More Tonique for Williams-Darling
Olympic and world champion Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas easily won the women's 400 metres and then said she couldn't wait to defend her title next year.
Williams-Darling (pictured), who grabbed the world title in Helsinki last month a year after her stunning success in Athens, displayed her class again as she swept past a tiring field to end her season on a high note.
'It was a good race for me. The track was very fast. I think we were all tired for the season so no 49s [seconds] today but my time of 50.25 is good,' she said.
'It was a nice solid evening run to the line. I felt I had a nice easy run. I am looking forward to coming back to this competition. Maybe if this meet was held earlier in the year when everybody is all geared up, I think it will be a great meet.
'The crowd was great. This meet is like everywhere else we go in Europe. I am really excited to be here and that Beijing has the Olympics. I'll be there too.'
Williams-Darling got off to a good start and looked in excellent form heading for home. In the last 200 metres, she eased past a tiring Sun Hongfeng of China before out-kicking her rivals. She easily beat American Dee Dee Trotter (50.90) and third placed Monique Hennagan of the US (50.92). Sun finished sixth in a season best time of 51.93.
Allyson Felix won the women's 200m as the Americans returned to prominence after compatriot Lauryn Williams' shock loss in the 100m an hour earlier. But Felix, a 19-year-old from Los Angeles, California felt her winning time of 23.09 time was slow.
'My time was very slow but it's the end of the season,' said Felix. 'But it was great to come here and win. I'm really glad to have come here and I will do it again. It was fun tonight,' she said. Felix finished ahead of the Bahamas' Christine Amertil (23.26) and Briton Donna Fraser (23.31).
Chris Williams of Jamaica edged Christian Malcolm to win the men's 200m with a time of 20.24 seconds.
