Double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson was in fine form on Friday (May 5) at the Doha Diamond League Meet in Qatar when she won her 200m season opener. Thompson got off to a slow start and but ran a smooth curve then used her superior top-end speed to accelerate to overpower the rest of the field overtake to stop the clock in 22.19 seconds. Thompson’s winning time was very impressive as she was running into a headwind (-2.3mps). Daphne Schippers (Netherland) was second in 22.45 seconds with Marie Josee Ta Lou (Ivory Coast) was third in 22.77 seconds. Thompson is coming off a successful indoor season where she ran a lifetime best 6.98 seconds in the 60m. Up next for Thompson is the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday May 13, where she will make her season debut in the 100m
Another sub-10 seconds for Simbine
South Africa’s Akani Simbine won the men’s 100m in impressive fashion, stopping the clock at 9.99 seconds ahead of Jamaica’s Asafa Powell (10.08) and Qatar’sFemi Ogunode (10.13). Simbine is having a great season so far having gone sub-10 seconds for the 6th time. His season best time of 9.92 seconds which he established last month (March 2016) in South Africa is just 0.03 seconds off his lifetime best 9.89 seconds. The 23-year old South African, who was 5th in the 100m finals at the 2016 Rio Olympics games, seems poised to make so noise this season. Powell, the “Sub-10 King” who has the distinction of running the most sub-10 seconds 100m races in history, a Guinness world record, failed to added to his 97th sub-10 seconds performance.
Steven Gardiner best Merritt in men’s 400m
Bahamian Steven Gardiner took the men’s 400m race in 44.60 seconds, the second fastest time so far this season. Gardiner finished ahead of the American duo of LaShawn Merritt (44.78) and Tony McQuay (44.92). The 21-year old Gardiner is perhaps the hottest quarter-miler on the circuit so far having posted the two fastest times in the 400m this season. At the Grenadian Invitational Meet on April 8, Gardiner won the 400m race in world-leading time of 44.26 seconds, which is a national record. Gardiner Doha performance should a great confidence-builder for the Bahamian.
Harrison and Semenya post victories
The valiant performer of the Doha Meet goes to American Kendra Harrison who won the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.59 seconds, which is the 2nd fastest time in the world so far this season. Harrison ran a control race despite breaking her finger during warm-ups prior to the event. Harrison, the world-record holder in this event, finished ahead of Germany’’s Cindy Roleder (12.90) and American Sharika Nelvis (12.91). Incidentally, Harrison also has the world-leading time of 12.56 seconds, which she established at the Drake Relays on April 29. Harrison is set to under surgery to fix her broken finger.
South Africa’s Caster Semenya, the reigning Olympic champion got her season off to a great start winning the women’s 800m in a world-leading time of 1:56.61 ahead of the Kenyan pair of Margaret Nyairera Wambui (1:57.03) and Eunice Sum (1.58.76). These were the three fastest times in world so far this season.
Reigning Olympic champion Kerron Clement was beaten by Qatar’s Abderrahaman Samba in the men’s 400m hurdles race. Samba stopped the clock in 48.44 seconds ahead of Clement (49.40) and South African L.J Van Zyl (49.49).
Other Results
American Michelle Carter, the Olympic champion in the shot put won her season opener with a 19.32m throw for the 2nd best throw in the world this year. Only the Hungarian Anita Marton has thrown further (19.63m).
Mutaz Essa Barshim, the silver medalist from the 2016 Rio Olympics, used his home field advantage to win the men’s high jump with a world leading clearance of 2.36m. Great Britain’s Robert Grabarz (2.31m) and Bahamian Donald Thomas (2.29m) took the minor places.
Edited by Raymond Byfield
Elaine Thompson picture above taken by O'Neil A. Reid at the 2017 Penn Relays