by Larry EderThe second Diamond League of the year has people talking and watching replays of the event! As it should be! EME News provides some quick notes on all of the events!
Aregawi over Simpson, Moscow 2013, photo by PhotoRun.net
Shanghai DL: The evening of surprises: El Rahman, Coburn, Simic, Biwott, Wenjun
SHANGHAI (CHN, May 18): Second leg of 5th IAAF Diamond League was in many ways special. In cool weather (20 degrees at the beginning) and nearly no wind Sandra Perkovic achieved the best discus result in last 22 years, Renaud Lavillenie was again flying, Justin Gatlin confirmed who is the current sprinting number one. But also totally new names appeared as the winners, first of all Egyptian giant El Rahman in javelin, US steeple runner Emma Coburn, young Robert Biwott in the 800 m, Croatian Ana Simic in high jump and mainly in last event Chinese Xie Wenjun over the hurdles. In total 8 meet records and 7 world leads were registered. Also one African and one DL record.
Event by event
Men
100 m: Gatlin after top start was never challenged and clocked without wind 9.92 (0.0) world lead. He will finish his Asian tour in Beijing on Wednesday, hopefully finally with good wind. Second Carter 10.12.
800 m: Youth World champion (but at 1500 m) Biwott surprised at the tape with 1:44.69 PB the “Im the winner” Makhloufi 1:44.73. Olivier and Mutai also sub 1:45, fifth Lewandowski EL 1:45.92.
5000 m: Crazy last lap under 54 seconds, and Alamirew won in MR 13:04.83. Longosiwa beat Gebrhiwot for second, French Tahri in new image 9th in PB 13:12.22.
110mH: One of the many surprises, Xie Wenjun showed Liu Xiang (watching from tribune) that China has another top hurdler as he won in 13.23 PB (-0.3) over full Moscow podium and 2008 Beijing winner Robles. Second PML 13.26 EL.
400mH: World leader Tinsley proved his position with 48.77 MR, second Hanne beat overseas elite 48.86.
PV: AirLavillenie was again flying and improved three times MR and WL with 572, 582 and 592 clearances. Then he tried 603.
TJ: Adams was the king of this event with European lead 2014 17.10 (0.0). All his four valid jumps would be enough to win.
SP: Cantwell remains unbeaten with 21.73 MR from fifth round. He beat them all. Surprise second Kovacs 21.52 PB only after that global medalists followed (Whiting, Storl, Majewski).
JT: Super sensation of the day – first throw by Egyptian Abd Ihab El Rahman huge African record, MR, WL and best throw since August 2011 89.21. His previous best from May 7 nationals was 83.94. Amb 84.14 beat World champ Vesely 83.80 for second.
Women
200 m: Double winner of the evening Okagbare, here 22.36 second MR for her (0.0) over Strachan 22.50. Big ladies, VCB fifth 23.08 and SAFP did not run due to minor leg discomfort.
400 m: Here also surprise with strong finish win for Williams-Mills 50.31 over early leader of the race Montsho 50.37. Felix in her first race since August 2013 fifth in 50.81.
1500 m: Aregawi ruled here with WL 3:58.72 (she last time lost in August 2012), second Simpson high quality 4:00.42 and third Hassan Dutch record 4:01.19. Warning for European Champs.
Steeple: Brave early run of Coburn with pacemaker paid-off, she won over the whole Kenyan-Ethiopian elite in WL and PB 9:19.80. Second Assefa, Chemos 8th, Chepkurui 9th, best of Kenyans was P. Kirui as 4th.
HJ: Croatian win but by Simic with 197 PB and WL was another surprise. She was the winner already at 195 but added 2 cm more and tried at 199.
LJ: First win and MR for John Smith coached Okagbare with first jump 686 (+0.1) over Spanovic national record 685 (+0.3). In good depth 3rd Moguenara 679, WL holder Klishina was 5th 662.
DT: The top performance of the meet 70.52 by Perkovic, by one cm improved and delivered not only WL, MR, NR but also Diamond League record and the best throw by a woman in last 22 years. It is after 2000 “World record”. Behind her Samuels also good 67.89, her second all-time best. #shanghaiDL
