IAAF Diamond League - LausanneAug 25, 2016 by Johanna Gretschel
Lausanne Recap: Keni Harrison Still Might Be The Best Hurdler In The World
Lausanne Recap: Keni Harrison Still Might Be The Best Hurdler In The World
Four days after the conclusion of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, many of the world's top track stars competed at the next stop on the Diamond League circuit
Four days after the conclusion of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, many of the world's top track stars competed at the next stop on the Diamond League circuit: Lausanne, Switzerland. Here are a few highlights from today's action; complete results are here.
1. Ayanleh Souleiman Goes No. 5 All-Time In The 1K
Ayanleh Souleiman was the class of the field in a much-hyped men's 1K that featured Olympic 1500m gold medalist Matt Centrowitz of the United States. Last Saturday night, the Djibouti middle distance runner was just 0.05 seconds off from becoming the country's first Olympic medalist since 1988 when he placed fourth in the 1500m.
But Souleiman executed perfectly in Lausanne to become the fifth-fastest performer in history. He moved ahead of rabbit Edwin Melly at the bell, and fended off hard-closing Kenyans Robert Biwott and Jonathan Kitilit to win in 2:13.49. The time is a Diamond League event record, a world lead for 2016, and a national record for Djibouti.
Bitwott and Kitilit ran 2:13.89 and 2:13.95 for second and third, respectively. Countryman Asbel Kiprop was fourth in 2:14.23, a new PB.
The rarely contested 1K might be the perfect blend of speed and endurance for Souleiman. He set the world indoor record of 2:14.2 in March.
Centrowitz was never in the mix--he lingered in sixth place behind the lead pack, and finished there. His final time of 2:16.67 is a new PB, and it makes him the No. 9 performer on the U.S. all-time list.
2. U.S. Hurdlers Kendra Harrison, Dalilah Muhammad On Point
Barely a week after watching the Olympics from her couch, world record-holder Kendra Harrison of the United States dominated the 100m hurdles with a 12.42 (+0.7) win.
Two-time Olympic medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson, who also did not compete in Rio, was runner-up in a season-best effort of 12.71.
After the race, Harrison said she is ready to surpass her world record of 12.20.
Harrison's Lausanne victory was faster than the winning time in Rio, 12.48, which fellow American Brianna Rollins ran to win Olympic gold.
In the 400m hurdles, American Dalilah Muhammad was also the class of the field. The Olympic gold medalist ran 53.78 for the win ahead of Diamond League leader Eilidh Doyle of Great Britain (54.45) and reigning Olympic silver medalist Sara Slott Petersen of Denmark (54.98). No one else broke 55 seconds. American Ashley Spencer, the bronze medalist in Rio, was sixth in 55.86.
3. Genzebe Dibaba Splits 57-Second Last Lap To Win 3K In Record Time
Perhaps Genzebe Dibaba had something to prove tonight in Lausanne. The 1500m world record holder was surely disappointed after she came up short of gold in Rio, but she bounced back today to win the 3K with a new meet-record time of 8:31.84.
Dibaba didn't take the lead until the bell lap--instead, she held back with the pack of five behind Hellen Obiri of Kenya. But once she assumed control, she looked as smooth as when she won her 1500m semifinal in Rio. Although it looked effortless, appearances can be deceiving when it comes to Dibaba--she ran her final 400m in 57 seconds! Obiri was runner-up in 8:33.96.
19-year-old Alexa Efraimson was the lone American in the race, and it was her first appearance since placing fifth in the 1500m final at the IAAF World U20 Championships. She ran in the second pack of runners, and placed eighth in 9:11.48. The time is officially an outdoor PB, though she did run 9:00.16 indoors in 2014.
Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson of Jamaica reigned supreme in the women's 100m with a winning effort of 10.78 (+0.8). The run was truly dominant; no one else in the field broke 11 seconds. Americans Jenna Prandini and Morolake Akinosun were second and third in 11.11 and 11.16, respectively.
Given the odd circumstances surrounding the race, Thompson's dominance was even more impressive. A false start by Prandini called the runners back to the line, yet she was the only one who stopped--nearly everyone else in the field ran full-throttle to the line. Prandini was issued a warning, and returned to her lane to compete. There were maybe five or so minutes between the first and second start of the race, which meant most of the competitors were still recovering from the first effort. I'm guessing that caused the slow times, but Thompson wasn't far from her all-time PB and 2016 world lead of 10.70.
5. Sam Kendricks Defeats Lavillenie
The men's pole vault featured an exciting matchup between Renaud Lavillenie of France and Sam Kendricks of the United States, who earned silver and bronze at the Olympic Games last week. 2015 IAAF World Championships gold medalist Shawn Barber of Canada, who placed 10th in Rio, also competed in Lausanne.
The competition quickly dwindled down to those three, plus Piotr Lisek of Poland. But no one successfully cleared 5.80m except Kendricks. With world record-holder and Diamond League leader Lavillenie in second over Lisek (both cleared 5.72m), Kendricks increased the height all the way to his PB of 5.92m. He cleared the mark to set a new meet record and a new season's best.
1. Ayanleh Souleiman Goes No. 5 All-Time In The 1K
Ayanleh Souleiman was the class of the field in a much-hyped men's 1K that featured Olympic 1500m gold medalist Matt Centrowitz of the United States. Last Saturday night, the Djibouti middle distance runner was just 0.05 seconds off from becoming the country's first Olympic medalist since 1988 when he placed fourth in the 1500m.
But Souleiman executed perfectly in Lausanne to become the fifth-fastest performer in history. He moved ahead of rabbit Edwin Melly at the bell, and fended off hard-closing Kenyans Robert Biwott and Jonathan Kitilit to win in 2:13.49. The time is a Diamond League event record, a world lead for 2016, and a national record for Djibouti.
Bitwott and Kitilit ran 2:13.89 and 2:13.95 for second and third, respectively. Countryman Asbel Kiprop was fourth in 2:14.23, a new PB.
The rarely contested 1K might be the perfect blend of speed and endurance for Souleiman. He set the world indoor record of 2:14.2 in March.
Centrowitz was never in the mix--he lingered in sixth place behind the lead pack, and finished there. His final time of 2:16.67 is a new PB, and it makes him the No. 9 performer on the U.S. all-time list.
2. U.S. Hurdlers Kendra Harrison, Dalilah Muhammad On Point
Barely a week after watching the Olympics from her couch, world record-holder Kendra Harrison of the United States dominated the 100m hurdles with a 12.42 (+0.7) win.
Two-time Olympic medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson, who also did not compete in Rio, was runner-up in a season-best effort of 12.71.
After the race, Harrison said she is ready to surpass her world record of 12.20.
Could we see another world record before the close of the season?
— IAAF Diamond League (@Diamond_League) August 25, 2016
Kendra Harrison isn't ruling it out!#LausanneDL pic.twitter.com/Ap4c2AEay5
Harrison's Lausanne victory was faster than the winning time in Rio, 12.48, which fellow American Brianna Rollins ran to win Olympic gold.
In the 400m hurdles, American Dalilah Muhammad was also the class of the field. The Olympic gold medalist ran 53.78 for the win ahead of Diamond League leader Eilidh Doyle of Great Britain (54.45) and reigning Olympic silver medalist Sara Slott Petersen of Denmark (54.98). No one else broke 55 seconds. American Ashley Spencer, the bronze medalist in Rio, was sixth in 55.86.
3. Genzebe Dibaba Splits 57-Second Last Lap To Win 3K In Record Time
Perhaps Genzebe Dibaba had something to prove tonight in Lausanne. The 1500m world record holder was surely disappointed after she came up short of gold in Rio, but she bounced back today to win the 3K with a new meet-record time of 8:31.84.
Dibaba didn't take the lead until the bell lap--instead, she held back with the pack of five behind Hellen Obiri of Kenya. But once she assumed control, she looked as smooth as when she won her 1500m semifinal in Rio. Although it looked effortless, appearances can be deceiving when it comes to Dibaba--she ran her final 400m in 57 seconds! Obiri was runner-up in 8:33.96.
19-year-old Alexa Efraimson was the lone American in the race, and it was her first appearance since placing fifth in the 1500m final at the IAAF World U20 Championships. She ran in the second pack of runners, and placed eighth in 9:11.48. The time is officially an outdoor PB, though she did run 9:00.16 indoors in 2014.
4. Elaine Thompson Triumphs in 100m After Essentially Running Double The Distance
Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson of Jamaica reigned supreme in the women's 100m with a winning effort of 10.78 (+0.8). The run was truly dominant; no one else in the field broke 11 seconds. Americans Jenna Prandini and Morolake Akinosun were second and third in 11.11 and 11.16, respectively.
Given the odd circumstances surrounding the race, Thompson's dominance was even more impressive. A false start by Prandini called the runners back to the line, yet she was the only one who stopped--nearly everyone else in the field ran full-throttle to the line. Prandini was issued a warning, and returned to her lane to compete. There were maybe five or so minutes between the first and second start of the race, which meant most of the competitors were still recovering from the first effort. I'm guessing that caused the slow times, but Thompson wasn't far from her all-time PB and 2016 world lead of 10.70.
5. Sam Kendricks Defeats Lavillenie
The men's pole vault featured an exciting matchup between Renaud Lavillenie of France and Sam Kendricks of the United States, who earned silver and bronze at the Olympic Games last week. 2015 IAAF World Championships gold medalist Shawn Barber of Canada, who placed 10th in Rio, also competed in Lausanne.
The competition quickly dwindled down to those three, plus Piotr Lisek of Poland. But no one successfully cleared 5.80m except Kendricks. With world record-holder and Diamond League leader Lavillenie in second over Lisek (both cleared 5.72m), Kendricks increased the height all the way to his PB of 5.92m. He cleared the mark to set a new meet record and a new season's best.