American Christian Coleman on Friday returned from injury to run his fastest 100m of the season and claim victory ahead of an impressive field in a time of 9.98 seconds at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rabat.
Coleman edged compatriots Ronnie Baker (9.98) and Noah Lyles (9.99) in a photo-finish as he competed for the first time since late May, having struggled with a hamstring injury.
The 22-year-old made a fast start out of the blocks and managed to hold off a late charge by Lyles.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“It was a perfect night for me, good race and good time,” Coleman told reporters. “I could not be happier. I am not so surprised to win my first race [back from injury], even with such a great field because I was very fast in practice these last days.”
“When I was injured, I managed to maintain a good condition,” he added.
Russian world champion Maria Lasitskene, unbeaten in her previous 45 high jump competitions dating back to June 2016, saw her incredible winning streak ended by 2016 Olympic silver medallist Mirela Demireva of Bulgaria, as Lasitskene failed at 1.94m.
“I am disappointed of course, but these things happen,” Lasitskene said. “I had no problem, no injuries, it was just a bad day. Now I need to go back to training and work hard.”
South African Caster Semenya smashed her own world-leading time this year in the 1,000m as she coasted home in 2:31.01, a Diamond League record and the sixth-fastest time in history, but a little over two seconds shy of Svetlana Masterkova’s long-standing world record.
“It was a very good race, but unfortunately it was not as fast as I expected,” Semenya said.
Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba took advantage of the absence of Olympic champion Semenya in the women’s 800m to claim a comfortable victory in 1:57.90.
World champion Hellen Obiri shaved over five seconds off the leading time in the women’s 5000m as the Kenyan won in a time of 14:21.75.
“I am very delighted for this victory, especially that I accomplished the world lead time this year,” Obiri said. “The race was difficult.”
Dutch runner Sifan Hassan set a new European record of 14:22.34 as she finished second.
Ethiopian indoor world champion Yomif Kejelcha ran the quickest time of the year in the men’s 3000m as he won in 7:32.93, a meeting record and almost three seconds quicker than compatriot Selemon Barega managed in Ostrava last month.
Olympic champion Brianna McNeal claimed the women’s 100m hurdles in a meeting record time of 12.51, holding off fellow American Sharika Nelvis (12.58).
Jamaican Akeem Bloomfield cruised to victory in the men’s 400m, while Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas won the women’s 200m in a meeting record time of 22.29.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
RSS