Thus, the South African Caster Semenya (800m), the Ethiopian Almaz Ayana (5000m) and the Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto (3000 steeplechase) were among the strongest performers achieving both WL and MR, besides the Moroccan Abdelaati Iguider (3000 m) enhanced the year’s best performance, while the American Lashawn Merritt (400m), the Latvian Madara Palameika (javelin), the Polish Piotr Malachowski (discus) and the Greek Katerina Stefanidi (pole vault) have broken the meeting’s records.
Semenya had, in fact, made it to the finish line of the 800 meters event in a 01 :56.64 time, hence, improving the former mark held by Semenya herself (01 :58.26), since the 6th of May in Doha. She evenly broke the meeting’s record (01 :59.80) held by the Russian Yekaterina Poistogva since July 2013.
Ayana crossed the finish line of the 5000 meters event in 14.16.31 time, doing better than her countryfellow Senbere Teferi, third of the race (14 :35.09) who held the former best performance (14 :46.61). She, Ayana, broke the meeting’s record (14 :45.91) as well, which was held by the Moroccan Mariem Alaoui Selsouli since may 27th of the year 2012.
On his part, Kipruto won the Men’s 3000 steeplchase event, in 08 :02.77, improving the year’s best performance (08 :05.13). He equally broke the meeting’s record (08 :07.80).
In a statement to the Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP), Kipruto, double vice champion (2013 and 3015) expressed his happiness about delivering this performance at the first African competition of the Diamond League, adding that this gives him motivation to make a better performance at the Olympic Games.
Iguider didn’t skip the occasion to create sensation at home, dominating the 3000 meters event with flying colours in a 07 :36.85 time. He improved the former mark (07 :45.80) held by the Bahraini Zouhai Aouad since last 30 April.
The American Lashawn Merritt scored the 400 meters event in a 44.66 time, thus breaking the meeting’s record held by the Jamaican Jermaine Gonzales (45.06), since July the 6th, 2010.
Palameika performed her best throw (64,76m), doing better than the Spanish Mercedes Chilla. They shared the podium with the Estonian Liina Laasam (63,65 m) and the Australian Kathryn Mitchell (60,68 m).
In the discus throw event, Malachowski dominated the event with a best throw of 67,45 meters, hence, improving the meeting’s former record established by the Estonian Gerd Kanter (65,84 m), on May 23rd of the year 2009. He came ahead of his compatriot Robert Urbanek (65,04 m) and the Hungarian Zoltan Kovago (64,42 m).
At the Pole vault event, Stefanidi performed a 4,75 meters jump, accordingly winning the event and enhancing the Meeting’s record, held by the Russian Angelina Krasnova (4,56m) since 14 June 2015.
Furthermore, the South African Rushwal Samaal have equaled the meeting’s record of the long jump, by jumping a de 8,38 meters distance, the same mark established by Yahya Berrabeh on may 23, 2009.
Three other meeting records was signed David Oliver (110m Hurdles), Elaine Thompson (100m) and Ruswahl Samaai (Long Jump).
David Oliver (110m Hurdles), Elaine Thompson (100m) and Ruswahl Samaai (Long Jump - =MR
