Women’s 400: Salwa Eid Naser wins again
20-year-old Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain has raced five times in 2018 and she’s won 5 times as she remained undefeated today as she won the 400 easily in 49.78. Naser had a big lead coming off the second turn and was never challenged on the way home as US-runner-up
Jessica Beard was second (50.40) for the third straight race (USAs, Paris, Lausanne) with co-world leader Shakima Wimbley, the US champ, third in 50.58. Former USC 400 hurdler
Jaide Stepter was fourth in a pb of 50.63.
Quick Take: We can’t wait for Naser vs Miller-Uibo in Monaco
Naser, who has won this year in Rome, Oslo, Stockholm, Paris and Lausanne, has had a perfect 2018 so far although her streak of 2 straight PBs came to an end today. That being said, she may not be the best 400 woman on the planet as Olympic champ Shaunae Miller Uibo of the Bahamas is also undefeated on the year (1 win at 150, 5 wins at 200, 1 at 300 and 2 at 400) and has run faster than Naser (49.52 vs 49.55).
They’re racing each other in Monaco on July 20th.
Women’s 200: Harvard’s Gabby Thomas wins it
The breakout year of Harvard sprint star Gabby Thomas continued in her first-ever European race as she took on the pros and won in Lausanne in 22.47. Though this was not an official Diamond League event, there was some quality in this field, including Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, who won the 200 in Paris (which was a DL event) in 22.05 on Saturday.
But it was Thomas, the NCAA 200 record holder indoors, who held a slight lead off the turn and she’d protect it all the way to the line as Jackson on her outside would fade to third.
Thomas, who was 2nd at NCAAs last month, still has one year of eligibility remaining for the Crimson. She skipped USAs to stay fresh but plans on running a few DLs while balancing an internship in Boston this summer.