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Diamond League: Jackson beats Thompson-Herah with 200m victory in Rome
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Shericka Jackson (2nd to left) of Jamaica crosses the line to win the women's 200m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, June 9, 2022. /CFP

Shericka Jackson (2nd to left) of Jamaica crosses the line to win the women's 200m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, June 9, 2022. /CFP

Shericka Jackson outclassed her compatriot Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah to win the women's 200 meters at the Rome Diamond League meeting on Thursday as Fred Kerley took the men's 100m title.

Jamaican Thompson-Herah arrived in the Italian capital after 100m victories in Eugene and Rabat but the 29-year-old faced her toughest test in a 200m field featuring Briton Dina Asher-Smith and 400m Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

Seven-time Olympic champion Allyson Felix returned for the first Diamond League appearance of her final track season but it was Olympic 100m bronze medalist Jackson who shot out of the blocks to win in 21.91 seconds, ending Thompson-Herah's unbeaten record this season with a meeting record and season's best time.

Thompson-Herah, bidding to win her first individual world title in July, was second in 22.25 and Asher-Smith third in 22.27.

Fred Kerley of the United States celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the men's 100m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, June 9, 2022. /CFP

Fred Kerley of the United States celebrates after crossing the finish line to win the men's 100m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, June 9, 2022. /CFP

In the flying men's field, Kerley, second behind compatriot Noah Lyles in the season opener in Doha, eased to his first win of the season in the absence of injured Olympic 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs.

The Olympic silver medallist clocked 9.92 to beat fellow Americans Kyree King and Cravont Charleston, who were second and third.

Nicholas Kimeli of Kenya eclipsed Eliud Kipchoge's meeting record set in 2004, winning the 5,000m in 12:46.33 to make him the seventh fastest athlete over the distance. 

Athing Mu of the United States leads the pack in the women's 800m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, June 9, 2022. /CFP

Athing Mu of the United States leads the pack in the women's 800m during the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea 2022, part of the 2022 Diamond League series at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy, June 9, 2022. /CFP

Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma broke the eight-minute barrier in the 3,000m steeplechase for the third time in a little over a week, sealing victory in 7:59.23 after similarly impressive efforts in Ostrava and Rabat. 

Dutchwoman Femke Bol, the Tokyo Games bronze medallist in 400m hurdles, claimed gold with a time of 53.02 finishing ahead of Jamaica's Janieve Russell and Ukraine's Anna Ryzhykova.

Ethiopia's Hirut Meshesha followed up her 1,500m victory in Rabat last week with another comfortable win in 4:03.79, while Olympic champion Athing Mu dominated the 800m, the American clocking a world leading time of 1:57.01. 

The Diamond League continues next week with the season's sixth meeting in Oslo.

(With input from agencies)

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