VIDEO: Shocker Allyson Felix Beaten by proCane Murielle Ahoure in 200m Rome

Murielle Ahoure of Ivory Coast clocked a new national record on her way to pushing Olympic 200m champion Allyson Felix into second place at the Rome Golden Gala, the fifth leg in the 14-event Diamond League series, on Thursday.

Last month Ahoure had clocked what was then a world-leading time of 22.47sec in Ponce, but the African made the most of the absence of several top names to clock a new national record of 22.36.

Felix, the Olympic champion from London, finished second in 22.64, three tenths behind her best time of the season, 22.36, set last week in Beijing.

With the world championships in Moscow the big objective this year, Felix was philosophical about her setback.

"It's an interesting year for me: I'm trying to piece things together and make the team in a few weeks," said the American.

"I'm taking a different approach this year, taking more time off, so I was a little off.

"I'm trying to make the (US) team, run the 100 and 200 (in Moscow).

"I'll stay patient. It's what happens down the season that counts."

The women's 200m field was missing a number of top names including Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica and compatriots Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Olympic silver medallist in London, and Sherone Simpson.

Bulgaria's Ivet Lalova finished third in a season's best of 22.78.

Ahoure's win means she takes the lead of the Diamond League standings in the discipline, in which Felix is now fourth.


(yahoosports.com)