I am still in shock. What a track meet! And what a start to the 2015 Diamond League! Eleven World Leaders (100m men, 800m men, 3000m men, 400m hurdles men, Triple Jump Men, Javelin Throw men, 200m women, 1500m women, 3000m steeplechase women, Long Jump women), three Diamond League records, six meet records and three national records!
For me, the triple jump with Pablo Pichardo, a young man who jumped 16.40m at the age of sixteen, his first time over 18 meters-18.06m-and the first time an eighteen meter jump has happened since 1996. And then, in round six, Christian Taylor, the 2012 Olympic champ, 2011 World Champ, leaped 18.04m. Never, ever, has there been two men over 18 meters, in the same competition in the triple jump.
For drama, the women’s 1,500 meters with Dawit Seyaum, all of 18, dueling with European Champion Sifan Hassan, and winning in 4:00.96. As she collapsed to the track, Dawit was still smiling.
The women’s 100m hurdles was a barn burner. Fast, fast, and fast, as Jasmin Stowers ran 12.35, a WL, MR, DLR. With two Olympic champions in the final, the 100 meter hurdles continues to astound. Allyson Felix won the 200 meters, in her fastest time since August 2012, with a fine 21.98. Allyson looks so strong and elegant as she lopes around the furlong, and she did not let up, as Murielle Ahoure battled her until 170 meters.
And then, Justin Gatlin, who is now on an unbeaten streak of sixteen with his 9.74 for the 100 meters today. Finally, for Justin, a personal best.
To close the meet, the battle of the 3000 meters, with Mo Farah so far back with a lap to go, and then he climbing up the field, and Hagos Gebrhiwet going by, and winning from Mo Farah, and Hagos’ emotion filled finish. He had beaten a double double world and Olympic champion!
And to think, just two days from now, the world will be watching Shanghai!
What a start to 6th IAAF DL: Triple, Gatlin, Stowers
DOHA (QAT, May 15): The 6th edition of IAAF Diamond League started on a high note with superb results, four of them coming into all-time top ten lists. Favorable hot weather, good breeze and enthusiastic crowd helped a lot to achieve 11 World leads (in all running events except of women 400 m), 8 additional European leads, 3 Diamond League records and 5 meet records.
Event by event
Men
100 m: Gatlin stormed into new PB 9.74 (+0.9), also 5th all-time, WL and MR. The only other sub 10 was Rodgers 9.96.
400 m (Asian race): Qatari supertalented junior Abdelilah Haroun (18) again clocked sub 45 with 44.85.
800 m: Souleiman took control and got 1:43.78 WL, came close to his NR. He wants to go for points in both 8/15. Bosse 4th 1:44.95 EL, Kiprop 5th, Aman 9th.
3000 m: Gebrhiwet with 54 last lap in a race where top guns did not follow pacemakers beat in 7:38.08 WL Mo Farah 7:38.22 EL. His first track defeat in longer race since Prefontaine 2013.
400mH: Batman ruled in second half of the race in unexpected MR and WL 48.09. Culson 48.96 and Barr 48.99 EL.
PV: Filippidis was class of his own with 575 clearance.
TJ: The event of the day. First time ever two men over 18 m in one competition. Pichardo 18.06 (+0.8) WL, NR, MR, DLR is 3rd best ever and Taylor 18.04 (+0.8) PB ties 4th best ever with Tamgho (17.24 EL) who injured himself unfortunately again, achilles tendon, surgery on Saturday.
SP: Storl with 21.51 EL beat the Americans including WL holder Kovacs.
JT: This had some drama. First Ihab led with 83.14, then Vesely improved in 5th round to 83.67 but Finnish fireworks in last round changed everything. Pitkamaki 88.62 WL, Ruuskanen 86.61 for second.
Women
200 m: Felix love to Doha was confirmed with unexpected fast 21.98 (+1.6) over Ahoure 22.29. It is WL, MR and she equaled VCB DL record from first year 2010.
400 m: McCorory with better timed race in 50.21 beat Sanya RR 50.79.
1500 m: Young Ethiopian Seyaum surprised the favorites in 4:00.96 WL. Hassan led going into the last 100 m, was 2nd 4:01.40 EL. Third Teferi 4:01.86 PB, fourth Mishchenko 4:01.95. Then Gega NR for Albania 4:02.63, Aregawi 7th.
SC: Pacemaker Nyambura won in WL 9:21.51. The top surprise of the meet. Ayalew lost in 9:21.54.
100mH: Stowers improved again, now 12.35 (+0.9) WL, MR, DLR and is 7th best performer all-time. Nelvis as 2nd 12.54 PB. Harper-Nelson stumbled to 8th.
HJ: Palsyte on count back over Gordeyeva, but 194 was not the height expected to win.
LJ: Nettey led with superb 693 NR (+0.5) but in last round Bartoletta 699 (+0.6) WL and Proctor 695 (+0.7) NR prevailed. Also 4th Ugen 692 (+0.3) Reese 5th, Spanovic 6th.
DT: Perkovic had all valid throws enough to win, the best 68.10.
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Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.
Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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by Larry Eder
