Sha’Carri Richardson and Fred Kerley impress in Doha

The American Sha’Carri Richardson confirmed her very good start to the season by winning a high-end 100m in 10”76 (+0.9 m/s), new world best performance, ahead of the Jamaican and vice-champion of the world Shericka Jackson (10”85) and Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (10”98). Richardson started less well than her two rivals but finished much better. This is his first Diamond League victory.

In the 200m, despite an average action, the American 100m world champion Fred Kerley superbly restored the situation in the straight line to win in 19”92 (+0.3 m/s) ahead of his compatriot Kenny Bednarek (20”11) and Canadian Aaron Brown (20”20). Much more difficult evening for the American world champion in the 400m Mike Norman, last of this 200m in 20”65.

Pichardo and Zango are already going far

The Portuguese Olympic champion in the triple jump Pedro Pichardo started very well with a first attempt at 17.65 m (zero wind), then jumped up to 17.91 m (+2.1 m/s), an attempt hair too windy to be approved as the best world performance of the year. In a very high level competition, she returned to Burkinabé Hugues-Fabrice Zango, second with 17.81 m (+1.5 m/s). The athlete trained by Teddy Tamgho is only 1 cm away from his personal best. The third is the Cuban Andy Diaz Andy Diaz (17.80 m; +2.6 m/s), who recently obtained Italian citizenship but cannot yet compete under his new flag.

Benjamin wins the 400m hurdles, Happio 3rd

In the 400m hurdles, the American Rai Benjamin, recently affected by the Covid, had to work until the last meters to win in 47”78 ahead of his compatriot CJ Allen (47”93), who set a new personal record. Behind the US duo, there is a chasm since European vice-champion Wilfried Happio took 3rd place in 49”12 for his first outing of the season. He was the only French present in Doha in this first stage of the Diamond League.

The evening ended with the victory in the 1500m of the double Olympic and world champion in the distance Kenyan Faith Kipyegon. She indicated this week that she wanted to turn to the marathon in the more or less near future, but let’s take advantage as much as possible of her stride and her finish, still admirable this Friday in Doha with a success in 3’58”57, best world performance, ahead of the young Ethiopian Diribe Welteji (3’59”34)

Camacho-Quinn reaps the wins

The 100m hurdles allowed the Puerto Rican Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn to win in 12”48 (+1.1 m/s) with a comfortable margin over the American Alaysha Johnson (12”66). This is Camacho-Quinn’s 7th Diamond League win in a year.

The 3000m indoor world record holder, the Ethiopian Lamecha Girma, withstood the onslaught of his compatriots Selemon Barega and Berihu Aregawi to win the 3000m in 7’26”18, meeting record and also best global performance of the year.

Fifth at the Worlds in Eugene, the Algerian Slimane Moula produced a superb finish to win the 800m in 1’46”06 ahead of the Kenyan Wyclife Kisasy (1’46”61).

Barshim loses at home

In men’s height, disappointment for the Doha public since “his” triple world champion Mutaz Barshim only took 3rd place in the competition with 2.24m. American JuVaughn Harrison won with 2.32m ahead of South Korean Sanghyeok Woo (2.27m).

In the javelin, the Indian Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra imposed himself to the delight of the diaspora present in Doha with a throw, his first of the evening, at 88.67 m, the best world performance of the year. He was ahead of the Czech Jakub Vadlejch by only four cm (88.63 m) and the Grenadian Anderson Peters (85.88 m).

On the discus, the Slovenian world champion Kristjan Ceh managed 70.89 m entry, a new meeting record, and 11 cm from the best world performance signed a week ago by the Lithuanian Mykolas Alekna. He was well ahead of Swedish Olympic champion Daniel Stahl (67.14m) and Australian Matthew Denny (64.42m).