Last night in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, World and Olympic 400m Hurdles champion Felix Sanchez won his season's opener at his specialist event in 48.40 seconds, ahead of Panama's Bayano Kamani (49.60), and USA's Kyle Erickson (50.00), third.
Sanchez had run a flat 400m in Walnut, California on 17 April in 46.32, and most recently took the second leg in the Dominican Republic's 4x400m Relay squad which clocked 3:03.97 at the Penn Relays on 30 April.
The 27-year-old who is the double World 400m Hurdles gold medallist had also run this year in Fullerton (12 March - 100m 10.62, 0.8m/s) and Westwood, California (9 April - 10.45 100m & 20.88 200m, both 1.6m/s).
The rain considerably affected the Santo Domingo meet and Sanchez himself had to warm up twice and his race was delayed more than one hour.
"I knew I was going to win. They (his rivals) know I am ready. I am professional and I had the support of my people," Sanchez told the press.
It was Sanchez's first 400m Hurdles since dropping out injured from last September's Brussels TDK Golden League meeting.
World season leads
Jamaican female sprinters also provided notable results with Sherone Simpson and Brigitte Foster posting world leading marks in 200m and 100m hurdles, respectively.
20-year old Sherone Simpson ran her fastest ever 200m
(22.46) to move up to the no.1 spot in the 2005 world list, quicker than the previous year LaTasha Colander (22.52). Simpson, sixth at 100m in the 2004 Olympics, also leads the 100m world season's list after her 11.03 clocking in Kingston a week ago.
Jamaican Brigitte Foster made the world's leading time of 12.56 to win the 100m Hurdles (0.9m/s). Before Santo Domingo, World indoor and outdoor champion Perdita Felicien of Canada had clocked the swiftest time with her 12.67 victory in Kingston.
