by Alfonz Juck
Shaunae Miller-Uibo cruises to win over 400 meters, photo from Jean Pierre Duran, for IAAF Diamond League
Ryan Crouser unleashes a big throw, photo courtesy of Jean Pierre Duran, for IAAF Diamond League
Elaine Thompson, Marie-Josee Ta Lou, 100 meters, photo from Jean Pierre Duran, for IAAF Diamond League
The Rabat Diamond League meet had soem fine performances, with several showcasing the athletic stars of Morocco. Here’s the report from EME News on the highlights of each event!
Crouser, Thompson, Miller-Uibo top marks
RABAT (MAR, Jul 16): Five meeting records highlighted the African stop of IAAF Diamond League. Top marks Crouser shot put and sprints by Thompson and Miller-Uibo. Also Ujah clocked MR in the 100 m with De Grasse in the 200 m. Interesting also in total 7 wins for European athletes. The meet was also hampered by several late cancellations from different reasons like injuries, travel difficulties or even some national federations not allowing their athletes to compete.
Event by event
Men
100m (non-DL): CJ Ujah’s good finish gave him the win and his third career sub-10 with 9.98. Ben Youssef Meite was second with 10.01 and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake third with 10.18.
200m: Andrew De Grasse’s strong last 80 metres took him to a meeting record 20.03. Ameer Webb was second with 20.18 as Zharnel Hughes equalled his season’s best with 20.22. Fred Kerley was fourth (20.27).
800m: Nijel Amos continued winning ways with 1:43.91. Kipyegon Bett (1:44.28) and Donovan Brazier followed (1:44.62).
1500m (non-DL): Brahim Akachab won with a PB 3:35.03 from fellow Moroccan Fouad El Kaam (3:36.26).
3000m (non-DL): Home win for Abdelaati Iguider in a season’s best 7:37.82 as Adel Mechaal was second in 7:38.35.
3000m steeplechase: Soufiane El Bakkali took a home victory in a PB 8:05:12 ahead of Jairus Birech (8:10.91). Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto dropped out.
High jump: Just 2.29m was enough for the high jump win for Andriy Protsenko. Joint second on 2.27m was Robbie Grabarz, Tihomir Ivanov and Gianmarco Tamberi.
Pole vault: Pavel Wojciechowski continued on form with a 5.85m win. Raphael Holzdeppe was second on 5.70m followed by Piotr Lisek 5.70m and Shawn Barber 5.60m.
Long jump: Rushwal Samaai took a narrow win over Jarrion Lawson 8.35m to 8.33m.
Shot put: Ryan Crouser’s meeting record 22.47m is the third best of his career and his 10th over 22m. O’Dyane Richards set a Jamaican record 21.96m for second ahead of Ryan Whting (21.26m) and Konrad Bukowiecki (21.12m) who arrived from Bydgoszcz.
Women
100m: With a meeting record 10.87, Elaine Thompson scored her 14th consecutive 100m victory (wind: +0.3), closely challenged by Marie-Jose Ta Lou (10.90). Michelle Lee-Ayhe was third with 11.02 and Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguenor fourth with 11.04.
400m: Shaunae Miller-Uibo took the win in a meeting record 49.80 and confirmed her clear position. Natasha Hastings was way behind in second in 50.86 ahead of US Champion Quanera Hayes (51.08) and Courtney Okolo (51.33). Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya was seventh on 51.33.
1500 m: Poland´s Angelika Cichocka topped women 1500 m in 4:01.93 over African and American rivals.
3000m steeplechase: Rare European win for Gesa Krause (9:18.87) who finished strongly over the last 200m to move convincingly away from Norah Jeruto (9:20.51) and Roseline Chepngetich (9:20.69).
400m hurdles: World champion Zuzana Hejnova 54.22 set a season’s best and European lead of 54.22. Janieve Russell (54.36) and Eilidh Doyle (54.92) were next in.
Triple jump: Caterine Ibarguen found 14.51m enough to win the triple jump, the Olympic champion leaving Kimberly Williams (14.31m) second.
Javelin: Barbora Spotakova needed only 63.73m – well below her season best. That first-round effort was challenged most closely by Martina Ratej (62.46m) and Tatsiana Khaladovich (62.38m).
