by Alfonz Juck
Four world leads: Kipyegon 8:07.04, Hodgkinson 1:54.74, Bol 51.91 and Warholm 46.28
CHORZÓW (POL, Aug 16): Four world leading performances highlighted the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, first Diamond League meeting after one month break. Faith Kipyegon almost smashed Chinese 3000m world record, Keely Hodgkinson delivered a fabulous late start of the season clocking the second-fastest time of her career in the 800m, and both 400m hurdles races recorded not only the world leads but also a significant dominance of the winners Femke Bol and Karsten Warholm. Around 35,000 spectators also watched three individual (and one relay) Diamond League records and a bunch of meeting records (nine, plus 3 more equalled) in the Silesia Stadium. Great 100m sprints, fast women’s short hurdles by Masai Russell and Nadine Visser (in heats), 6-metres vaults by Mondo Duplantis and Manolo Karalis, or Gudaf Tsegay threatening the 1500m WR, were other highlights of a sunny Saturday afternoon in Silesia. Next DL meeting is scheduled for Lausanne, Switzerland, on 20 August.
Event by event reviews
Women
100m: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden storms to a 10.66 (0.1) clocking, just 0.01 shy of her PB, to equal Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s meeting record. Jamaica’s Tia Clayton improves to 10.82 in second with veteran Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith setting a 10.87 season’s best in third. World champion Sha’Carri Richardson was a distant sixth in 11.05.
200m: Shericka Jackson runs a big season’s best of 22.17 (-0.3), previous 22.53, for victory over Brittany Brown (22.21) and Favour Ofili (22.25).
400m (Diamond +): Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino reeled in Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser for victory, 49.18 to 49.27. Norway’s Henriette Jaeger also broke 50 seconds in third in 49.83.
800m (non-DL): In her first race in over a year, Keely Hodgkinson stormed to a 1:54.74 MR clocking, a world lead by almost two seconds for the second fastest time of her career. Kenya’s Lilian Odira was second in 1:56.52, also second in season lists, to Oratile Nowe third in a Botswanan record of 1:56.76. Australia’s Claudia Hollingsworth ran an Oceanian record of 1:57.67 in fifth.
1500m: Gudaf Tsegay attacked the world record but fell just short on the final lap, clocking 3:50.62, a meeting record and second fastest time of the season. World 5000m record-holder Beatrice Chebet ran 3:54.73 in her first serious attempt at the distance to finish second. The top-11 all broke the 4:00-barrier.
3000m (non-DL): So close to the world record for Faith Kipyegon who clocked 8:07.04 (2:42.07 1km, 5:25.18 2km by elite pacers Sage Hurta-Klecker and Jessica Hull), just missing Wang Junxia’s mark of 8:06.11 from the 1993 Chinese National Games. Kipyegon won in DL record, world lead and African record, by almost 30 seconds from Ethiopians Likina Amebaw (8:34.53) and Aleshign Baweke (8:35.51).
100m hurdles (D+): Masai Russell stopped the clock at a Diamond League record and meeting record of 12.19 (1.4) ahead of US teammate Tonea Marshall (12.24 PB) and world record-holder Tobi Amusan (12.25) with world champion Danielle Williams fourth in a 12.31 PB. Nadine Visser clocked 12.28 (1.1), also MR/EL and NR in the heat to move to fourth on the European all-time list (fastest time by European since 1992) but was only eighth in the final in 12.60 after stumbling at the sixth hurdle.
400m hurdles: Femke Bol improves her world lead from 51.95 to 51.91 to continue her unbeaten season in her specialist event. Slovakian record of 53.58 for Emma Zapletalová in second, just ahead of Jasmine Jones in 53.64.
Long jump: Jasmine Moore jumped 6.85m (0.2) MR in the fifth round to win a tight competition from France’s Hilary Kpatcha (6.83m/-1.1) and world indoor champion Claire Bryant (6.83m/-0.5).
Hammer (non-DL): Clear win for Olympic and world champion Camryn Rogers (75.39m) over Finns Krista Tervo (72.74m) and Silja Kosonen (72.40m).
Men
100m (D+): Clear win for Kishane Thompson in 9.87 (0.3) to equal the meeting record. Noah Lyles recovered from a poor start to finish second in a 9.90 season’s best and Kenny Bednarek third in 9.96.
1500m: Yared Nuguse rebounds from the disappointment of the US Championships to win a tactical 1500m in 3:33.19 from Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot (3:33.19) and Norway’s Narve Gilje Nordas (3:33.41). Soufiane El Bakkali was 12th in 3:34.84.
110m hurdles (non-DL): Comfortable win for world leader Cordell Tinch over teammate and world and Olympic champion Grant Holloway, 13.03 (-0.5), equalled MR, to 13.15.
400m hurdles: Third fastest time in history! Karsten Warholm stops the clock at 46.28, a world lead and a Diamond League record. Only Warholm himself (45.94) and Rai Benjamin (46.17) have ever run faster. Ezekiel Nathaniel set a Nigerian record of 47.31 to finish second, just ahead of Abderrahman Samba (47.34).
High jump: Olympic champion Hamish Kerr cleared a season best of 2.33m to win by two heights from Ju’Vaughn Harrison and Oleh Doroshchuk at 2.28m, second and third respectively on countback.
Pole vault (D+): Armand Duplantis cleared 6.10m on his second attempt before three tries at 6.20m. A ninth 6.00m-plus clearance for Emmanouil Karalis in second with 6.00m.
Shot put: Payton Otterdahl won in the fifth round with 22.28m ahead of Leonardo Fabbri (22.10m) and Joe Kovacs (21.82m).
Hammer (non-DL): Back-to-back wins for Hungary’s Bence Halasz over Olympic and world champion Ethan Katzberg, 81.77m to 79.30m.
Javelin: Victory for 2015 world champion Julius Yego (83.60m) over 2012 Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (82.54m).
4x400m (non-DL): Hungary (Enyingi, Wahl, Csahóczi, Molnár) clocked 3:01.46 DLR/NR.
