Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (third right), Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare (second left) and Jamaica’s Kerron Stewart (left) finished first, second and third respectively in the women’s 100 metres event at the IAAF Diamond League meet in Doha held at the Qatar Sports Club yesterday.

 

 

By Satya Rath/Doha

 

The biggest shock of the day was reserved for the end. Till then it was business as usual for the pre-race favourites, barring in the women’s 400m hurdles.

The 3000 metres was supposed to be Genzebe Dibaba’s race. The 23-year-old Ethiopian has been the rising star in women’s middle-distance running in recent months, particularly her dominating win at the World Indoors in Poland in March.

She began well, led till the final 400 metres before fading away and finally finishing a distant and struggling sixth. The top three spots were swept by Kenyans, led by Hellen Obiri, Cherono Mercy and Faith Chepngetich, all of them shaving more than 15 seconds off the old meet record of 8:35.83. Dibaba’s 8:26.21 was her personal best, but still was not enough.

“I don’t know what happened. Somehow I was not feeling well from the start,” was all she could say after her disappointing finish.

Jamaican sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce defended her 100m title with ease in 11.13, while all-conquering New Zealand shot-putter Valerie Adams made it victory number 47 in the other highlights of the evening.

The women’s 400m hurdles saw the shocker of the evening when outsider Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain not only won the race but did so with a season-leading performance. Her 54.59s timing was also her personal best; her previous best was 55.30.

“I swear I never expected to win. There are so many world class athletes here and I felt scared to run against them. I can’t tell you how I really pushed myself. My next target is to break the 53-second barrier. I am now confident I can do it,” Adekoya said.

Pre-race favourite Kaliese Spencer of Jamaica (55.07) and Briton Eilidh Child (55.43) followed the surprise winner to the ribbon.

There were no such surprises in the women’s 800m where Kenyan world champion Eunice Sum won with a season-leading 1:59.33, ahead of USA’s Chanelle Price who too broke the 2-minute barrier with a 1:59.75, her was also her personal best. Czech Lenka Masna filled the podium with a 2:00.20.

“I could not have asked for a better start to the season. The crowd egged me on, and the weather was nice too,” said Sum.

There was an upset of sorts in women’s pole vault too when Greece’s Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou soared over the likes of Cuban Yarisley Silva and Germany’s Kristina Gadschiew to win with a vault of 4.63 metres. Silva (4.53) and Gadschiew (4.43) failed to meet the Greek’s height despite their best efforts.

New Zealand shot-putter Adams, who extended her win streak in all competitions to 47 with today’s win, hurled the iron ball to a distance of 20.20m in her very first attempt, which was well below her Diamond League mark of 21.03 and meet record of 20.53, but still proved more than enough in the end. Belarus’ Yuliya Leantsiuk was next best with her second-attempt 18.78, followed by Anita Marton of Hungary (18.32).

Adams was satisfied with her effort. “It was a bit hot today, so I am happy I had a good first throw. It’s a good start to the season for me,” the all-conquering Kiwi said.

The women’s triple jump was won by world champion Colombian Caterine Ibarguen with a season-leading 14.43 which was also a meet record, while Slovakian Martina Ratej won the javelin event with a throw of 65.48.

As many as four meet records were set on the evening – in men’s high jump and men’s 1,500m besides the women’s 3,000m. As many as nine season-leading times were set, making it a great start to the season in what was the first of the 14-leg Diamond League series.

 

 

 

Below: A file photo of Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba. Dibaba was the favourite for the 3000 metres event but ended up finishing a disappointing sixth.