Former 400m National Champion and GOLD medallist at the 2015 IAAF World Relays, Regina George has left no one in doubt that she means serious business this year, as she dominated her event at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix, an IAAF World Challenge meeting in Kawasaki, Japan on Sunday.
George stormed to the title in 51.30s, an improvement from the time set in her first 400m race of the season, where she won the event in Texas last month in a time of 51.89s. This performance follows a brilliant outing in the Bahamas last weekend where she posted a National Record (NR) of 1:30.52 alongside Blessing Okagbare, Dominique Duncan and Christy Udoh to win the race ahead of Jamaica and Germany.
Finishing in 2nd place was Jamaica’s Patricia Hall (51.99s), a Silver medallist at the 2014 World Indoor Championships, while the American duo of Jasmine Chaney and Briana Nelson finished 3rd and 4th respectively in 53.19s and 53.43s. Completing the field was the Japanese trio of Sayaka Fujisawa (53.66s), Asama Chiba (54.27s) and Ayaha Kimoto (55.25s).
Coincidentally, George’s new time equals her Season’s Best (SB) of 2014, which she posted in Calabar where she placed 4th behind Folashade Abugan, Omolara Omotosho and Patience Okon-George. Going by her current form, the 24-year old is in good stead to reclaim her National title, even as she eyes a place in the final of the forthcoming World Championships in August.
Speaking after her race, Regina disclosed that starting her season with the 800m was responsible for her performance: “I ran I pretty good race. My coach wanted me to come here and run 51.3s and I accomplished that, so I’m looking forward to where I’m going to run next. I did more 800m to get the strength; I just started to get my speed going.”
“My next biggest goal this year is to go to the World Championships in Beijing and try and make the final and run sub-50s. I also want to get a medal at the next Olympics as well. I was there in 2012; I just missed the final, so I’m training really hard to make that final, and be medal contending”, she said.
In other events, Tianna Bartoletta completed the Long Jump/100m double with 6.69m and 11.26s, while Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou was given the same time but had to settle for 2nd place. London 2012 Champion, Sally Pearson won the 100m hurdles in 12.66s as world champion, Bohdan Bondarenko took the men’s High Jump with a mark of 2.40m.
Congratulation
I hope she has wintered well…I don’t doubt her 1 lap effort…its her “rounds” that has always been suspect…she almost always came up with some “injury” for not starting later rounds in champs ….apart from last year’s NCAA …having said that … I KNOW she can run a blazing 400 m “all day every day” ….