Africans Almaz Ayana, Caster Semenya, Conseslus Kipruto and Asbel Kiprop set world leading times at the 2016 Doha meeting of the IAAF Diamond League series held in the Qatari capital for the seventh straight year last Friday.
Kenya‘s Asbel Kiprop’s scored his third Doha 1500m victory in the men’s race. The three-time world champion took control at 800m, was way out in front by the bell and was never challenged over the final lap to win in a world leading time of 3:32.15.
Fellow Kenyans Elijah Motonei Manangoi (3:33.67) was second and Silas Kiplagat (3:33.86) settled for third place.
Ethiopia‘s Almaz Ayana’s victory in the women’s 3000m was even more dominant. The reigning world 5000m champion was never threatened and closed with a 65-second final lap to win in 8:23.11, another world lead.
“It was a very good race for me,” said Ayana, who came up just a second shy of her personal best set last year. “My mind is already on Rio.”
Kenyan Mercy Cherono was second in 8:26.36 and Gelete Burka of Ethiopia finished third (8:26.49) while World 10,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot was fourth in 8:31.86.
South African former world champion Caster Semenya sets another world lead in the women’s 800m.
Semenya, who was third midway through the final turn, took the lead for good at the top of the home straight, clocking 1:58.26 for victory.
Ethiopian Habitam Alemu (1:59.14) was second while Kenyan Eunice Sum, the 2013 world champion was third in 1:59.74 and Morocco‘s Malika Akkaoui was fourth in 1:59.93.
Conseslus Kipruto kept the Doha 3000m steeplechase crown firmly in Kenyan hands with his impressive 8:05.13 victory, another world lead.
The two-time World championships silver medallist edged compatriot Jairus Kipchoge Birech (8:08.28) to second and Abraham Kibiwott to third in a lifetime best 8:09.25.
Mohamed Ibrahim Ismail sets a Burundian national record of 8:23.77 in 11th place while Kenyan Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi finished in 12th place in 8:31.18.
Botswana’s quartet (Baboloki Thebe, Nijel Amos, Zacharia Kamberuka and Leaname Maotoanong) after winning men’s 4x400m in Doha – IAAF Diamond League 2016 / Photo Credit: Angelos Zymaras / IDL Doha
Malachowski and Viljoen take the throws
Piotr Malachowski out-duelled Philip Milanov to take top honours in the discus throw. The pair exchanged the lead through all but one of the first four rounds, with Milanov taking control in round five with a 67.26m heave, a Belgian national record.
Malachowski, the reigning world champion, countered with a 68.03m toss with his final attempt to seize the victory and take over the world lead.
South African Victor Hogan finished third in the Doha Diamond League event at 65.59m.
His compatriot however, the African record holder Sunette Viljoen, prevailed in the women’s javelin throw with a 65.14m best, nearly two metres ahead of Australian Kathryn Mitchell who reached 63.25. Asian record holder Lu Huihui of China was third (62.42m).
LaShawn Merritt won a convincing victory in the men’s 400m in 44.41 ahead of Machel Cedenio of Trinidad and Tobago in second (44.68) with Qatar’s Abdallelah Haroun third in 44.81.
Botswana‘s Isaac Makwala, the former African record holder (43.72) finished in sixth position in 45.71.
In the women’s 100m race, US champion Tori Bowie topped a solid field to win in 10.80, a meeting record and world lead, edging The Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers by a scant 0.03 to equal her personal best set in 2014.
Two-time Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown clocked 10.91 in third with Ivorian Murielle Ahoure fourth in a season’s best 11.02, while 2015 African Games champion Marie-Josee Ta Lou finished fifth in 11.05.
Team Botswana won the men’s 4x400m in 3:02.29 ahead of Japan (3:02.45) and Qatar (3:03.91). Unfortunately the South Africans did not finish the race after Thapelo Phora pulled his hamstring in the second leg.
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