Super Sally blitzes in Rieti

Three-time national sprint champion Sally McLellan has continued her fine form in Europe, taking out the women's 100m at the IAAF World Athletics Tour meeting in Rieti, Italy overnight.

The 20 year-old clocked 11.30 to defeat sprint specialists Stephanie Dunst (11.37) from the United States and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (11.38) from the Bahamas.

"Sally said she felt really good but thought the time would be quicker," a content coach Sharon Hannan relayed after a late night on the phone to her young charge.

Last night’s 100m victory follows her sixth place (12.86s) at Friday night’s IAAF Golden League meet in Zurich, where she defeated two Osaka finalists in her more favoured 100m hurdles event.

"I’m very pleased, especially with her hurdles performance (in Zurich on Friday night) after a long flight. A lot of the other girls are more familiar with competing after long flights and to beat two of the girls who made the final in Osaka was very pleasing.

"She’s currently sitting equal sixth on the standings and is still a big chance to make the World Athletics Final in the 100m hurdles."

It’s McLellan’s second stint in Europe although last year’s circumstances were slightly different.

"This year she’s a little bit more experienced and faster and she actually had the upcoming Golden League meets of Brussels and Berlin confirmed before she raced in Zurich, which is very exciting.

"Last year we couldn’t confirm races until the last minute so that was hard and frustrating."

So what can we expect from the young Gold Coast sprint hurdler over the next couple of weeks?

"I thought she had a hurdles PB (currently 12.71sec) just sitting there in Osaka but that was not going to happen on tired legs. Hopefully it will come in Brussels!" continued Hannan.

"It’s hard to peak for a major championship, then keep going for another month of racing.

"She will spend four days in Brussels prior to her race on September 14, where she will do short and sharp sessions on every alternate day before heading to the meet in Berlin (September 16)."

McLellan is likely to base herself in Kent, London where, in addition to finalising her preparations for the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart (September 22 and 23), she will celebrate her 21st birthday in style on September 19 with her family.

Australian record holder Sarah Jamieson also featured in the small, picturesque Italian town, crossing the line in 4:05.11 to finish fourth in the women’s 1500m, whilst Nick Bromley (1:48.36) picked up fifth place and Jeff Riseley (1:48.65) seventh in the men's 800m B race.

Jamaica’s Asafa Powell wrote a new chapter in the Rieti Grand Prix’s history book, breaking his own world 100m record with an incredible 9.74 second run (+1.7 m/s).

A full report can be found on www.iaaf.org.