by Larry Eder
Ayana nearly broke 5000 m World record
SHANGHAI (CHN, May 17): The youngest meet in the IAAF Diamond League in Shanghai (first edition in 2005) saw in cooler conditions as in Doha and more wind 6 World leads, 1 Diamond League record and 3 meet records. Top result of the evening was Almaz Ayana breakthrough to World record level in the 5000 m. Barshim beat Bondarenko, Okagbare surprisingly nearly the whole elite in women 100 m. Last year Diamond Race winners were more succesfull than in Doha. Seven here (Edward, Kiplagat, Birech, Barshim, Malachowski, Sum, Ibarguen) and only 4 there (Gatlin, Felix, Bartoletta, Perkovic).
Event by event
Men
200 m (+1.1): In close finish Edward as last year DR winner started with a win 20.33, Forte beat Ashmeade for a surprise.
400 m: James in his own World 44.66 beats high quality rest by nearly one second. He is now 9:5 with Merritt.
1500 m: Another DR winner Kiplagat opens with a win and expected WL 3:35.29. Between 1st and 10th was 1.51 s. Best non-Kenyans Blankenship 4th PB, Holusa 7th EL.
SC: Also here expected WL by last year dominator Birech 8:05.36. Best non-Kenyan Ezzine as 9th, Safiulin EL 8:23.48.
110mH: Oliver won as he planned 13.17 (+0.4) but Ortega was close 13.19. WR holder Merritt third.
HJ: Barshim beat Bondarenko in little poker, he cleared 238 MR in first, Bondarenko after passing 235 tried twice at 238 and once 241. After his failures Barshim decided not to continue. Third Zhang 232, rest disappointed.
LJ: Menkov is back in shape, in 5th attempt 827 over WL holder Henderson 826 and two Chinese coached by R. Huntington (coached M. Powell to 895) Wang Jianan 825 PB and Li Jinzhe 821.
DT: Malachowski wins this one in last throw 64.65 over his country-mate Urbanek 64.47.
Women
100 m: Okagbare beats them all in 10.98 (+0.9) followed by relative newcomers Bowie 11.07 and Ahye 11.13 over top medalists VCB 11.22 and SAFP 11.25.
800 m: Sum ruled as last year in 2:00.28, Akkaoui with strong in-side finish beat the rest 2:00.73.
5000 m: Sensation of the meet. Ayana came close to WR with 3rd best all-time 14:14.32. It is also DR, MR, WL. Last 3 km in unbelievable 8:25.58. New star name of the season. Rest well beaten by 26 seconds, nearly half lap. Second Kibiwot 14:40.32 and interesting 3rd Teferi coming from Doha 1500 PB to another PB 14:41.98.
400mH: Spencer confirmed where she ended last year there she started this year. DL win 54.71. Williams was the best of Americans. But no WL as Little clocked 54.68 at SEC Champs on Saturday.
PV: Greece dominating PV. Fillipidis wins in Doha and here Kyriakopoulou with 473 NR and WL.
TJ: Ibarguen increased her winning streak to 23 meets with 14.85, close to WL (2 cm) and close to MR (4 cm). Saladukha 14.62 EL in season opener.
SP: Even without Valerie 20+ by home Gong Lijiao 20.23 WL right in her first meet of the year, Schwanitz is also back after surgery in top shape 19.94 EL.
JT: Second throwing win for China (good sign before Beijing Worlds) by Lu Huihui 64.08 over the whole World elite (except of Spotakova). It is also a MR as it never staged before here, always men javelin.
