AP - Jamaica's Kaliese Spencer wins the 400m hurdles women's race during the Herculis International Athletics Meeting, at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco yesterday.

Justin Gatlin of US wins the men's 200m event

Fraser-Pryce

Leighton Levy, Star Writer

Kaliese Spencer last night all but wrapped up the 2014 Diamond League title for the 400 metre hurdlers following her fourth win from her fifth start at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco. The in-form hurdler was the only Jamaican winner on a night dominated by eight world-leading performances that included blistering runs from Americans Tori Bowie and Justin Gatlin.

Spencer, who has accumulated 18 points from her five races, comfortably collected her fourth win in 54.09s over the USA duo of Georganne Moline 54.73 and Cassandra Tate 55.07s. 2013, World Champion Zuzana Hejnová was seventh in 55.86. It was Hejnova's season debut after a protracted absence from competition because of injury.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has been gradually returning to form after her own challenges with injury and was looking forward to improving on her 11.10-second run in Glasgow last week where she finished second to Trinidad's Michelle-Lee Ahye in the 100 metres. Fraser-Pryce led the stacked field early and ran faster (11.01) but finished farther down the track as new-found star, American Tori Bowie, remained unbeaten this season with a world-leading 10.80s to defeat Veronica Campbell-Brown, 10.96. Murielle Ahouré and Blessing Okagbare, both timed at 10.97s were third and fourth respectively. Fraser-Pryce's improved performance was only good enough for fifth.

Nickel Ashmeade was the in-form Jamaican going into the 200 metres with world leader Warren Weir withdrawing from the meet on Thursday. However, it was Justin Gatlin who stole the show. The American, who has six of the seven fastest 100-metre times in the world this season, rocketed to a world-leading 19.68s. It was a new meet record and the sixth fastest time in history. Ashmeade was second in 19.99s with Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre third in a season best 20.08s.

Andrew Riley ran a season best 13.19s for fifth in the men's sprint hurdles that was won by Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, who was first across the line in 12.95s, a new French record and one-hundredth of a second outside Hansle Parchment's world-leading time.

Kimberley Williams leapt to a season best 14.59, but it was only good enough for third as Caterine Ibarguen had one of the best jumps of all time with a massive leap of 15.31 metres, a new area record. Russia's Yekaterina Koneva was second with a personal best 14.89m.

Other world-leading performances came from Botswana's Nigel Amos who upset a quality field that included David Rudisha and Mohammed Aman to win in 1:42.45. In the women's equivalent American Ajee Wilson (1:57.67) held off Kenya's Jepkoech Eunice Sum who ran a season best 1:57.92.

In the men's 1500m, Silas Kiplagat surprised Asbel Kiprop with a strong closing run to clock 3:27.64, while Genzebe Dibaba was first in the women's 5000m in 14:28.88.

Meanwhile, Valerie Adams won her 53rd straight shot put competition with a best throw of 20.38m and LaShawn Merritt (44.30) pulled away from Botswana's Isaac Makwala (44.90) down the stretch to win the men' 400m. American Gil Roberts 44.62 split them for second.