Gatlin piles more pressure on Bolt as he continues fine form in Rome

American sprinter Justin Gatlin won his third 100 metre sprint of the Diamond League season after coming out on top in Rome on Thursday.

Gatlin edged compatriot Ameer Webb as he recorded a season best time of 9.93 seconds to seal the win and continue his fine form ahead of the Rio Olympic Games in August.

But it was Webb’s performance that got tongues wagging as the 26-year-old pushed Gatlin all the way after winning the 200m event earlier in the day with a time of 20.04secs, ahead of second-placed Canadian Aaron Brown.

London 2012 gold medallist Greg Rutherford recorded his own season-best effort in the men’s long jump after he reached 8.31m to comfortably take the win ahead of Marquise Goodwin.

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson won the women’s 200m sprint with a 10.87secs effort to defeat English Gardner, while South Africa’s Caster Semenya won the 800m and Ayana Almaz recorded a time of 14:12.59 to win the women’s 5,000m.

Janieve Russell won her second straight Diamond League race in the 400m women’s hurdles to move to the top of the race standings in the event, recording a time of 53.95secs.

South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk edged Bralon Taplin for the 400m men’s win, completing the spirt in 44.19secs, while Kenya’s Elijah Motonei Manangoi recorded a 3:33.96 in the men’s 1,500m to finish clear of compatriot Robert Biwott and Australian Ryan Gregson.

Orlando Ortega took out the 110m men’s hurdles, joining Conseslus Kipruto on the winner’s list after he won the men’s 3,000m steeplechase.

Bohdan Bondarenko won the men’s high jump in Rome as he reached 2.33m, while Robert Urbanek took out the men’s discus.

Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi narrowly beat compatriot Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou in the women’s pole vault, while Caterine Ibarguen took out the women’s triple jump.

New Zealand’s Valerie Adams won the women’s shot-put by almost a metre, as Sunette Viljoen claimed the women’s javelin throw.