McNeal rebounds from disappointing outcome in Hungary to dominate strong field in 100 hurdles; Donnelly produces second strong effort in three days in hammer throw

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It had been a month since Brianna McNeal ran a world-leading mark in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, and a week since she clipped the first hurdle and finished last at the Gyulai István Memorial in Székesfehérvár, Hungary.

But the reigning Olympic champion got back on track Monday at the 32nd Spitzen Leichtathletik Luzern in Switzerland, producing a convincing victory against a talented field by running a wind-legal 12.44 seconds.

McNeal, who ran 12.38 on June 10 at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm, now has three wind-legal performances under 12.50 this year, the most in the world.

McNeal was one of five Americans to win Monday, including Sean Donnelly in the men’s hammer throw.

After producing the top mark of 251 feet, 7 inches (76.69m) on Saturday at the Slovak Republic National Championships in Trnava, Donnelly continued his success by winning in Switzerland with a second-round throw of 247-0 (75.30m) to prevail over fellow American Alex Young at 242-8 (73.98m).

Clayton Murphy won the men’s 800 in 1:46.41, edging Kenya’s Alfred Kipketer in 1:46.48.

Mike Rodgers prevailed over Jamaica’s Yohan Blake by a 10.08 to 10.12 margin in the men’s 100.

Marielle Hall won the women’s 3,000 in 9:20.62 for the other American victory on the track.

In the women’s pole vault, Sweden’s Angelica Bengtsson and American Jenn Suhr both cleared 15-5 (4.70m), but Bengtsson earned the victory based on fewer attempts at 15-1 (4.60m).

Despite a sixth-round throw of 203-11 (62.16m), American Kara Winger placed second in the javelin to Germany’s Christin Hussong and her third-round effort of 205-6 (62.65m).

In a battle of two of the top female 400 hurdlers in the world this year, Jamaica’s Janieve Russell prevailed against American Dalilah Muhammad by a 53.63 to 53.79 margin.

In the men’s 400 hurdles, Ireland’s Thomas Barr won in 49.10, just ahead of American TJ Holmes (49.20). Hungary’s Balazs Baji edged American Devon Allen 13.33 to 13.35 to triumph in the men’s 110 hurdles.

Jamaica’s Natoya Goule secured victory in the women’s 800 in 2:00.32, with Americans Kate Grace and Kaela Edwards both timed in 2:01.18 to place second and third.

Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji produced an impressive sprint double, winning the women’s 100 in 11.12 to hold off South Africa’s Carina Horn (11.13) and American Jenna Prandini (11.14), then taking second in the 200 in 22.48, trailing only Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson (22.40).

Panama’s Alonso Edward won the men’s 200 in 19.90, with former Auburn star and rising Jamaican talent Akeem Bloomfield taking second in 20.00 in his first professional race at the distance.

Estonia’s Magnus Kirt produced an impressive victory in the men’s javelin competition with a second-round throw of 280-3 (85.42m) to knock off Germany’s Thomas Rohler, who threw 276-5 (84.25m) in the fourth round.