Sprint DOUBLE Silver medallist at the 2013 World Championships, Murielle Ahoure secured her first Diamond League victory of the season in the 100m, as she stopped the clock in 11.03s to finish ahead of Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown at the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday.
The 2014 Diamond Race winner posted who is only just making her first Diamond League appearance of the season took 2nd in 11.08s while Brazil’s Rosângela Cristina Oliveira Santos took 3rd in 11.27s. It was not a good outing for home girl, Ezinne Okpraebo as she finished a distant 8th in front of the home crowd with 11.53s.
Ahoure narrowly lost out to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Eugene where both athletes posted a World Lead (WL) of 10.81s, which was also a Personal Best (PB) and National Record (NR) for the Ivoirian. The African champion over 200m will be hoping to upstage the big names once again in Beijing as she did in Moscow two years ago.
One of the most consistent athletes in the series, Kaliese Spencer secured her 21st Diamond League victory, which she fought hard to retain after almost being denied by USA’s Georganne Moline who was in relentless pursuit up till the finishing line. The Jamaican took over the No.1 spot in the world from Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya, clocking 54.15s as Moline finished in 2nd with 54.29s.
Reigning World champion, Zuzana Hejnova was 3rd in 55.14s while Adekoya, who was expected to finish among the Top 3 after setting a PB and WL of 54.31s at the Asian Championships last week, placed 5th with a time of 55.37s.
It was redemption time for World Leader, Jasmin Stowers after two consecutive disappointing races in Rome and Birmingham. She overcame a slow start in Oslo to catch up with World Champion, Brianna Rollins, who had led the race from the start. It was a close one as both athletes clocked 12.84s but it was Stowers who took the race, while compatriot, Queen Harrison placed 3rd with 13.02s.
19-year old Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas powered home with a PB of 44.64s to win the men’s 400m. The Bahamian was unstoppable, leaving the rest of the field in his wake. Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith and Pavel Maslak of the Czech Republic followed with Season’s Bests (SB) of 45.09s and 45.39s respectively, while African champion, Isaac Makwala placed 5th with 45.74s.
Former European double sprint champion, Christophe Lemaitre gave himself an awesome birthday gift by coming from behind to win the men’s 200m with a time of 20.21s. The Frenchman, who turned 25 on Thursday, has not competed in many races this season, but is gradually hoping to return to form ahead of the World Championships in August.
South Africa’s Anaso Jobodwana followed in 2nd place in 20.39s as Great Britain’s Richard Kilty placed 3rd in 20.54s while Kenya’s Carvin Nkanata finished in 5th position after clocking 20.77s.
Genzebe Dibaba may someday add the 5000m World Record (WR) to her 1500m WR and 3000m World Indoor Record, but it was not to be at the Bislett Stadium, venue of the Oslo Diamond League where her elder sister, Tirunesh set the mark in 2008. High Jumper, Mutaz Barshim also failed in his bid for the WR at the same meeting.
This was Genzebe’s second attempt on the WR in as many weeks, having first tried to erase her older sibling’s record at the Eugene Diamond League where she clocked 14:19.76, the fourth fastest time over the distance. She was a bit slower in Oslo on Thursday evening where she won the event in 14:21.29, despite going solo in the latter part of the race. Country woman, Senbere Teferi was a distant 2nd in 14:38.57 as Kenya’s Viola Jelagat Kibiwot returned a time of 14:40.43 to finish 3rd.
She said, “I tried hard, but the pacemakers could not do what I needed. Of course it was also cold and the wind played a role but overall I’m OK with the race. I did my best – I’m not sure whether I will try to break my sister’s record again. Now my full concentration will go towards the 5000m at the Beijing World Championships.”
One of the best performances in Oslo was put up by Great Britain’s Laura Muir who stunned the likes of Sweden’s world indoor and outdoor champion Abeba Aregawi; World No.3, Dawit Seyaum and Kenyan record-holder Faith Kipyegon to win her first ever Diamond League with 4:00.39.
The 22-year-old Scot followed in the trail of the pacemakers and did not relent on her effortsuntill she got to the finishing line. It would appear that the rest of the field thought Muir was biting more than she could chew, expecting her to run out of energy. However it was too late to catch up with the Briton by the time they realised that she meant serious business indeed.
She said, “I heard them coming as the crowd got louder. But I managed to keep on running and won my first ever Diamond League. I think this is the biggest win of my career. I want to run fast so I was with the pacemakers and the others did not follow. I was aware I was alone but the crowd supported me a lot.” Kipyegon was 2nd in 4:00.94 while Seyaum followed with a time of 4:02.90.
The 1 Mile was won by two-time world champion over 1500m, Asbel Kiprop who stopped Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman from grabbing a hat-trick of successive victories in the Diamond League this season. He grabbed his fourth Dream Mile in Oslo by inspiring for Kenya after overtaking Souleiman, coasting home with 3:51.45 as Silas Kiplagat followed in 3:51.72, while Souleiman settled for 4th place in 3:52.69.
