Athletics fans got served a thrilling opening to the 2016 outdoor season as the Doha Diamond League set the ball rolling with exciting performances that gave glimpses of what to expect this year.
In an Olympic year that athletes would want to be in shape for the Games coming up in Rio de Janeiro, many world champions opened their campaign in Doha further underlining why they were the pick of the cherries by organisers for the meet.
It was an electric race in the women’s 100m, with the event laced with so much excitement. 2015 World Bronze medallist, Tori Bowie showed that she could be the top challenger to Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce this year, storming to victory in a new Personal Best and World Lead (WL)of 10.80s.
Dutch sensation Dafne Schippers who came to the meet as the favourite, finished 2nd in 10.83 as Jamaica’s Campbell-Brown was 3rd in 10.91s. All three women went under 11s, and it has already laid the marker of what to expect this season with the likes of Fraser-Pryce and Blessing Okagbare yet to even open their outdoor season.
Having run the third fastest time in the 400m this year, LaShawn Merritt was largely untroubled as he came through to win in 44.41s. On the same day that his rival, Wayde Van Niekerk ran 44.11s to move past him into 2nd on the 2016 standings, Merritt provided a good response and ran a powerful race to win in Doha.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Machel Cedenio ran a Season’s Best to finish 2nd in 44.68s as Abdalleleh Haroun came in 3rd at 44.81s. 2015 African Games GOLD medallist and former African record holder, Isaac Makwala finished 6th with a time of 45.71s.
The men’s 200m produced a surprise winner in Ameer Webb who ran a Meeting Record (MR) of 19.85s. Diamond Race winner in 2014 and 2015, Panama’s Edward Alonso was 2nd in 20.06s as Nigerian-born Qatari athlete, Femi Ogunode finished 3rd in 20.10s. Ogunode is the World Leader in the men’s 100m after matching his Asian Record of 9.91s at the Gainsville meet in Florida.
Meanwhile in the men’s 110m Hurdles, Jamaica’s Omar McLeod further underlined what a big year he could have, running a WL to win in 13.05s. McLeod has already won the 60m Hurdles World indoor title this year, and has gone on to become the first man to run under 10s in the 100m and under 13s in 110m hurdles.
McLeod’s compatriot Hansle Parchment finished 2nd in 13.10s as Orlando Ortega who last year switched nationality to Spain finished 3rd with a time of 13.10s.
With 2015 world champion, Zuzana Hejnová missing the race despite being initially slated for it, Great Britian’s Eilidh Doyle was the surprise winner in the women’s 400m Hurdles, taking the win in 54.53s with Nigerian-born Bahrain athlete, Kemi Adekoya finishing 2nd in 54.87s and Kaliese Spencer 3rd in 55.02s.
There was hardly any contest for Asbel Kiprop in the men’s 1500m, taking control of the race early on and could have easily had done a Meeting Record (MR) if he had gone for it, rather being content with winning the race with a WL of 3:32.15. In fact it was a Kenyan 1-2-3 as Elijah Manangoi placed 2nd with 3:33.67 and Silas Kiplagat 3rd in 3:33.86.
There was another Kenyan 1-2-3 in the men’s Steeplechase, but surprisingly world champion Ezekiel Kemboi was amongst the top 3 finishers. Conselsus Kiproto ran a WL of 8:05.13 to take the win as Jairus Birech was 2nd in 8:08.28 and Abraham Kibiwott 3rd in 8:09.25.
Former world champion, Caster Semenya showed that her three victories in three hours in the 400m, 800m and 1500m at their national trials was no fluke as she calculated her time well and attacked the last 50m to win the 800m in a WL of 1:58.26.
In fact the last time Semenya won a Diamond League race was five years ago in Paris, and who knows she could go on to surprise many this year. Habitam Alemu ran a PB of 1:59.14 to finish 2nd and last season’s Diamond Race winner, Eunice Sum 3rd in 1:59.74
What better way to end the Doha meet than the women’s 3000m where Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana who despite not matching Kenya’s Hellen Obiri two years African and Meet Record of 8:20.68, still produced a staggering performance and completely destroyed the field to win with a WL of 8:23.11.
Ayana’s PB is her 8:22.20, but the limited challenge she got could have been a factor in her not bettering the time. Mercy Cherono finished 2nd with a time of 8:26.36 and Gelete Burka 3rd in 8:28.49.
With the outdoor season now open, actions will now shift to Shanghai for the next Diamond League meet on May 14.
Click here to read reviews of the field events at Doha Diamond League.
Nice article. Bowie has now beaten Schippers in the 200m. Will be a good battle between Schippers and Bowie. I have written about these two as well if you’d like to take a look.