DOHA, Qatar – The 2016 IAAF Diamond League opened with some sizzling performances, with world-leading marks being set in the sprints, distance and in the field.
The women’s 100m produced the three fastest time for 2016 in one race, as Tori Bowie, Dafne Schippers and Veronica Campbell-Brown all went under 11-seconds and quicker than the previous world-leading of 10.95 by USA’s Jenna Prandini.
World Championships bronze medallist Bowie held her form to out-lean Schippers and win the event in a personal best equalling and 2016 world-leading time of 10.80secs (+0.7 m/s).
“This being an Olympic year, I’m eagerly looking forward to this outdoor season,” Bowie said.
“I feel I’m a much better runner now than I was last season.”
Schippers, the 2015 IAAF World Championships 200m gold medal winner from Beijing, was second in 10.83, with Jamaica’s three-time Olympic champion Campbell-Brown running a season’s best of 10.91 for third place.
“It was close to my personal best, but my start was bad,” revealed Schippers.
Merritt Good Form Continues
In the men’s 400m, American LaShawn Merritt, running in the first race at the meeting, clocked 44.41 seconds for victory, after using a very strong opening 200m to set up a lead heading into the homestretch.
“I feel good,” Merritt revealed. “I executed the race as I wanted to.
“Now I’ll go back to training and keep working hard.”
Merritt came off the final bend with a lead of three metres, and although he was challenged for a brief moment, the American never looked worried as he powered home to another fast time this season.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Machel Cedenio finished strong to take second place in a season’s best time of 44.68, with third going to Qatar’s Abdelalelah Haroun in 44.81.
Olympic silver medallist Luguelín Santos from the Dominican Republic, still struggling with his early season form, faded to last in 46.53.
The men’s 200m also produced a fast time, with American Ameer Webb clocking a big personal 19.85 secs for first place.
He got home ahead of Alonso Edward of Panama (20.06) and Qatar’s Femi Ogunode (20.10).
American Walter Dix ran a season’s best 20.14 for fourth place.
