Category : Diamond League


24 May 2019	Shanghai Diamond League Recap 270 By O'Neil A. Reid 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 ....
18 May 2019	Elaine Thompson in Perspective 270 By Henley Taylor (Sensenya Ben Nyah) What must we make of Elaine Thompson's 11.14 run in the 100m, at the Shanghai Diamond League meet, today? Firstly, despite being off the mark, it is Thompson first major assignment for the season. Secondly, it is Thompson's Season's Best performance, in what will be a very long season, leading up to the World Championship in Doha, Qatar. Thirdly, it is good to see Thompson back on the international circuit, after an injury plagued season, last year, and finishing without injury. Should we be concerned? But what is 11.14 telling us at this time, about the phenomenal Thompson? Even though we do not expect her to be firing on all cylinders, so early, Thompson is usually ahead of the pack just the same. So what is a third-place finish indicating to us, about her? What really might we conclude about ....
29 June 2017	Van Niekerk upstages Bolt in Ostrava 270 By O'Neil A. Reid The 2017 Ostrava Golden Spike was billed the first European stop in the farewell tour of legendary sprinter Usain Bolt, who announced his retirement after the 2017 London World Championship scheduled for August 4 -13. Bolt, the 6’5” Jamaican, who was competing in his 9th Golden Spike meet, easily disposed of the competition, winning the 100m race in 10.06 seconds (-0.3 m/s), ahead of Cuba’s Yunier Perez (10.09) and Turkey’s Jak Ali Harvey (10.26). This was Bolt’s second race of the season, having clocked 10.03 seconds to win his season opener at the Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica on June 10th. Bolt has failed to go sub-10 seconds in his first two 100m outings. However, there is no need for alarm, as Bolt has historically slow starts to his season, only to peak at the opportune time, when gold medals are at stake. But while the festivities in Ostrava were centered on Bolt and rightfully so, it was the 24 year-old South A....
11 May 2017	Thompson, Simbine and Gardiner sparkle in Doha Diamond League Opener 270 By O'Neil A. Reid 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....
10 September 2016	Julian Forte Goes Sub-20 seconds in Brussels 270 By O'Neil A Reid Finally a breakthrough, the clock registered 19.97 seconds. This was a lifetime best, his first sub-20 seconds in the 200m. Julian Forte had won a closely contested 200m battle in the Brussels Diamond League on Friday. Forte, the 23 year old Jamaican sprinter, narrowly defeated Great Britain‘s Adam Gemili who also posted identical time of 19.97 seconds with the Netherland’s Martina Churandy finishing in third in 19.98 seconds. Gemili's time of 19.97 seconds was also a lifetime best.. By virtue of his 19.97 Brussels performance, Forte became the latest Jamaican to join the likes of Usain Bolt (19.19), Yohan Blake (19.26) among others to go sub-20 seconds in the 200m. Forte is trained by coach Stephen Francis at the MVP Track Club in Kingston, Jamaica. His 19.97 seconds performance was a satisfying end to the 2016 season marred by ups and downs. Missed Opportunities After leading his Jamaican 4x100m relay team to victory ....