Robles wins 110 hurdles in Greece
THESSALONIKI, Greece -- Olympic champion hurdler Dayron Robles returned from an injury to win his first race of the season Wednesday.
Robles clocked 13.30 seconds in the 110 hurdles at the Thessaloniki 2009 track meet in northern Greece, the eighth-best time in the world this year.
"I had a relaxed race as it was my first this season," said Robles, who had been out of competition since February. He said he was looking forward to a better performance at September's IAAF World Athletics Final in Thessaloniki.
"I want to do my best then," Robles said.
Aries Merrittt of the U.S. was second with 13.45, followed by Cuban Dayron Capetillo at 13.63.
In the high jump, world champion Blanka Vlasic, who took silver at the Beijing Olympics, was a comfortable first, clearing 6½ feet. The 25-year-old Croatian attempted but failed to pass the 6 feet, 7 inches and said she hoped to do better later this year.
"I am not satisfied with my performance, but the season is still at the beginning," said Vlasic, who has a personal best of 6-7, set in 2007. "I believe I will do better."
Levern Spencer of St. Lucia came second at 6-3, followed by Uzbekistan's Svetlana Radzivil at 6-2½.
In the men's event, Russian Aleksey Dmitrik had the fourth best jump of the season at 7-6. Czech Jaroslav Baba was second with 7-5, and Serbia's Dragutin Topic came third with 7-4.
Dana Veldakova won the women's triple jump with 47-3 -- the same as Sudanese Yamile Albama, who was ranked second as her next best jump was lower than the Slovakian's.
Jamaican athletes dominated the women's and men's 100-meter sprints.
In the women's 100, Shaeri Ann Brooks clocked 11.33, ahead of Nigerian Damola Osayomi with 11.44 and American Ladedra Guy with 11.52.
Steve Mullings consolidated the Jamaican victory, finishing with 10.12. Britain's Tyrone Edgar was second with 10.23, and Aziz Zakari took bronze for Ghana with 10.31.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
