Jones back on top at U.S. Open NEW YORK -- Lolo Jones made a successful return after an injury-plagued 2011 season and Jamaica’s Asafa Powell ran the fastest 50-meter time in the world since 2005 en route to winning Athlete of the Meet honors Saturday at the U.S. Open presented by Harris at Madison Square Garden. The two wins electrified a crowd of 5,844 as the Visa Championships Series officially kicked off for the 2012 indoor season.
The meet will be broadcast on ESPN2 Sunday from 7-9 p.m. ET.
As Jones began a comeback from back surgery, which ended her season following last year’s 2011 USA Outdoor Championships, she ran the fastest time in the world since 2008 to win the Visa women’s 50m hurdles in 6.78 seconds. Jones, the two-time defending World Indoor champion, outran a field that included Tiffany Porter of Great Britain and American Kellie Wells, who finished second and third, respectively.
In his first indoor race since 2004, Powell cruised to the win in the Chase men’s 50m dash in a time of 5.64. The former world record holder in the 100m and the person responsible for the most sub-10-second 100m dashes in history, Powell bettered teammate Nesta Carter, who placed second, while American Trell Kimmons placed third.
Veronica Campbell-Brown got off to a quick start in the Harris women’s 50m dash and the rest of the field was unable to touch her as she recorded the fastest 50m time in the world since 2000. Campbell-Brown won in 6.08, with Jessica Young second in 6.20 and Glroia Asumnu third in 6.22.
Terrence Trammell continued his reign as one of the world’s elite indoor hurdlers with his win in the Harris men’s 50m hurdles. The two-time World Indoor Championships gold medalist and two-time Olympic silver medalist won in a time of 6.45, which was just ahead of American 110m hurdles record holder David Oliver, who finished second in 6.50.
Kenya’s Silas Kiplagat overtook Bernard Lagat with one lap remaining and held off the six-time American record holder to win the Visa men’s mile. Kiplagat survived a strong final push from Lagat to win in a time of 4:00.65, just ahead of Lagat’s time of 4:00.92. A place that has always been kind to Lagat, he has won eight one mile races in the Garden since 2001.
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