Athletics News: Thomas and Lyles Claim Victory in Diamond League
American duo Gabby Thomas and Noah Lyles grabbed an impressive 200 meters win. And two men made monster throws, 90-meter javelin throws that were helped by the wind during the Diamond League season. Namely on a Friday’s festive night in front of a noisy crowd in Doha. The high-quality pitch makes for some impressive performances on the track. And the field as the outdoor season begins to take shape ahead of the July world championships at Eugene in the US. The Americans will be hoping to dominate the sprint at home. And they put an early marker as Lyles held off compatriot Fred Kerley to win the 200m in 19.72 seconds. Despite the highly illegal +2.1 second winds making him turn down the encounter record.
“I perform better under pressure; the crowd excites me,” said Lyles. “Actually, I feel good and satisfied with my current position.” Canada’s Andre de Grasse, who won gold in Tokyo when Lyles finished third. Seemed a little sluggish as he trailed in fourth at 20.15 minutes. In the women’s number, Shericka Jackson from Jamaica looks set to open the match with a win. Only for Thomas to cross it in the final 20 meters to equal a meeting record with an impressive start to the season of 21.98 seconds. Jackson posted 22.07, with British world champion Dina Asher-Smith fading to 22.37 in third.
“I was nervous, but I feel great now,” Thomas said. “It’s an amazing feeling to play here with the crowd. It gives me good energy, it’s beautiful to be here in Doha.”
Pole Jumping Race Postponed
After several attempts, the men’s pole vault was called off as organizers decided strong winds made it too dangerous. They also swap positions for javelin throwers. And Tokyo silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch quickly took advantage of the wind with a throw of 89.87 meters. Beating his personal best of five years. It was just the beginning when the 2019 Doha world champion from Grenada, Anderson Peters, got 90.19. Valdlejch immediately hit back with 90.88, only for Peters to destroy 93.07. Making him the fifth longest thrower since the weight of the javelin was changed. Also mastering difficult conditions was Korean athlete Woo Sang-hyeok who won the high jump with 2.33 meters.
Brazil’s Dos Santos Alison set a meeting record with a 47.24-second win in the men’s 400m hurdles. Meanwhile, Olympic doubles champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas could only finish third in the women’s 400m. As Tokyo silver medalist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic won in 51.20 seconds. The final and longest race of the night ended closest to Moroccan Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali. Somehow outperformed Lamecha Girma from Ethiopia, the man he won the silver medal in Tokyo. To win the 3,000m high jump run by a hundredth of a second. The Diamond League continues in Birmingham, England, next Saturday.
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