Gay 9.69 and Jeter 10.64 at 100m; Liu Xiang makes dazzling comeback – Shanghai Golden Grand Prix

Shanghai, China – The equal second quickest men’s 100m sprint all-time and the fourth quickest women’s 100m in history were the undoubted highlights of the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix (20).

Yet they can be no doubting that the stunning 13.15 sec comeback from injury for China’s former World and Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Liu Xiang is what excited the crowd most at the IAAF Grand Prix in Shanghai, the home city of China’s ultimate sporting hero.

Gay – 9.69sec

USA’s Tyson Gay produced a blistering display to lower his American 100 metres record and power past early leader Jamaica’s Asafa Powell winning in 9.69 seconds (+2.0 m/s). Powell finished a well beaten second in 9.85 with American Darvis Patton, third, 9.89, which equalled his PB. Nester Carter of Jamaica was fourth in 9.91 (PB).

Gay’s run was the second-fastest of all-time equalling the World record clocking that Usain Bolt achieved when winning the Olympic gold in Beijing. His previous US record of 9.71 was achieved when winning the World Championships silver medal behind Bolt last month, the Jamaican improving the World record to 9.58 on that occasion to win the World title.

Jeter – 10.64

USA’s World bronze medallist Carmelita Jeter, who ran 10.67sec last weekend in Thessaloniki to become the third fastest female sprinter of all-time, lowered her 100m PB again to 10.64 (1.2m/s) and is now the second faster sprinter in history. Her time is the fourth fastest on the all-time list headed by three runs in 1988 by USA’s World record holder Florence Griffith- Joyner.

Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown and Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas, clocked 10.89 and 11.03 respectively for second and third today.

In perhaps the understatement of the season, Jeter commented, “everything’s finally coming together!”

Chinese hero returns and so nearly pulls off victory

Returning to the field after a 13-month absence, 110m hurdler and former World record holder Liu Xiang placed second tonight in a photo finish. The 2004 Athens Olympic gold medallist and 2007 World champion got back in the game with this comeback, his first race since he was forced to pull out of his first round heat at Beijing Olympics due to an Achilles tendon injury.

A tsunami of cheers and applause swept the stadium as the Shanghai native crossed the finish line abreast of American Terrence Trammell in 13.15. Trammell, having become familiar with second places at the 2007 and 2009 World championships, as well as in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics was awarded first this time. Chinese hurdler Shi Dongpeng, a semi-finalist in Beijing, came in third with a 13.34. Liu Xiang's old adversary American 1996 Olympic and four-time World champion Allen Johnson, whom Liu Xiang beat for gold at the Shanghai meetings in 2005 and 2006, placed fourth with a 13.47.