The Shanghai Diamond League meet held on Saturday May 18, 2019 was filled with several outstanding performances, including over 7 world-leads and several meet records. On the men’s side Americans Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley, Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba and Germany’s Andreas Hofmann all posted impressive victories. While on the women’s side Aleia Hobbs, Salwa Eid Naser, Beatrice Chepkoech and Huihui Lyu also posted impressive victories. With the 2019 World Championship schedule for Qatar later this year, and with Nationals trials set for June, athletes are using the Diamond League meets to fine-tune their craft as well as to garner some much needed funds that are available at the end of the Diamond League season.
Lyles edged Coleman
The future of American sprinting was on fully display in Shanghai as the much anticipated clash between Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman in the men’s 100m certainly lived-up to the hype. Coleman quickly recovered from an average start and quickly took command of the race. However, Lyles who was lingering at the back of the field, put together a well-executed last 40 meters to nip Coleman at the finish line. Both Lyles and Coleman were credited with the same time of 9.86 seconds (+0.9 m/s). However, the race was awarded to the fast finishing Lyles, who posted a time of 9.852 seconds to Coleman’s 9.858 seconds. South Africa’s Akani Simbine was third in 9.95 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Reece Prescod (9.97 seconds). The top-4 finishers went sub-10 seconds in this event. The 21-year old Lyles is some track and field quarters is considered the heir-apparent to Usain Bolt.
Aleia Hobbs wins
Reigning USA 100m champion Aleia Hobbs ran a control race to take the women’s 100m event in a season best time of 11.03 seconds (+0.2m/s) ahead of Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare (11.07) and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson (11.14). With 10m to go, Okagbare seems to have the race won, but Hobbs finished strong to take the victory. The twenty-three-year-old Hobbs who has a lifetime best 10.85 seconds, is in her first season on the professional circuit after an impressive 4 years competing for the LSU Tigers. Thompson’s performance was average and lacked her usual explosive finish, perhaps an indication that she has not fully recovered from her injuries but is running herself back into form.
Kerley and Naser win the 400m
Fred Kerley lead an American podium sweep of the men’s 400m race by taking the top spot in a season best time of 44.81 seconds ahead of Michael Cherry (45.48) and Nathan Strother (45.52) with Jamaica’s Nathan Allen in 4th in a season best time of 45.73 seconds. The much-anticipated showdown between Kerley and Jamaica’s Akeem Bloomfield did not materialize as the Jamaican failed to report for the start of the event. After a breakout season in 2017 which saw him setting a personal best 43.70 seconds in the 400m, Kerley’s progress was hampered by injuries as he managed to post a season best 44.33 seconds in 2018. For the 2019 season, the 24-year-old Kerley is hoping to recapture and build on the success of his breakout 2017 seasons.
One of the hottest young female talents on the circuit is 21-year-old Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain. Naser took command of the women’s 400m race with 100m to go and held off American Sydney McLaughlin (50.78) for the win. Botswanan Christine Botlogetswe (51.29) finished third with Jamaica’s Stephanie McPherson (51.39) in fourth place. Naser, the 400m silver-medalist at the 2017 London World Championship stopped the clock in a season best time of 50.65 seconds. Naser is hoping to build on her personal best 49.08 seconds, an Area record, which she set last season (2018).
Samba over Benjamin
Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba and USA’s Rai Benjamin, the top-2 highest ranking athletes in the 400m hurdles in 2018, renewed their battle in Shanghai. Samba took the victory in the men’s 400m hurdles stopping the clock in a world leading and meet record time of 47.27 seconds ahead of Benjamins (47.80) and Thomas Barr (49.41) of Ireland. Samba, the 2018 Diamond League winner who went 6-0 on the Diamond League circuit last season, picked up right where he left off in 2018. Armed with a personal best time of 46.98 seconds in 400m hurdles, the seconds fastest time in history behind world record holder Kevin Young (46.78), Samba poses a legitimate threat and could easily eclipse Young’s 27-year-old record by the end of the season. Benjamin, the 21-year-old American who has a lifetime best time of 47.02 seconds, also poses a lethal threat to Young’s world record. This makes the Samba-Benjamin match-up so intriguing.
Omar is Back
Reigning Olympic and World Championship men’s 110m hurdles champion Omar McLeod signal his return to form by winning the Shanghai men’s 110m hurdles race in a season best time of 13.12 seconds (+0.7m/s). McCleod finished ahead of China’s Wenjun Xie (13.17) and Sergey Shubenkov (13.28). This was McLeod fourth victories in Shanghai after posting 13.16 seconds to take win in the 2018 edition. Armed with a personal best 12.90 seconds in the 110m hurdles, Mcleod the Jamaican national record holder in this event will be seeking to defend his title in Qatar later this summer.
Other events
China’s Huihui Lyu took advantage of her hometown support to capture the women’s javelin event with a throw of 66.89m, a meet record. Lyu is currently the world leader in this event after throwing 67.72m last month (April).
Germany’s Andreas Hofmann won the men’s javelin event with a world leading throw of 87.55m
Aaron Brown and Andre de Grasse both of Canada took the top spots in the men’s 200m, with Brown winning in 20.07 (0.0m/s). De Grasse finished in second place in 20.21 seconds while the 21-year-old South African Clarence Munyai finished third in 20.37 seconds.
Yomif Kejelcha lead an Ethiopian podium sweep in the men’s 5000m by taking the victory in a world leading time of 13:04.16 ahead of countrymen Selemon Barega (13:04.71) and Hagos Gebrhiwet (13:04.83).
Morocco’s Rababe Arafi won the women’s 1500m in a world leading time of 4:01.15 ahead of Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay (4:01.25) and Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo (4:01.39). Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech blew away the competition to take the top spot in the women’s 3000m steeplechase in world leading time of 9:04.53.
Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle won the men’s long jump, on the 5th attempt, with a leap of 8.24m. China’s Jianan Wang finished in second place (8.16m) with South Africa’s Ruswahl Samaai (8.14m) in third.
Noah Lyles picture courtesy of Joe Swift Photography
Comments
Leave a Comment