DOHA – Americans Noah Lyles and Gabrielle Thomas won the 200m of the first Diamond League meeting in Doha (Qatar) after being cut from a pole vault due to wind on Friday.
The event was canceled for security reasons on the second day of the sand storm. Swedish world record holder Armand Duplantis and French Renaud and Valentin Lavillenie will finally jump indoors at the Aspire Academy on Saturday afternoon.
At the Qatar Sports Club stadium, the focus was therefore on the sprint but also the high jump.
South Korean Wu Sang-hyuk (2.33 m), indoor world champion in Belgrade this year, ahead of national hero Mutaz Essa Bershim (2.30 m), Olympic champion with Italian Gianmarco Tambri (7th with 2.20 m, after three failures) Won. 2.24 m).
Last year’s Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo, Noah Lyles, took first place in the men’s 200 meters in 19 seconds 72/100 ahead of his compatriot Fred Kerle (19sec 75/100), Trinidadian Jérme Richard and Canada’s Andre de Grasse, Olympic Did. Champion (20 seconds 15/100).
“It was a good race. I think I’ve achieved a lot of things that I’ve been trying to do for a few weeks, I’m very happy with it,” Lyles responded. I love it, things are going naturally. So I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
– Objective World Championships –
De Grasse was also positive. “I have always wanted to do well but I know that my main objective is the world championships”, explained the Canadian, from 15 to 24 July in Eugene (USA). “It’s all just helping me get there, so I’m not 100% essential in Diamond League, but I want to have fun doing it.”
At the same distance in the women’s category, Gabrielle Thomas, also in bronze in Japan, won 21 seconds in 98/100, equaling the meeting record previously set by her compatriot Alison Felix.
“Starting the season was overwhelming (outside, editor’s note), there was a lot of competition,” she rejoiced. “I have the will to win, I fight till the end.”
Thomas was ahead of Jamaica’s Sherika Jackson (22 sec, 07/100) and British world champion Dina Asher-Smith (22 sec 37/100).
After being injured a few months after giving up on the half-lap in Tokyo, he later found his preferred distance. Usher-Smith commented, “I would have liked to be a little faster but this is my first 200m of the year and you have to run to be in good shape.”
– Surprise at 400 meters –
In the 400 meters hurdles, Brazil’s Alisson dos Santos, Olympic bronze medalist, won in 47 seconds 24/100, ahead of American Rai Benjamin, silver medalist (47 seconds 49/100).
Among women, surprise in 400 metres: Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Olympic champion, only signed for the third time (51 seconds 84/100), behind Dominican Marylidi Paulino (51 seconds 20/100) silver medalist . distance at the previous Olympic Games, and Jamaica’s Stephanie Ann McPherson (51 seconds 69/100).
The only French woman in the race, Cyrena Samba-Mayella, achieved the fifth fastest time in the 100 meters hurdles (12 seconds 72/100). Crowned world champion in the 60m indoor hurdles this winter, at age 21, she “starts taking (her) bearings for the season”.
“I see that I have a lot of things to do right, that’s normal, it’s the first race. But it was a good experience to start again with the big guys on the circuit,” says Samba-Mayela. For the second league Diamond.
On Saturday, Duplantis, who is now at 6.20m, will finally take to the track. His goal this season is to win the final title he is missing: that of outdoor world champion.
Then go to Birmingham (United Kingdom) on 21 May with an event including the first 100 meters of the Diamond League.