Richards, Isinbayeva among six left in jackpot race

OSLO - Sanya Richards of the United States lowered her 2009 world best over 400 metres at the Bislett Games as she remained in the hunt for athletics’ Golden League $1-million jackpot.

Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele are also among six from an original 10 athletes in the race for the jackpot which goes to athletes who win their event at all six stops of the elite series.

Four athletes were eliminated at the second stop, after Berlin on June 14. Bahamas 400m runner Chris Brown and German high jumper Ariane Friedrich did not show up while Antigua sprinter Daniel Bailey and US 110m hurdler Dexter Faulk were beaten on the Oslo track Friday.

Richards won the 400m in 49.23 seconds, 0.34 of a second faster than in her Berlin victory.

Shericka Williams of Jamaica became the second woman this year to dip below 50 seconds, clocking 49.98 seconds. World and Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu was no factor in sixth place in 51.19 after a thunderstorm.

“I did not expect a world lead after the storm. I am happy with the way I am running now. I can fully focus on the other races, next Rome and Paris,” said Richards.

Isinbayeva failed with her opening attempt of 4.71m just before the storm hit, but cleared it later after the rain to win on countback against Poland’s Monika Pyrek.

“I am happy to win, but not with the result. It was very difficult with all the waiting. First the ordinary waiting to jump, then the extra waiting due to the rain,” said Isinbayeva, whose world record stands at 5.05m.

Bekele, like Isinbayeva a world and Olympic champion, won the men’s 5,000m in a modest 13:04.87 minutes in his second race after an injury-plagued winter.

“I’m coming back to my shape. But we all knew that today will not be a fast race, I was concentrating on winning. There are still four races I need to win and that is a lot of energy for me,” said Bekele, looking ahead at the other stops in Rome, Paris, Zurich and Brussels.

Jamaican sprinter Kerron Stewart remained in the jackpot hunt with a 100m victory in 10.99 seconds. So did US 100m hurdler Damu Cherry in 12.65 seconds, and Finnish javelin world champion Tero Pitkamaki, who had 84.63m.

The jackpot dream of Bailey ended when the Berlin winner was beaten in a 100m photo finish by former world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica on the finish line, with both timed in a modest 10.07 seconds.

Faulk was no factor in 110m hurdles as he trailed in fifth place in a race won by fellow-American Antwon Hicks in 13.41m.

Elsewhere, a third women’s 5,000m world record in as many years in Oslo did not materialize.

Meseret Defar of Ethiopia, who set a record in 2007, won in 14:36.38 minutes. But compatriot world and Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba, who lowered the mark last year, withdrew injured from Oslo.

World champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia won the high jump with 2.00m and the 2004 Olympic champ Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia came from behind to win the 800m in 1:44.21 minutes after world indoor champ Abubaker Kaki of Sudan fell and injured his thigh early in the race.