by Stuart Weir
Daniel Stahl hits 70.56m in the discus! photo by PhotoRun.net
Caster Semenya runs 1:54.98 WL in Doha, photo by PhotoRun.net
The Doha DL is the opening of the 2019 Diamond League, as it has been for ten years. Eight World leaders, five Meet records, 2 Diamond League records. Hows that for a fine opening?
Stahl gets first 70 of DL, Semenya sub 1:55
DOHA (QAT, May 3): The jubilee 10th IAAF Diamond League started as usual with series of World leads at the beginning of the season in Doha. Khalifa stadium saw 8 World leads, also 1 Diamond League record and 3 meet record (to compare in 2018 8 WL, 5 MR and 2 DLR). The result of the day was the discus by Daniel Stahl who three times improved meet record and world lead and twice Diamond League record which was there from first edition of the series as the only remaining one in individual events (69.83 by Piotr Malachowski from Gateshead 2010). Caster Semenya used her option until May 8 and improved meet record and World lead in the 800 m, also third fastest ever within the series. It was her 30th win of a final in the 800 m in a row. The circuit remains in Asia for Shanghai on May 18.
Event by event short reviews
Men
800m – Turkey’s reigning world and European champion Ramil Guliyev broke the 20 second-barrier with 19.99 EL for a comfortable win over Ecuador’s Alex Quinonez (20.19) and Canada’s Aaron Brown (20.20).
1500m – Elijah Manangoi got the better of Timothy Cheruiyot, setting a world lead of 3:32.21 to Cheruiyot’s 3:32.47.
800m – Botswana’s Nijel Amos had the beating of Kenya’s Emmanuel Korir with a world-leading 1:44.29 to Korir’s 1:44.50 as at African Champs last year. Donavan Brazier was a close third in 1:44.70 with recent Asian champion Abubaker Abdalla fourth in 1:44.82.
3000m steeplechase – Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali came from behind to win in a world-leading 8:07.22. PBs for USA’s Hilary Bor (8:08.41) and Kenyan junior Leonard Bett (8:08.61) in second and third.
Discus – Sweden’s Daniel Stahl improved the nine-year-old Diamond League record to 70.49m and then to 70.56m with his second and third throws. He also surpassed the 60m-line with his sixth throw of 70.32m and his three other throws were also over 69m. Austria’s Lukas Weisshaidinger was second with 66.90m.
Shot put – Olympic champion Ryan Crouser surpassed the 22-metre line again with 22.13m to defeat world champion Tom Walsh who extended his season’s best to 22.06m. Top five surpassed the 21-metre mark.
Pole vault – World champion Sam Kendricks cleared 5.80m ahead of reigning Olympic champion Thiago Braz with 5.71m.
Women
200m – Dina Asher-Smith opened her season with an impressive 22.26 world lead for a clean win ahead of the Netherlands’ Jamile Samuel in 22.90.
800m – In her final race before the IAAF’s new regulations come into force, Caster Semenya won by nearly three seconds in 1:54.98 (the fourth fastest time of her career) ahead of Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba (1:57.75) and Ajee Wilson (1:58.83).
3000m – With a 60.93 last lap, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri out-sprinted Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba, 8:25.60 world lead to 8:26.20. The top six all ducked under the 8:30 mark.
100m hurdles – Former world champion Danielle Williams from Jamaica won in 12.66 ahead of Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (12.73). Sharika Nelvis was the best of the Americans in third in 12.78 with Olympic champion Brianna McNeal seventh in 12.94 after stumbling from the blocks.
400m hurdles – Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad set a meeting record and world lead of 53.61 to win by more than one second from Olympic bronze medallist Ashley Spencer (54.72) and Ukraine’s Hanna Ryzhykova (54.82). Janieve Russell was fourth in 55.28.
High jump – Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, 17, cleared 1.96m to win by two clear heights. One of youngest winners ever of a DL scoring event.
Long jump – Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen beat the long jump specialists again with 6.76m in the fifth round ahead of Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (6.74m) and Australia’s Brooke Stratton (6.73m).
