remains unbeaten this year after a straightforward victory in the men's 400m Monday. The Olympic and world champion, the fifth-fastest man ever over the distance, clocked 45.10 seconds to finish ahead of Britain's Martyn Rooney and American team mate Angelo Taylor. It was equally easy in the long jump for another American, world champion Dwight Phillips, whose victory was never threatened after his second round leap of 8.39 meters. Compatriot Allyson Felix, world champion for the last three years at 200m, eased to a predictable success in 23.13 seconds. Other American winners included Nick Symmonds (800m), David Payne (110m hurdles), Derek Miles (pole vault), Leonel Manzano (1500m) and, in the women's events, Christin Wurth-Thomas (800m) and Carmelita Jeter (100m). The home crowd witnessed only three British successes. Phillips Idowu won the triple jump, Lisa Dobriskey, a silver medallist in Berlin, produced a powerful finish to win the 1500m and Christine Ohuruogu held off Debbie Dunn in the 400m. Jamaica's Brigitte Foster-Hylton was another of the handful from outside the United States who shared the prize money, winning the women's 100m hurdles. Kenya dominated the women's 3000m with Vivian Cheruiyot winning ahead of training partners Linet Masai and Grace Kwamboka Momanyi. Vlasic delights home crowd Croatia's Blanka Vlasic reproduced her world championships-winning form in front of her home crowd by dominating the women's high jump in the Zagreb Grand Prix meeting Monday. Vlasic jumped a best of 2.08 meters with world silver medallist Anna Chicherova of Russia a distant second on 1.94m. The height Vlasic achieved was a world lead and just one centimeter short of Bulgarian Stefka Kostadinova's world record mark set in Rome back in 1987. The 25-year-old Croatian failed in three attempts at what would have been a new world record of 2.10m.
