2015 Weltklasse Zurich Full Meet Recap: Asbel Reigns Supreme, Ayana Takes Down Dibaba (Again), Eunice Sum Rebounds as David Rudisha and the Steeplechase Medallists Struggle
by LetsRun.com
September 3, 2015
Just four days after the end of the 2015 IAAF World Championships, the first of two Diamond League finals was held at the Wetlklasse Zurich track and field meet today in Switzerland. Jet-lag and/or a post-Worlds hangover definitely impacted some of the performances but a lot of cash was on the line and there was some riveting action as a result as the $40,000 Diamond League jackpot was decided in a number of events.
We recap the entire meet for you below, starting with the mid-d and distance action.
Men’s 1500: Yet Another Beautiful Run by Kiprop
Ingebrigtsen’s big lead wouldn’t hold up to the late charge of Asbel Kiprop (in orange).
Watching Asbel Kiprop run the 1500 is a thing of beauty. In a performance similar to his gold medal run in Beijing, Kiprop ran down the field over his 53.4 last lap and got the win in 3:35.79 and DL title in the process. Just as was the case in Beijing, the runner-up with a really late rally was once again Elijah Manangoi (3:36.01), who went from 5th to 2nd in the last 50, just ahead of Kenyan Trials 4th placer Robert Biwott (3:36.04).
When the gun went off, Kiprop went straight to the back of the field for the first 300. He soon moved up to fourth-to-last and ran most of the next two laps next to American Robby Andrews. We were wondering if Kiprop was just stalking fellow Kenyan Silas Kiplagat, who was mid-pack, as Kiprop needed to beat Kiplagat and be top 3 to win the $40,000 jackpot.
On the last lap, Kiprop was just 10th but he had no trouble gunning down everyone in the field, just as he did in Beijing. Kudos to Norway’s Henrik Ingebrigtsen, famous for having finished 5th in the London Olympics at age 20, for trying to steal this race. With no one interested in running fast, he made a bold move to the front with 500 to go and had close to a 20-meter lead on the field at the bell but it didn’t last. Ingebrigtsen still led by close to 15 meters with 200 to go but there was no stopping Kiprop, who ran 25.9 for his last 200.
MB: Why don’t American 1500 guys run with guts like Ingebrigtsen?.
Results and then quick takes.
1500 Metres - Men
Pts
1 Kiprop , Asbel KEN 3:35.79 8
2 Manangoi , Elijah Motonei KEN 3:36.01 4
3 Biwott , Robert Kiptoo KEN 3:36.04 2
4 Iguider , Abdalaati MAR 3:36.11
5 Kwemoi , Ronald KEN 3:36.60
6 Ingebrigtsen , Henrik NOR 3:37.37
7 Ndiku , Caleb Mwangangi KEN 3:38.13
8 Andrews , Robby USA 3:38.78
9 Kiplagat , Silas KEN 3:39.69
10 Grice , Charlie GBR 3:39.79
11 Manzano , Leonel USA 3:41.27
12 Holuša , Jakub CZE 3:41.90
Kivuva , Jackson Mumbwa KEN DNF
Rotich , Andrew Kiptoo KEN DNF
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Quick Take #1: Kiprop is an art form
Go back and read the superlatives we gave him after his win in Beijing.
Quick Take #2: Robert Biwott should have made Kenya’s worlds team
The 19-year-old this year has run 1:43.56 for 800 and 3:30.10 for 1500. At the Kenyan Trials, he was 4th in the 1500 but Kenya left him home (even though they got four entrants). We thought it was a mistake at the time and more so today. Timothy Cheruiyot isn’t as good as Robert Biwott.
Here’s a scary thought. One of the following men won’t make Kenya’s team next year – Silas Kiplagat, Elijah Manangoi or Robert Biwott (assuming Kiprop stays healthy, he’s a lock).
Men’s Steeple: 33-year-old Paul Koech gets his first DL win in three years as World Champs fatigue strikes the medallists
Last year’s DL final was the fastest steeple of the year as Jairus Birech produced the only sub-8:00 clocking of the year in Brussels while Evan Jager set an American record. It was a very different story in Zurich tonight as 33-year-old Paul Koech, who didn’t run at Worlds after finishing ninth at the Kenyan Trials, won easily in 8:10.24. Birech clinched the DL title by finishing second in 8:15.64 while American Evan Jager was third in 8:18.39. Beijing medalists Ezekiel Kemboi (gold), Conseslus Kipruto (silver) and Brimin Kipruto (bronze) were 13th, 6th and 7th, respectively.
The Race
A fast race looked possible 10 days after the World Championship final, with cool temperatures and the rabbits tasked with running 7:54 pace (2:38 per kilometer). A quick 2:40.49 first kilometer strung out the field, but seven men remained in the lead pack, led by Conseslus Kipruto (Birech, Jager, Jonathan Ndiku, Koech, Brahim Taleb and Kemboi rounded out the pack).
By 2k (2:45.90 second kilometer), the pace had slipped and the pack had splintered apart, with Birech leading Koech and, a few meters behind, Jager (Kipruto went down on one of the water jumps while the others simply couldn’t hold the pace).
With two laps to go, those three were clear of the field as Taleb was the closest man to them 25 meters back. Coming off the penultimate water jump, Koech attacked and no one could respond; by the bell, he had eight meters on Birech, who in turn had eight meters on Jager. He padded his lead over a 62.16-second final lap and won with ease as the places did not change up front, Birech crossing in second and Jager third.
3000 Metres Steeplechase - Men 1 Koech , Paul Kipsiele KEN 8:10.24 8
2 Birech , Jairus Kipchoge KEN 8:15.64 4
3 Jager , Evan USA 8:18.39 2
4 Kimutai , Clement Kemboi KEN 8:21.16
5 Taleb , Brahim MAR 8:23.00
6 Kipruto , Conseslus KEN 8:24.35
7 Kipruto , Brimin Kiprop KEN 8:24.66
8 Hughes , Matthew CAN 8:25.45
9 Ndiku , Jonathan Muia KEN 8:26.84
10 Kipsang , Lawrence Kemboi KEN 8:30.96
11 Mutai , Abel Kiprop KEN 8:31.88
12 Zalewski , Krystian POL 8:32.55
13 Huling , Daniel USA 8:33.44
14 Kemboi , Ezekiel KEN 8:33.44
15 Kowal , Yoann FRA 8:45.96
Lagat , Haron KEN DNF
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Quick Thought #1: Paul Koech’s amazing sub-8:10 streak may have come to an end
For the past 13 years, Koech has broken 8:10 at least once every season. Entering tonight’s race, his season best was 8:11.39, and while he lowered that tonight, he just missed out on sub-8:10 (8:10.24). With few fast races remaining, Koech’s incredible streak looks set to come to an end.
It’s fitting that Koech won tonight. Throughout his career, he’s always run well in rabbitted races (9 career sub-8:00s with a #3 all-time 7:54.31 PB) but has struggled at major championships with an Olympic bronze in 2004 his only global outdoor medal (he was runner-up in the 3000 at World Indoors in 2008). With no races since the Trials on August 1 and tonight, Koech was far better rested than his rivals who ran at Worlds.
Of his season Koech said, “This season I was late with the training and it was hard for me to catch up with the other guys. Kenyan trials didn’t go well because I don’t feel good racing at high altitudes. I look forward to next year and the Olympic Games.”
Quick Thought #2: What a strange season for Ezekiel Kemboi
Kemboi won his first steeple of the year, running 8:01.71 at the Pre Classic in May, but here are his DL results since then: 10th, 11th, 13th. Of course when we look back at his career, we won’t remember what he did on a September night in Zurich but what he did in Beijing, and his result there was the same as always: first place with a devastating kick.
Still, it’s very odd that he can run so well in Beijing and so poorly in Zurich 10 days later. Running in championship races and rabbitted races is different, but not that different, especially in a race won in 8:10 (Kemboi won Worlds in 8:11). Some slippage due to fatigue is to be expected, but Kemboi shouldn’t be losing to guys like Krystian Zalewski, no matter the race.
Men’s 800: Adam Kszczot With The Upset Win
World Championship silver medallist Adam Kszczot turned the tables on David Rudisha and got the win in this non-DL race in 1:45.55. 2012 Olympic 1500 champ Taoufik Makhloufi was 2nd (1:45.62) and Mo Aman, the man who didn’t get to run the Worlds final as he was DQ’d in the semis, was third (1:45.83). Rudisha was only fourth (1:45.91) but he could have just as easily been sixth as three men ran 1:45.91.
No one went with the rabbit’s 51.01 first lap as Rudisha led the field in about 52.3. On the backstretch, the pace slowed. Any thought that Rudisha was going to control a slowish race from the front like he did in Beijing soon evaporated Rudisha was passed by six people on the backstretch before 600 (1:19.75). Was he packing it in? No, he’d try to come back in the last 100 but it wasn’t to be.
800 Metres - Men
1 Kszczot , Adam POL 1:45.55
2 Makhloufi , Taoufik ALG 1:45.62
3 Aman , Mohammed ETH 1:45.83
4 Rudisha , David Lekuta KEN 1:45.91
5 Lewandowski , Marcin POL 1:45.91
6 Balla , Musaeb Abdulrahman QAT 1:45.91
7 Kinyor , Job Koech KEN 1:46.00
8 Belhanbel , Nader MAR 1:46.08
9 Rotich , Ferguson Cheruiyot KEN 1:46.80
10 Kipketer , Alfred KEN 1:47.39
Tangui , Sammy KEN DNF
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Quick Thought #1: The fact that David Rudisha lost wasn’t a surprise, but 4th place was.
Even when David Rudisha was at his very best, he often ended his season with a loss. In 2011, after winning Worlds, he was beaten by Mo Aman. In 2012, after setting the WR at the Olympics, he was beaten by Aman again. However, in both of those races, Rudisha was second. Tonight, he was just 4th (almost sixth) after not finishing worse than 2nd in a race all year.
Just like in his season-ending races in 2011 and 2012, Rudisha did not like the fact it rained (earlier in the day here). He said, “This was a fast race after the World Championships. I could not really move well, I think it is because of the rain. I do not like running in the rain. I did not come fourth on purpose. I did not feel my legs move nicely. I hope to get good weather for my next race in Rieti…. I was looking for a good, fast race and now I am disappointed with my result. The track was a little bit hard and also wet today. And I think I was a little bit afraid of this.”
Women’s 800: Eunice Sum Back on Top and $50,000 Richer
Eunice Sum has dominated the women’s 800m this year except at the World Championships. She continued her winning ways at the Diamond League finale, getting the win in 1:59.14 as Lynsey Sharp of Great Britain was 2nd, Fabienne Kohlmann of Germany held on for 3rd and 1500m runner Sifan Hassan closed well to be the final sub-2:00 runner in 4th in 1:59.95 as world champ Marina Arzamasova was 5th. US runners Brenda Martinez and Chanelle Price were 8th and 9th.
The rabbit took this one out fast in 56.42 and was tracked by Price and Sum as the field was not afraid to go out hard.
The rabbit dropped out at 500m and on the backstretch world championship semi-finalist Kohlmann took the lead and powered to 600 at 1:27.71. Coming around the final bend, a lot of women were still in contention as most of the entire field was still there. Eunice Sum was in 4th, but boxed in on the inside by the 5th- and 6th-place runners. Once Kohlmann hit the homestretch, only two runners had any zip in their legs — Sum and Sharp. Sum went by Kohler for the win and was followed by Sharp.
800 Metres - Women
Pts
1 Sum , Eunice Jepkoech KEN 1:59.14 8
2 Sharp , Lynsey GBR 1:59.37 4
3 Kohlmann , Fabienne GER 1:59.68 2
4 Hassan , Sifan NED 1:59.95
5 Arzamasova , Marina BLR 2:00.69
6 Lamote , Renelle FRA 2:00.75
7 Józwik , Joanna POL 2:01.36
8 Martinez , Brenda USA 2:02.00
9 Price , Chanelle USA 2:02.14
10 Büchel , Selina SUI 2:02.43
11 Oskan-Clarke , Shelayna GBR 2:05.91
Almanza , Rose Mary CUB DNF
Usovich , Ilona BLR DNF
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QT #1: A disappointing year for Brenda Martinez
Martinez was the bronze medallist at Worlds two years ago, going sub-2:00 seven times and clocking 4:00 for 1500. Last year she only went sub-2:00 on four occasions, but she ended the season with a win at the Diamond League finale in Brussels. She may have one or two races left in Europe, but so far this years she’s only been sub-2:00 twice and looks to be headed in the wrong direction. Can she right the ship for Rio?
QT #2: A Consolation Prize for Sum
Eunice Sum is undefeated at 800 this year except for her third place at Worlds. The $40,000 prize she got here was nice, but she’d be $40,000 richer if she had won Worlds (1st place at Worlds was $60,000, third place was $20,000).
She hinted she was not 100% in Beijing as she said tonight, “I didn’t feel well there but I still made the final.”
Women’s 3000: Almaz Ayana takes down Genzebe Dibaba for the second time in five days
In the women’s 5,000-meter final in Beijing, Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana used a devastating long kick to win gold, closing her final 3,000 meters in an astounding 8:19 and shattering countrywoman Genzebe Dibaba’s dreams of double gold in the process. Dibaba had a chance at revenge tonight in Zurich, and though she managed to hold on to Ayana a lot longer this time around, Ayana’s strength once again won out as she put four seconds on Dibaba over the final 250 meters to win in 8:22.34.
It wasn’t enough to clinch the Diamond League title, however, as Dibaba needed only a third-place finish to take home the $40,000 grand prize and she wound up a comfortable second in 8:26.54. American Jenny Simpson finished a solid fourth in 8:34.43, as she was narrowly outkicked by 5,000 silver medalist Senbere Teferi (Simpson still managed to beat Mercy Cherono and world 10,000 champ Vivian Cheruiyot). Shannon Rowbury was seventh in 8:39.92 as the other Americans, Emily Infeld and Emma Coburn, struggled and wound up second-to-last and last, respectively.
The Race
This race quickly devolved into a one-on-one battle between Ayana and Dibaba as those two women had a 20-meter lead on the field at 800 meters (2:16.5). That lead would only continue to grow as they passed 1500 in 4:13, at which point the rabbit dropped out and Ayana began her long drive for home.
The question this time became whether Ayana could drop the 1500 world champion again in a shorter race with just four days’ rest. Laps of 65.53 (from 1400 to 1800) and 66.43 (from 1800 to 2200) did not drop Dibaba, but Ayana forced her to work hard, the 3:50 1500 speed draining from her legs with every step.
Ayana slowed to 68.96 for the penultimate lap and Dibaba, sensing vulnerability, attacked with 300 to go. But there was no vulnerability, only strength. Immediately, Ayana responded with a move of her own, once again demonstrating her tremendous strength as she pulled away throughout the final turn, gapping Dibaba by the time she entered the home straight. A 64.63 final lap (and 4:25.55 final 1600) was plenty fast enough to break the formidable Dibaba as Ayana just missed her official PB of 8:22.22 by running 8:22.34. Dibaba’s runner-up showing was good enough for the DL title while Teferi closed well for third in 8:34.32.
3000 Metres - Women
Pts
1 Ayana , Almaz ETH 8:22.34 8
2 Dibaba , Genzebe ETH 8:26.54 4
3 Teferi , Senbere ETH 8:34.32 2
4 Simpson , Jennifer USA 8:34.43
5 Cherono , Mercy KEN 8:35.48
6 Cheruiyot , Vivian Jepkemoi KEN 8:38.91
7 Rowbury , Shannon USA 8:39.92
8 Kibiwot , Viola Jelagat KEN 8:41.93
9 Jelagat , Irene KEN 8:47.04
10 Cheptai , Irene Chepet KEN 8:48.03
11 Infeld , Emily USA 8:52.02
12 Coburn , Emma USA 8:59.76
Belete , Mimi BRN DNF
Plis , Renata POL DNF
Wafula , Lydia Nasimiyu KEN DNF
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Quick Thought #1: That’s how you beat a 3:50 1500 runner
The outcome wasn’t much of a surprise given how thoroughly Ayana beat Dibaba in Beijing (and the fact that Dibaba may not be at 100% right now, as she revealed she suffered a foot injury in Beijing) but it was still incredibly impressive. Many times this season, we’ve seen runners on the Diamond League elect not to run with the rabbits, but Ayana has never been one of them, soloing a 14:14 in Shanghai in May, coming up short in a world record attempt in Paris in July and pushing hard over the last mile in Zurich tonight. She’s a runner in the Steve Prefontaine mold, except she’s far more talented (comparatively) than Prefontaine ever was.
Yet even with talent, pushing from the front is a mentally taxing strategy, especially when the fastest 1500 runner of all time is on your heels. Ayana knows that pushing the pace is her best chance of defeating Dibaba, and she deserves a lot of credit for executing that strategy to perfection.
Heading forward, the women’s 5,000 at next year’s Olympic is setting up to be an all-time classic. If Meseret Defar (who missed Worlds with a shin injury) and/or Tirunesh Dibaba return to the track (possible, but not guaranteed), that could create a race featuring the four of five fastest women in history (T. Dibaba, Defar, Ayana, G. Dibaba, Cheruiyot — one of the Ethiopians will have to miss out since Ethiopia can only send three). And with Ayana (still only 23) running aggressively in every race, it’s possible we could have a new world record holder by the time the Olympics start in August.
Quick Thought #2: A very nice run for Jenny Simpson; how would she have done in the steeple in Beijing?
Simpson’s World Championships turned into a nightmare after she lost her shoe with 600 meters to go in the 1500 final, but she rebounded well tonight to finish fourth in 8:34.43 as Teferi just edged her at the line. That snapped a two-race losing streak to rival Rowbury (who beat her in Monaco and Beijing) and again raised questions about what a return to the steeplechase might look like.
In Beijing, Simpson was quite clear that she’s not interested in returning to the steeple right now (she said she would only run it if she thought she could break the world record, currently 8:58.81), but tonight showed just how weak the women’s steeple is compared to the 1500/5,000. Emma Coburn, fifth in the steeple at Worlds, was dead last in this race in 8:59.76, and while that was obviously a bad race for Coburn (who has run 9:15 over barriers this year), the top women in the steeple aren’t nearly as scary as runners like Dibaba, Faith Kipyegon or Sifan Hassan in the 1500 (all of whom closed in 1:57.6 or better for their final 800 at Worlds). Simpson also clearly has the strength to be a factor over the 3,000-meter distance.
In retrospect, Simpson — the American record holder in the steeple at 9:12.50 — would have had a better shot at steeple gold this year (assuming she started doing steeple work again earlier in 2015) than in the 1500 as the steeple was not a strong event at all this year globally.
But it’s not as simple as evaluating this year’s results and saying, “Okay, Simpson should run the steeple from now on.” Simpson has had a lot of success in the 1500 — World Championship gold and silver and the world #1 ranking in 2014 — and to switch events based on one historically fast year may not be the right decision. Maybe Dibaba falls back to Earth in 2016; maybe the steeple becomes a much deeper event in 2016. Simpson clearly enjoys the 1500, and there’s also something to be said for tackling a tougher event and finding success rather than returning to the steeple because the 1500 suddenly got a lot faster.
Quick Thought #3: Vivian Cheruiyot may be a world champion again, but she’s not back to her old form just yet
Cheruiyot ran magnificently at Worlds, winning the 10,000 after giving birth in October 2013, but tonight’s race showed that Ayana and Dibaba are in a different world right now as they gapped her early and finished well ahead of Cheruiyot (sixth in 8:38.91) despite the fact that Cheruiyot had much longer (10 days) to recover from a tactical 10,000 than Ayana and Dibaba did from the 5,000 (four days; remember that Dibaba also ran the 1500). Perhaps by next year Cheruiyot, who turns 32 next week, can be closer to her 14:20/double world champ form of 2011. She’ll need to be if she has any intention of defeating Ayana and Dibaba over 5,000 meters.
Non-Distance Running Events – Men
Men’s 200: Alonso Edward Wins The Race and DL Title
At Worlds, Alonso Edward and Anaso Jobodwana both ran 19.87 but Jobodwana got the bronze medal. The winner between those two here would take home $40,000 and Edward made sure it wasn’t close as he won convincingly.
200 Metres - Men Wind: +0.4 m/s
Pts
1 Edward , Alonso PAN 20.03 8
2 Dwyer , Rasheed JAM 20.20 4
3 Jobodwana , Anaso RSA 20.24 2
4 Ashmeade , Nickel JAM 20.35
5 Francis , Miguel ANT 20.44
6 Young , Isiah USA 20.55
7 Fujimitsu , Kenji JPN 20.62
8 Talbot , Daniel GBR 20.70
Men’s 400: LaShawn Merritt Gets Win and DL Jackpot
LaShawn Merritt got the win in 44.20 but Kirani James won the DL title as the three Beijing medalists took the top three places tonight (world champ Wayde van Niekerk was third). Merritt got out very hard in this one and had a decent lead at the 150-meter mark before James started to narrow the gap on the turn. Van Niekerk started very slowly and had a lot of work to do entering the home stretch. He turned on the jets over the final 100 and made up a significant amount of ground on James and Merritt, but Merritt’s lead was too great and he held on to win it with James holding on for second in 44.28. It was crucial that James did so as van Niekerk wound up just .07 of a second behind him; if the order was reversed, it would be van Niekerk, not James, celebrating the $40,000 DL jackpot.
400 Metres - Men
Pts
1 Merritt , LaShawn USA 44.18 8
2 James , Kirani GRN 44.28 4
3 van Niekerk , Wayde RSA 44.35 2
4 Santos , Luguelín DOM 45.03
5 Yousif , Rabah GBR 45.39
6 Verburg , David USA 45.47
7 Makwala , Isaac BOT 45.56
8 Gardiner , Steven BAH 45.90
Men’s 110 H: Sergey Shubenkov Is The Best Once Again; A Lean Wins David Oliver $40,000
World champ Sergey Shubenkov was clearly best here, getting the win in 13.14. The real battle was for second and the Diamond League title. World leader Orlando Ortega, who not compete at Worlds because he is switching his allegiance from Cuba to Spain, was in second late in the race; if he finished ahead of the US’s David Oliver, the $40,000 DL title was his. Oliver was closing well and they battled to the line. They both dipped and were both timed in 13.30. However, Oliver was given the advantage on the thousandth and that gave him the DL title.
110 Metres Hurdles - Men Wind: +0.4 m/s
Pts
1 Shubenkov , Sergey RUS 13.14 8
2 Oliver , David USA 13.30 4
3 Ortega , Orlando CUB 13.30 2
4 Brathwaite , Shane BAR 13.43
5 Thomas , Mikel TTO 13.54
6 Richardson , Jason USA 13.59
7 Martinot-Lagarde , Pascal FRA 13.70
8 Bascou , Dimitri FRA 14.07
Darien , Garfield FRA DNF
Men’s 400 Hurdles: Hometown Hero Kariem Hussein Comes Through
Switzerland’s Hussein won the European title on this track one year ago and this non-DL event was set up for him to win in front of the hometown fans. And win he did, as Hussein ran out to a big lead heading into the homestretch and hung on for the win in 49.16 despite a late charge from Estonia’s Rasmus Magi.
400 Metres Hurdles - Men
1 Hussein , Kariem SUI 49.16
2 Mägi , Rasmus EST 49.37
3 Barr , Thomas IRL 49.79
4 Bultheel , Michaël BEL 49.91
5 Cisneros , Omar CUB 50.04
6 Ukaoma , Miles NGR 50.08
7 White , Annsert JAM 50.22
8 Flannery , Niall GBR 51.26
Non-Distance Running Events – Women
W100: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce For the Win and Diamond League Title
SAFP only needed to be top 2 here to guarantee the DL title, but she got a great start and held on for the 10.93 win versus a fast-closing Blessing Okagbare (10.98) as World Champs silver medallist Tori Bowie was 3rd.
100 Metres - Women Race 1 Wind: -0.6 m/s
1 Hyacinthe , Kimberly CAN 11.77
2 Atcho , Sarah SUI 11.84
3 Keller , Charlène SUI 12.06
4 Del Ponte , Ajla SUI 12.10
5 Weiss , Lena SUI 12.21
6 Brubak , Mari Gilde NOR 12.31
Dagry , Samantha SUI DNS
100 Metres - Women Race 2 Wind: +0.1 m/s
1 Thompson , Elaine JAM 11.06
2 Simpson , Sherone JAM 11.27
3 Pierre , Barbara USA 11.27
4 Stewart , Kerron JAM 11.33
5 Tarmoh , Jeneba USA 11.39
6 Bingham , Khamica CAN 11.53
7 Okparaebo , Ezinne NOR 11.55
8 Emmanuel , Crystal CAN 11.59
9 Thomas , Reyare TTO 11.66
100 Metres - Women Race 3 Wind: -1.4 m/s
Pts
1 Fraser-Pryce , Shelly-Ann JAM 10.93 8
2 Okagbare , Blessing NGR 10.98 4
3 Bowie , Tori USA 11.06 2
4 McGrone , Candyce USA 11.09
5 Ahye , Michelle-Lee TTO 11.19
6 Campbell-Brown , Veronica JAM 11.22
7 Morrison , Natasha JAM 11.30
8 Baptiste , Kelly-Ann TTO 11.30
9 Kambundji , Mujinga SUI 11.51
W 400 Hurdles: Hejnova Gets Win and DL Title
World champ Zuzana Hejnova got the win and the $40,000 DL title by finishing ahead of Kaliese Spencer of Jamaica. Hejnova and Sara Petersen battled down the homestretch here but Hejnova was too good.
400 Metres Hurdles - Women
Pts
1 Hejnová , Zuzana CZE 54.47 8
2 Petersen , Sara Slott DEN 54.57 4
3 Moline , Georganne USA 54.89 2
4 Spencer , Kaliese JAM 55.29
5 Tate , Cassandra USA 55.50
6 Nel , Wenda RSA 55.82
7 Russell , Janieve JAM 55.98
8 Child , Eilidh GBR 56.14
Women’s 4×100: Jamaica Wins: What Else Would You Expect?
Jamaica had three of the four women who ran for it at the World Champs on its team here and they got the win in a Diamond League record of 41.60. The US at the World Champs didn’t have its best 100m runner, Tori Bowie, on it’s 4×100 team, but she ran here with a US “B” team that despite the cool conditions and no practice was only .15 behind the “A” team at the World Champs.
4x100 Metres Relay - Women
1 Jamaica JAM 41.60
2 United States USA 41.83
3 Trinidad and Tobago TTO 42.94
4 Switzerland SUI 43.10
5 Italy ITA 43.78
6 Norway NOR 44.76
7 Switzerland U23 SUI 45.03
Canada CAN DNF
Field Events – Men
Men’s Discus: Robert Urbanek Wins the Meet but Malachowski Wins The War
Poland’s Robert Urbanek (bronze in Beijing) got the win but World Champ Piotr Malachowski only needed to finish third to clinch the Diamond League title and he did that, finishing second thanks to a best toss of 65.04 meters on his final throw (he had moved into the 3rd on 5th throw).
Discus Throw - Men
Pts
1 Urbanek , Robert POL 65.78 8
2 Malachowski , Piotr POL 65.04 4
3 Kanter , Gerd EST 64.38 2
4 Milanov , Philip BEL 63.04
5 Gowda , Vikas IND 62.73
6 Parellis , Apostolos CYP 62.62
7 Wierig , Martin GER 62.02
8 Morgan , Jason JAM 58.52
9 Harting , Christoph GER 57.04
Men’s High Jump: Mutaz Essa Barshim Caps Year with DL Title
2015 has been an up and down year for Barshim (and we’re not just talking about his clearances over the bar) as he won the first two DL meets before his form dipped, causing him to leave Beijing without a medal. However, he almost matched his Worlds performance tonight (clearing 2.32 vs. 2.33 in Beijing) and that was enough to win the meet and the DL title, earning him a $50,000 payday. World champ Derek Drouin of Canada was only ninth tonight, but we bet Barshim would trade his DL title in a heartbeat for Drouin’s WC gold.
High Jump - Men
Pts
1 Barshim , Mutaz Essa QAT 2.32 8
2 Bondarenko , Bohdan UKR 2.30 4
3 Zhang , Guowei CHN 2.30 2
4 Protsenko , Andriy UKR 2.23
5 Tamberi , Gianmarco ITA 2.23
6 Bába , Jaroslav CZE 2.23
7 Duffield , JaCorian USA 2.19
7 Thomas , Donald BAH 2.19
9 Onnen , Eike GER 2.19
9 Tsyplakov , Daniil RUS 2.19
9 Drouin , Derek CAN 2.19
M LJ: Greg Rutherford Wins on 2nd-Best Jump
American champ Marquis Dendy tried to make up for not even making the final in the long or triple in Beijing by grabbing the lead with a 8.32 leap in round 4. A win by Dendy could have given him the $40,000 DL title if World and Olympic champ Greg Rutherford wasn’t top three but Rutherford responded with an equal 8.32 jump in round 5. On the tie-break, Rutherford was the winner of the event and both the DL title.
Long Jump - Men
Pts Wind
1 Rutherford , Greg GBR 8.32 8 +0.9
2 Dendy , Marquis USA 8.32 4 +0.4
3 Lapierre , Fabrice AUS 8.27 2 -0.1
4 Henderson , Jeff USA 8.22 +0.5
5 Wang , Jianan CHN 7.94 0.0
6 Mokoena , Godfrey Khotso RSA 7.73 -0.6
7 Taylor , Christian USA 7.71 -0.1
8 Menkov , Aleksandr RUS 7.64 +0.3
9 Hartfield , Mike USA 7.55 -0.3
Field Events – Women
Women’s Shot: World Champ Schwanitz Wins Both
It was a $50,000 day for world champ Christina Schwanitz, who was guaranteed $40,000 for just showing up, as she won with a 19.91 heave in round 2. Her round 1 throw of 19.55 also would have been good enough to win.
Shot Put - Women
Pts
1 Schwanitz , Christina GER 19.91 8
2 Carter , Michelle USA 19.12 4
3 Márton , Anita HUN 18.42 2
4 Smith , Brittany USA 18.39
5 Brooks , Tia USA 18.14
6 Dubitskaya , Aliona BLR 17.74
7 Guba , Paulina POL 17.59
8 Camarena-Williams , Jillian USA 16.66
9 Urbaniak , Lena GER 16.57
W Long Jump: Spanovic Upsets Bartoletta with PR on Final Jump
World champ Tianna Bartoletta already had the Diamond League title wrapped up, so this one was about bragging rights as the top 3 from Worlds (Bartoletta, runner-up Shara Proctor, and bronze medallist Ivana Spanovic) squared off. Just like at Worlds, Bartoletta saved her best for last, taking the lead on her final jump, going 6.97. However, Spanovic had one more jump left herself and responded with a 7.02 PR to get the win as Proctor was a distant third.
Long Jump - Women
Pts Wind
1 Španovic , Ivana SRB 7.02 8 +0.5
2 Bartoletta , Tianna USA 6.97 4 +1.0
3 Proctor , Shara GBR 6.58 2 +0.1
4 Sawyers , Jazmin GBR 6.55 -0.2
5 Nettey , Christabel CAN 6.46 +0.7
6 DeLoach Soukup , Janay USA 6.40 +0.2
7 Rotaru , Alina ROU 6.37 +0.4
8 Ugen , Lorraine GBR 6.31 -1.1
9 Klishina , Darya RUS 6.26 +0.2
Women’s Pole Vault: Greece’s Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou Takes Home $50,000
Kiriakopoulou only finished third in Beijing, but she bounced back nicely today to win the competition, clearing her winning height of 4.77 meters on her first attempt. The two women she lost to at Worlds, Cuba’s Yarisley Silva and Brazil’s Fabiana Murer, wound up tying for second at 4.72.
Pole Vault - Women
Pts
1 Kyriakopoúlou , Nikoléta GRE 4.77 8
2 Murer , Fabiana BRA 4.72 4
2 Silva , Yarisley CUB 4.72 4
4 Büchler , Nicole SUI 4.57
5 Stefanídi , Ekateríni GRE 4.57
6 Spiegelburg , Silke GER 4.57
7 Sidorova , Anzhelika RUS 4.47
8 Bradshaw , Holly GBR 4.47
8 Morris , Sandi USA 4.47
10 Bengtsson , Angelica SWE 4.32
11 Moser , Angelica SUI 4.17
Women’s Javelin: Spotakova Finds 50,000 Reasons To Bounce Back
Two-time Olympic champ Barbora Špotáková was only 9th in Beijing but she got the win tonight to secure herself a $50,000 payday to help wash away her World Championship sorrows. Beijing winner Kathrina Molitor was third, with Beijing silver medallist Huihui Lu 7th as Beijing bronze medallist Sunette Viljoen was last.
Javelin Throw - Women
Pts
1 Špotáková , Barbora CZE 64.31 8
2 Gleadle , Elizabeth CAN 62.70 4
3 Molitor , Kathrina GER 62.43 2
4 Palameika , Madara LAT 62.22
5 Hussong , Christin GER 61.44
6 Stahl , Linda GER 60.98
7 Lyu , Huihui CHN 60.36
8 Obergföll , Christina GER 58.54
9 Winger , Kara USA 57.58
10 Viljoen , Sunette RSA 57.18
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