2010 Zürich Diamond League Recap: Like Old Times Wariner, Spearmon, Felix, US 4 X 100 Impress, Solinsky Gets Closer

By LetsRun.com
August 19, 2010
*Results

Zürich was the final Diamond League stop for 16 events. $40,000 was on the line for the overall Diamond League winner and $10,000 for each event winner. Event by event recap below.

Men's 5,000: Solinsky Breaks 13:00 Yet Again As David Moorcroft Loses His British Record
Of all the races in Zürich, this is the one the average LetsRun.com visitor was paying the most attention to and those fans that turned in mid-day were rewarded as Chris Solinsky broke 13:00 for the third time this year. More importantly, Solinsky was more compeittive, as he finished in the top three in Europe for the first time this year (his previous best finish had only been 5th) and there was one brief point in the last lap when American fans (even the British announcer) were thinking Chris might have a chance to win this thing.

In hindsight, Solinsky wasn't winning this thing, but it was a bit interesting over the last 400 (but probably not as exciting as last year when Dathan Ritzenhein tried to charge on the great Kenenisa Bekele). The man that was clearly the best over the last lap was Tariku Bekele, who blitzed his last 400 in about 54 to get the win in 12:55.03, but Solinsky gave American fans a brief, albeit possibly false hope for victory.

The race had started off quick, as the opening 1,000 was run 2:32.19 and it was clear from the beginning that Solinsky came to play tonight, as he was up in 7th on the first lap. However, by 2k with the pace still really hot - 5:06.90 was the split (5:07 is 12:47 pace) - Solinsky had fallen back to 12th. The pace would lag over the next 2k and Solinsky would move back up, as he was sixth with three laps to go. The 4km mark was hit in 10:24.05, meaning the second 2k was run in 5:17.15 (that's 13:12 pace from 2k to 4k). The beginning had been too fast, and the middle too slow, but it was clear with a sprint that the top finishers would all break 13:00. The problem was that it looked like the American record of 12:54.12 was slipping away.

Heading into the bell, there were still 10 runners in touch with the leaders, but the contenders were soon separated from the pretenders as the top four moved clear of everyone else and Solinsky was one of those men. He started the final lap in fourth and he soon moved into third. Heading into the final 200, Solinsky and Diamond League leader Imane Merga were battling it out for 2nd, as Tariku Bekele was five or six meters ahead. It was clear that Tariku was running hard and just past the 150 mark, the announcer got excited thinking maybe he'd fade and Solinsky would get the win if he could find a way to beat Merga.

However, none of that happened. Bekele did just the opposite - he extended his lead to more than ten meters before coasting it in for the win. Solinsky, who did move into second early in the homestretch, was unable to hold off Merga, who fought back and got second.

Finishing fifth in a new British record of 12:57.94 was double European champion Mo Farah. Farah had at one point fallen off the leaders, but got back on the main pack when the pace lagged. David Moorcroft's amazing British record of 13:00.41 from July 7th of 1982 was finally history. Boy are we pleased that we hyped the profile of Moorcroft all week. (More on Farah's run here)

American Galen Rupp was also in the race. Sensing that the opening pace was hot, Rupp started off in the back of the field as he was next-to-last (18th) after the first lap. Near the 2k mark, Rupp had moved up to 13th and was close to Solinsky, but Rupp struggled a bit after that point. Nonetheless, while we know Rupp is disappointed he didn't join Solinsky in the sub-13 club, he can't be too upset as he did leave the track with a PR, getting under the 13:10 barrier for the first time and finishing 12th in 13:07.35. Plus, Galen should take heart in the fact that every American-born athlete who has broken 13:10 in history has also broken 13:00 eventually in their careers.

Splits: 1,000m - Birgen, Bethwell (KEN) - 2:32.19. 2,000m - Birgen, Bethwell (KEN) - 5:06.90. 3,000m - Komen, Daniel Kipchirchir (KEN) - 7:44.79. 4,000m - Kipchoge, Eliud (KEN) -10:24.05.

1	BEKELE, Tariku	ETH	12:55.03		14	2
2	MERGA, Imane	ETH	12:56.34		16	1
3	SOLINSKY, Chris	USA	12:56.45		2	6
4	CHEPKOK, Vincent Kiprop	KEN	12:57.77		6	3
5	FARAH, Mohammed	GBR	12:57.94	NR
6	SOI, Edwin Cheruiyot	KEN	12:58.91	SB
7	MASAI, Moses Ndiema	KEN	13:02.45
8	YATOR, Vincent	KEN	13:04.50	PB
9	ROTICH, Lucas Kimeli	KEN	13:04.85
10	BETT, David Kiprotich	KEN	13:06.06	PB
11	KIPCHOGE, Eliud	KEN	13:07.06		6	3
12	RUPP, Galen	USA	13:07.35	PB
13	MBISHEI, Titus	KEN	13:13.81
14	CHESHARI, Jacob	KEN	13:15.93
15	MUTAHI, Sammy Alex	KEN	13:16.60		2	7
16	THOMPSON, Christopher	GBR	13:28.43
	BIRGEN, Bethwell	KEN	DNF
	KIPTOO, Mark Kosgei	KEN	DNF		4	5
	KOMEN, Daniel Kipchirchir	KEN	DNF

Women's 1,500: Langat Wins Yet Again As Challengers Literally Fall Over Themselves
Watching this race on television was a bit bizarre. Heading into the bell, one runner was way out front - maybe 20 meters ahead - and we were thinking "What the hell is going on?" The announcers were totally ignoring the fact that the leader was Mimi Belete - a runner who has run 4:01 each of the last two times out. Maybe everyone but us knew she was supposed to be the rabbit but she was so far ahead we were thinking, "If she is, she ought to try to steal this race." Try to steal it she did.

The first lap was run in a quick 61.32, but lead rabbit Diane Cummins did an awful job over the next 400, as she only ran a 66.46. Belete ended up with a big lead at the bell as she rammed her third lap back down in the 62-flat range (Belete reached 1,200 in 3:10.99) and no one went with her. However, after she hit 1,200, Belete quickly ran out of steam and was passed by a group of runners entering the final 200. Over the last 200, there was no doubt as to who was the best, as Kenya's Nancy Langat did what she's done every time this summer except once - win.

Once again Langat won, but once again she failed to break 4:00 (her winning time was 4:01.01) due to the uneven pacemaking.

The battle for second was totally disrupted as there was a big fall. Morgan Uceny, who had been the top American in each of the last two Diamond League races (one at 1,500  one at 800), was taken out as the runners rounded the final turn and a slew of runners either went down with her (Anna Pierce included) or lost momentum. Uceny had been following Langat throughout the race and seemed poised to be the top American yet again. In the end, Gelete Burka ended up second in 4:02.26, as Brit Stephanie Twell gave herself a nice birthday present as she lowered her PR to finish third in 4:02.54. Twell had finished third-to-last in London last weekend.

Splits: 400m - Cummins, Diane (CAN) - 1:01.32. 800m - Cummins, Diane (CAN) - 2:07.78. 1,200m - Belete, Mimi (BRN) - 3:10.99

1	LANGAT, Nancy Jebet	KEN	4:01.01		25	1
2	BURKA, Gelete	ETH	4:02.26		11	2
3	TWELL, Stephanie	GBR	4:02.54	PB	2	4
4	DOBRISKEY, Lisa	GBR	4:02.92		1	6
5	JELAGAT, Irene	KEN	4:03.76	SB
6	JEPKOSGEI, Janeth	KEN	4:04.17	PB
7	ARIGAWI, Abeba	ETH	4:05.05
8	ROWBURY, Shannon	USA	4:05.48
9	ALMINOVA, Anna	RUS	4:05.82		8	3
10	KIBIWOT, Viola	KEN	4:06.13
11	CAKIR, Asli	TUR	4:08.39
12	WURTH-THOMAS, Christin	USA	4:09.37		2	5
	BELETE, Mimi	BRN	DNF		1	6
	CUMMINS, Diane	CAN	DNF
	PIERCE, Anna	USA	DNF
	UCENY, Morgan	USA	DNF

Men's Steeple: Kemboi Wins Battle Over Koech (But Koech Wins War)

2004 Olympic and 2009 world champion Ezekiel Kemboi showed yet again he's a big meet performer, as he won the final Diamond League meet of the year thanks to a 62-second last lap. Paul Kipsiele Koech had the lead heading into the last lap and while no champion enjoys losing, Koech probably wasn't too unhappy as he did hold onto the Diamond League title for the year by finishing second.

Splits: 1,000m: Lagat, Haron (KEN) - 2:38.02. 2,000m:  Koech, Paul Kipsiele (KEN) - 5:20.82.

1	KEMBOI, Ezekiel	KEN	8:01.74	SB	15	2
2	KOECH, Paul Kipsiele	KEN	8:05.48		17	1
3	TAHRI, Bouabdallah	FRA	8:07.20		2	5
4	KIPLAGAT, Benjamin	UGA	8:08.70		2	6
5	MATEELONG, Richard Kipkemboi	KEN	8:09.25
6	SHAHEEN, Saif Saaeed	QAT	8:09.63	SB
7	KIPRUTO, Brimin Kiprop	KEN	8:10.02		10	3
8	MEKHISSI BENABBAD, Mahiedine	FRA	8:10.50
9	LUCHIANOV, Ion	MDA	8:19.91
10	SZYMKOWIAK, Tomasz	POL	8:24.58
11	KITUM, Silas Kosgei	KEN	8:25.82
12	BLANCO, José Luis	ESP	8:26.29
13	HULING, Daniel	USA	8:36.66
	CHELIMO, Elijah	KEN	DNF
	LAGAT, Haron	KEN	DNF
	LANGAT, Patrick	KEN	DNF		3	4

Men's 110 Hurdles: Oliver Remains Perfect
David Oliver's perfect 2010 continued as he won his 11th straight final. It was clear Oliver wanted more - maybe the world record - as he was running hard at the end - so hard he stumbled and fell to the track at the line.

1	OLIVER, David	USA	12.93		0.163	28	1
2	THOMAS, Dwight	JAM	13.25	SB	0.147	9	2
3	WILSON, Ryan	USA	13.26		0.164	8	3
4	SVOBODA, Petr	CZE	13.30		0.167
5	BROWN, Joel	USA	13.31		0.194
6	DARIEN, Garfield	FRA	13.34	=PB	0.189	1	4
7	RICHARDSON, Jason	USA	13.34	=SB	0.165
8	TURNER, Andrew	GBR	13.36		0.145
9	SHARMAN, William	GBR	13.51		0.155

Men’s 400: Wariner Runs Fastest Time In Nearly Two Years
200 meters into the race, Jeremy Wariner was behind Jamaica’s Jermaine Gonzales. But with 150 to go, Wariner started to creep up and the last 100 was all his, as he powered home to his sixth Diamond League victory of the year - a perfect six for six in 2010 for Wariner in the Diamond League.  His winning time of 44.13 was the fastest since Wariner ran 43.82 in this same meet in 2008 and it resulted in him receiving a $20,000 time bonus.

1	WARINER, Jeremy	USA	44.13	WL	0.199	28	1	*
2	GONZALES, Jermaine	JAM	44.51		0.192	14	2
3	TAYLOR, Angelo	USA	44.72	SB	0.179	4	3
4	CHAMBERS, Ricardo	JAM	44.96		0.187	3	4
5	BORLEE, Jonathan	BEL	45.23		0.186	2	5
6	ROONEY, Martyn	GBR	45.67		0.224
7	BINGHAM, Michael	GBR	46.00		0.260	1	6
8	GILLICK, David	IRL	46.05		0.182

Men's 200: Wallace Spearmon Wins In 19.79
Wallace Spearmon came from behind over the final 200 to capture the Diamond League title by defeating Yohan Blake 19.79 to Blake's 19.86. Spearmon's 19.79 time was his fastest wind-legal time since 2006 (Spearmon did run an aided 19.77 at USAs this year).

We're not sure why the injured Walter Dix didn't show up and walk the race as he would have made $40,000, as he had an unassailable lead in the Dimaond League point race prior to his injury.

1	SPEARMON, Wallace	USA	19.79	MR	0.155	13	1
2	BLAKE, Yohan	JAM	19.86		0.272	6	2
3	BAILEY, Ryan	USA	20.10	PB	0.153	4	3
4	MULLINGS, Steve	JAM	20.11	SB	0.178
5	NDURE, Jaysuma Saidy	NOR	20.29	SB	0.156	1	5
6	CARTER, Xavier	USA	20.38		0.183	1	5
7	MARTINA, Churandy	AHO	20.40		0.157	2	4
8	SCHNEEBERGER, Marc	SUI	20.55	SB	0.147

*On the boards: Watler Dix Lost Out on $40,000 by Not Running Zurich

Women's 400: Felix Remains Undefeated At 400 For Year
Allyson Felix proved she's the best in the world at 400 in 2010 as she added the 400 Diamond League title to her 200 title. Although she only is #8 on the 2010 world list in terms of time, Felix is a perfect four-for-four at 400 meters outdoors this summer and she defeated both the world leader Debbie Dunn and the European champion Tatyana Firova.

1	FELIX, Allyson	USA	50.37		0.196	20	1
2	DUNN, Debbie	USA	50.57		0.282	10	3
3	MONTSHO, Amantle	BOT	50.63		0.316	10	2
4	WILLIAMS, Shericka	JAM	50.73		0.266	5	5
5	WILLIAMS-MILLS, Novlene	JAM	50.80		0.374	4	6
6	FIROVA, Tatyana	RUS	51.02		0.227	6	4
7	GRENOT, Libania	ITA	51.07		0.220
8	USTALOVA, Kseniya	RUS	52.07		0.277

Men's 4 x 100: US Runs Fast
Despite two awful handoffs, the US dominated and almost got the US record of 37.40. A fresh Tyson Gay certainly helped the cause.

1	UNITED STATES OF AMERICA	USA	37.45	WL,MR	0.157
2	JAMAICA	JAM	37.76		0.241
3	GREAT BRITAIN & NI	GBR	38.41		0.184
4	CANADA	CAN	38.74		0.213
5	SWITZERLAND	SUI	38.81		0.158
6	POLAND	POL	39.27		0.164
7	AUSTRALIA	AUS	39.45		0.191
8	NETHERLANDS	NED	40.13		0.161

Women's 110 Hurdles - Priscilla Lopes-Schliep Just Misses Her World Lead Of 12.52

1	LOPES-SCHLIEP, Priscilla	CAN	12.53		0.176
2	NYTRA, Carolin	GER	12.69		0.180
3	JONES, Lolo	USA	12.81		0.194
4	URECH, Lisa	SUI	12.81	PB	0.171
5	VUKICEVIC, Christina	NOR	12.93		0.158
6	YANIT, Nevin	TUR	12.94		0.187
7	O'ROURKE, Derval	IRL	13.00		0.173
8	SNIHUR, Yevheniya	UKR	13.11		0.262
9	HILDEBRAND, Nadine	GER	13.17		0.185

Women's 400 Hurdles - Spencer Wins Again
Diamond League winner Kaliese Spencer capped her Diamond League victory in style as she won her fifth straight race with a new personal best of 53.33.

1	SPENCER, Kaliese	JAM	53.33	PB	24	1
2	HEJNOVÁ, Zuzana	CZE	54.54		8	2
3	ODUMOSU, Ajoke	NGR	55.11		2	4
4	ANTYUKH, Natalya	RUS	55.14		5	3
5	CHILD, Eilidh	GBR	55.57		1	5
6	MOROSANU, Angela	ROU	56.43		1	5
7	HARRISON, Queen	USA	56.68
8	ISAKOVA, Yevgeniya	RUS	59.87

Women's 100: Jeter Wins In Photo
Carmelita Jeter got the Diamond League title but Veronica Campbell-Brown showed she's the best in the world in our book - albeit by the narrowest of margins. Campbell-Brown seemed to have the race in hand, but she started to lean way too early and Jeter almost caught her at the line. Campbell-Brown has run faster than Jeter this year (10.78 to 10.82) and now is even against Jeter for the year (2 wins 2 losses). For their careers, Campbell-Brown leads 16 to 6.

1	CAMPBELL-BROWN, Veronica	JAM	10.89		0.153	14	2
2	JETER, Carmelita	USA	10.89		0.185	21	1
3	MYERS, Marshevet	USA	10.97	SB	0.170	2	5
4	BAPTISTE, Kelly-Ann	TRI	11.11		0.136	3	3
5	SIMPSON, Sherone	JAM	11.18		0.147	3	3
6	OKAGBARE, Blessing	NGR	11.19		0.151
7	SAILER, Verena	GER	11.25		0.166
8	OKPARAEBO, Ezinne	NOR	11.45		0.167
9	SOUMARE, Myriam	FRA	11.56		0.196

Men's 100: Trell Kimmons Breaks 10.00 Legally For First Time
Kimmons' legal PR coming in was only 10.09.

1	KIMMONS, Trell	USA	9.95	PB	0.167
2	RODGERS, Michael	USA	10.12		0.143
3	EFFAH, Sam	CAN	10.19		0.172
4	DEVONISH, Marlon	GBR	10.26		0.148
5	DAVIES, Matthew	AUS	10.45		0.154
	FORSYTHE, Mario	JAM	DNF		0.143
	FRATER, Michael	JAM	DNF		0.151
	LEWIS-FRANCIS, Mark	GBR	DQ	R 162.7	0.030
	ROUGE-SERRET, Aaron	AUS	DQ	R 162.7	0.033

Field Events
Men's Long Jump: Superman Wins In Zürich And Diamond League Crown

Dwight Phillips got the win here to cement his Diamond League title. Fabrice Lapierre of Australia had a chance to catch him coming in but fouled on all six attempts.

1	PHILLIPS, Dwight	USA	8.20 -0.3		24	1			8.20 (-0.3)	x (0.0)	-	-	8.04 (-0.3)	8.06 (-0.1)
2	REIF, Christian	GER	8.11 -0.1		4	3			x (0.0)	7.72 (-0.4)	7.59 (-0.6)	7.85 (-0.3)	8.11 (-0.1)	x (-0.5)
3	TOMLINSON, Chris	GBR	7.97 +0.2		3	4			7.75 (+0.1)	7.97 (+0.2)	7.82 (-0.7)	7.81 (-0.2)	7.85 (-0.1)	7.68 (-0.5)
4	SHALIN, Pavel	RUS	7.88 0.0		1	5			7.86 (+0.3)	7.85 (+0.8)	7.82 (-0.6)	7.88 (0.0)	x (-0.6)	7.60 (-0.5)
5	HOWE, Andrew	ITA	7.88 -0.2						x (0.0)	7.81 (+0.2)	7.88 (-0.2)	x (-0.5)	6.10 (-0.4)	6.31 (-0.7)
6	SDIRI, Salim	FRA	7.84 +0.2						7.84 (+0.2)	x (+0.2)	x (-0.3)	x (-0.6)	7.70 (-0.8)	7.57 (-0.4)
7	GOMIS, Kafétien	FRA	7.29 -0.9						x (-0.2)	x (+0.1)	7.29 (-0.9)	x (-0.4)	x (0.0)	x (-0.6)
	LAPIERRE, Fabrice	AUS	NM		11	2			x (+0.3)	x (-0.4)	x (+0.1)	x (-0.5)	x (+0.2)	x (-0.9)

Men's High Jump Ivan Ukhov Wins DL Title

American Jesse Williams could have won the DL title with a win here but Ukhov got the best of him again. It was Williams' 5th runner up finish in the DL this year.

1	UKHOV, Ivan	RUS	2.29		20	1			o -	o xxx	-	o	o	-
2	WILLIAMS, Jesse	USA	2.26		13	2			-	o	o	o	xxx
3	SHUSTOV, Aleksandr	RUS	2.26		2	3			-	o	xo	o	xxx
4	DMITRIK, Aleksey	RUS	2.26						o	xxo	o	o	xxx
5	RYBAKOV, Yaroslav	RUS	2.26		2	4			-	o	-	xo	xxx
6	THOMAS, Donald	BAH	2.26		1	5			-	o	-	xxo	xxx
7	NARTOV, Oleksandr	UKR	2.23						o	xxo	xxo	xxx
8	BERNARD, Martyn	GBR	2.20						o	xo	xxx
9	BÁBA, Jaroslav	CZE	2.20						o	xxo	-	xxx
10	JONAS, Dusty	USA	2.15						o	xxx

Women's Pole Vault: Fabiana Murer Gets Title

1	MURER, Fabiana	BRA	4.81		23	1			- o	- o	- o	o xxx	o	-
2	FEOFANOVA, Svetlana	RUS	4.71		14	2			- o	- x-	o xx	-	o	-
3	SPIEGELBURG, Silke	GER	4.61		11	3			- x-	- xx	o	-	o	-
4	JANSON, Lacy	USA	4.51		2	4			-	xo	xxo	o	xxx
5	RYZIH, Lisa	GER	4.51						-	xo	xo	xxo
6	HINGST, Carolin	GER	4.41						-	-	xo	xxx
7	GOLUBCHIKOVA, Yuliya	RUS	4.41		1	6			-	xo	xo	xxx
8	PTÁCNÍKOVÁ, Jirina	CZE	4.41		2	4			-	o	xxo	xxx
9	SCHMID, Anna Katharina	SUI	4.21						o	o	xxx
	SHVEDOVA, Anastasiya	BLR	NM						-	xxx

Men's Discus: World Champ Robert Harting Gets First DL Win Of Year In His 3rd Attempt

1	HARTING, Robert	GER	68.64		10	4			61.49	65.89	65.54	x	68.64	67.82
2	MALACHOWSKI, Piotr	POL	68.48		18	1			65.56	63.80	x	x	68.48	x
3	PESTANO, Mario	ESP	66.49		2	5			65.42	x	66.49	x	x	62.90
4	KOVÁGÓ, Zoltán	HUN	65.32		13	2			62.20	65.20	65.32	64.94	x	x
5	KANTER, Gerd	EST	65.20		10	3			64.39	64.59	63.60	x	x	65.20
6	MALONE, Casey	USA	64.49		1	6			x	64.31	64.49	x	x	x
7	ALEKNA, Virgilijus	LTU	64.39		1	6			62.59	62.84	x	63.08	64.39	62.76
8	YOUNG, Jason	USA	62.87		1	6			x	62.87	62.87	61.75	62.67	61.20
9	ISRAEL, Märt	EST	62.64						62.30	61.47	62.64

Women's Javelin: Christian Obergföll Gets First DL Win

1	OBERGFÖLL, Christina	GER	67.31	MR	8	3			64.33	64.98	x	67.31	65.19	x
2	ŠPOTÁKOVÁ, Barbora	CZE	65.34		20	1			54.78	61.43	61.79	63.32	-	65.34
3	STAHL, Linda	GER	63.30		3	6			56.63	63.19	61.31	63.30	62.05	59.71
4	ABAKUMOVA, Mariya	RUS	62.51		4	5			x	62.51	x	57.65	60.80	60.34
5	MOLITOR, Katharina	GER	62.21						62.21	62.08	x	x	58.55	x
6	PALAMEIKA, Madara	LAT	61.75						60.38	55.68	61.32	60.61	61.67	61.75
7	VILJOEN, Sunette	RSA	59.95		7	4			58.47	59.95	56.40	59.27	55.84	x
8	REBRYK, Vira	UKR	59.78		1	7			55.45	54.11	59.78	x	58.93	x
9	PATTERSON, Kara	USA	59.50		10	2			57.29	57.88	59.50

 

 

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