by Larry EderThe day that the Chinese broke the 1,500 meter record, I was coaching a Monday night group
Best meet since 2001: Dibaba breaks “Chinese record”
MONACO (MON, Jul 17): What a meeting. World record in the 1500 m, 7 other World leads, 6 meet records, great weather and nearly capacity crowd. In All-Athletics.com scoring the best meeting since 2001 when the score is available with 95 949 points.
Event by Event
Men
100m: Gatlin was a class apart as he has been all season. His 9.78 (-0.3) broke the MR and was comfortable ahead of Gay’s 9.97. Vicaut this time was over 10, with 10.03. Bromell false started and was disqualified.
800m: Tuka moved to fourth on the European all-time list with another incredible improvement, just pipping Amos on the line to clock a world leading Bosnian NR of 1:42.51. It had looked a race between Amos (1:42.26) and Souleiman (1:42.97 NR) before Tuka’s late charge. Another 2015 breakout performer, Berian, improved to 1:43.34 in fourth.
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1500m (non-DL): Kiprop followed the pacers while the others hung back and it paid off, he ran an incredible 3:26.69, the third fastest all-time and also a WL and MR. Farah led the main pack, but the finishing sprint of Makhloufi (3:28.75 PB) and Iguider (3:28.79 PB) outclassed him and he finished fourth in a high quality 3:28.93. Willis’ AR of 3:29.66 was another stand out mark in a race in which 6 went sub 3:30.
3000m: This time Ndiku got to show his form, sprinting away from the field to post a WL of 7:35.13. Kaya missed the Euro u23 best, but got a Turkish NR 7:38.65.
400mH: Jackson powered to the win in 48.23. Dobek surprised with a PB of 48.62 to take second over Dutch (48.67).
PV: Lavillenie is back on top, he cleared 592 first attempt to stay unbeaten at this meet before attempting 602, which he could not get over. The next three all cleared 582: Filippidis, Kendricks (=PB) and Wojciechowski.
TJ: Neither Taylor or Pichardo could get over 18 this time; although the battle for the win was tight: Taylor’s 17.75 (-0.8) in round 2 was a MR which just edged Pichardo’s 17.73 (1.0) in round 4.
SP: Kovacs stunned with a 22.56 effort in the second round, a WL, DLR and MR. 8th best performer ever and best result in last 12 years. In doing so he shunted Cantwell down to 9th on the world all-time list, as he slotted into 8th, and down to second in this competition as Cantwell’s best was 21.24. Three men went over 21, with Reese Hoffa third with 21.08.
JT: The Europeans ruled the javelin this time, with Pitkamaki (88.97), Vesely (85.44) and Vadlejch (84.32) taking the top three spots. Recent 90m throwers, Walcott (83.54) and Yego (81.79) couldn’t find that type of form here.
4x100m: The US team of Bromell, Gatlin, Gay and Rodgers ran 37.87, the third fastest mark this year.
Women
200m: McGrone took a surprise victory in a close race in a PB of 22.08 (-0.3). Schippers set a big EL of 22.09, her second fastest time ever, to just lose out. Tarmoh recorded a PB of 22.23 in third.
400m: McCorory put her US trials disappointment behind her and improved her own WL to 49.83 in a dominant performance. Stephenie Ann McPherson was best of the rest with 50.41. Ohuruogu set a SB and EL of 50.82 in 4th. Just behind her was the previous EL holder, Floria Guei (50.90 PB).
1500m: WORLD RECORD Genzebe Dibaba 3:50.07! After following top 800m runner Price, the designated pacer, Dibaba was tailed by Hassan until the last 450m and then powered away to beat Qu Wunxia’s mark of 3:50.46. Hassan also was rewarded after going with the pace with a NR and EL of 3:56.05. Rowbury won the battle with fellow US athlete Simpson to post an AR of 3:56.29, with Simpson (3:57.30) the only athlete in the top 9 not to set a PB. Muir (3:58.66) and Koster (3:59.79) were also sub 4.
100mH: Harper Nelson was initially DQ’d for a false start but argued her case successfully. Nelvis ran 12.46 (-0.3); the only time she has run faster was at the 2015 US champs. K Harrison debuted well with 12.52 for second while Rollins form is improving, she ran 12.58, beating Stowers (12.56) and Harper Nelson (12.58).
Steeple: Ghribi’s season opener was impressive; she ran 9:11.28 to set a WL and MR to beat the athletes that have ruled the season so far, although they ran fast: Kiyeng (9:12.51 PB), Nyambura (9:13.85 PB). Ayalew (9:14.98), Kirui (9:17.89 PB) and Krause (9:20.15 EL PB) followed. Coburn was a disappointing 10th in 9:23.91.
HJ: Kuchina equalled her PB by clearing 200 on her second attempt, a lot better than her recent performance in Tallinn. Beitia and world leader Chicherova shared second, both clearing 197 second attempt. Beitia has a big DR lead.
LJ: Spanovic went out to 687 (0.2) in round one and no-one could catch her. Bartoletta (679, 1.9) and Ugen (673, 0.5) came closest, with Bartoletta beeing already confirmed DR winner.
DT: Perkovic is back on top, although her winning mark of 66.80 was her worst of the season. She is now already confirmed DR winner for the fourth time in a row. Best of the rest with 65.21 was Samuels.
4x100m: The US quartet of Gardner, Felix, Prandini and Whitney tested their baton changes with a world leading 41.96. Their B team of Todd, McGrone, Tarmoh and Jefferson weren’t far back with 42.27.
Dibaba splits and plans
MONACO (MON): More splits of Genzebe Dibaba, in the 300 m 44.8, in the 400 m the leader had 60.31, the 700 m 1:48.4, 800 m leader 2:04.52, 1100 m in 2:50.3 and 1200 m in 3:04.62. Last 400 m 59.79, second 800 m 2:01.7. After the race she confirmed she can be faster and that she wants to do the double in Beijing with 1500 m and 5000 m. It was her last race before Worlds. After the World Championships, she may attack some records in shorter distances, it does not like a 5000 meter WR attempt is realistic.
