by Alfonz Juck
The Gateshead DL men’s 200m, Kenny Bednarek puts the field away and has Mother Nature in awe, photo by Diamond League AG
The opening Diamond League meeting happened on May 23, 2021 in Gateshead, England. Some fine performances, by the athletes and Mother Nature!
This is the event by event, courtesy of EME News, the premier nightly news service for Global athletics news.
Dina Asher-Smith just wanted to let us know who won Gateshead 100m! photo by Diamond League AG
Dina beats Richardson and Shelly-Ann
GATESHEAD (GBR, May 23): A nightmare for every organiser, rain, wind and cold. But British organisers battled it bravely and on the technical side, the meet went well, of course, performances were heavily affected. From that point of view marks like Katir in the 5000 m or Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the 1500 m or Bednarek in the 200 m had excellent quality. And home joy for Dina Asher-Smith beating the top quality field in the 100 m and Laura Muir the 1500 m after superb last lap. The second leg of Wanda Diamond League 2021 should offer totally opposite weather in Doha on May 28.
Short reviews
Men
200m – Kenny Bednarek produced one of the performances of the evening, storming off the bend in heavy rain to win in 20.33 against a 3.0 m/s headwind. Canadians Aaron Brown (20.79) and Andre de Grasse (20.85) were second and third respectively.
1500m – On his outdoor season’s debut, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen won in 3:36.27, holding off the Australian duo of Oliver Hoare (3:36.58, DL debut) and Stewart McSweyn (3:37.32).
5000m – After a breakthrough indoor season, Spain’s Mohamed Katir outkicked Kenya’s Nicholas Kimeli on the last lap, 13:08.52 PB and Olympic standard to 13:10.11. Katir covered the last lap in 55.89.
3000m steeplechase – After a 2:55 first kilometre, Hillary Bor from the United States won in 8:30.20 from Kenya’s Leonard Bett (8:31.52).
Long jump – In the Final Three format, Filippo Randazzo won the long jump with a wind-assisted 8.11m, the longest jump of the competition. Eusebio Caceres was second with 8.04m and world champion Tajay Gayle from Jamaica third with 7.91m.
Pole vault – Armand Duplantis suffered his first defeat since the 2019 World Championships in Doha. After clearing 5.55m, Duplantis had two attempts at 5.74m and one very close but unsuccessful attempt at 5.80m. Two-time world champion Sam Kendricks won with 5.74m.
Javelin – Poland’s Marcin Krukowski won the Final Three format with 81.18m, although he had longer throws of 82.49m and 82.61m in the first five rounds.
Women
100m – World 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith defeated a world-class field in 11.35 in heavy rain and into a 3.1 m/s headwind. World leader Sha’Carri Richardson closed quickly to finish second in 11.44 with Marie-Josee Ta Lou (11.48) and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (11.51) third and fourth respectively.
400m – Kendall Ellis battled to victory in 51.86 ahead of Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann McPherson (51.96) with Lieke Klaver third in 52.03 on her season’s debut.
1500m – Laura Muir pulled away with 450 metres to go to close the programme with victory in 4:03.73. She won by exactly four seconds from Morocco’s Rababe Arafi (4:07.73) and Brit Katie Snowden (4:08.92).
100m hurdles – Into a 3.9 m/s headwind, Cindy Sember won the 100m hurdles in 13.28 ahead of surprise runner-up Luca Kozak from Hungary in 13.37.
400 m hurdles (non-DL) – Denmark´s Sara Petersen clocked 56.32 in windy lottery.
Triple jump – Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts won the Final Three format with 14.29m (3.1) and had the longest jump of the competition with a wind-legal 14.40m (1.3) ahead of Patricia Mamona (14.37m).
Shot put – Portugal’s European indoor champion Auriol Dongmo threw 19.08m in round four and edged out Jamaica'[s Danniel Thomas-Dodd in the Final Three format, 18.16m to 18.12m.
