Jamaica’s double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson showed that she is heads and shoulders above the rest of the world right now, as she easily dispatched a quality field to win the Women’s 200m at the Doha Diamond League meet in 22.19 seconds, facing a headwind of -2.3 mps.Thompson won ahead of Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers in 22.45, with Marie-Josee Ta Lou third in 22.77. Fellow Jamaicans Simone Facey and Veronica Campbell-Brown were fourth and fifth in 23.00 and 23.09 seconds, respectively. Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare was sixth in 23.15.
Thompson, drawn in lane five, ran a measured race and was second off the curve behind Schippers, but transitioned smoothly into the straight before she turned on the afterburners and moved away impressively, winning by three metres.
“This is my first time in Doha and my first race of the season, so I just wanted to get the race right and see how far I am in the season, and I just wanted to execute,” said Thompson.
Considering that the Jamaican ran into a negative headwind and was still able to produce such a fast early season time, showed she is in immaculate form.
Only recently she ran a blistering 10.75 seconds for her opening 100m at the UTech Classic in Kingston, and anchored Jamaica to 4x200m and 4x100m relay victories at the World and Penn Relays.
Jamaica’s former 100m World record holder Asafa Powell finally got the better of American Justin Gatlin, but had to settle for second in the 100m in 10.08 seconds (-1.2 mps).
as recently named to the Guiness Book of World Record for the most sub-10 clocking, just failed to increase on the 97 times he achieved that feat.
“I’m not surprised coming in second, we’re only just beginning our season. I wanted to go sub-10, but couldn’t because of the wind,” Powell said.
Gatlin clocked 10.14 for fourth, but the race was won by the in form South African Akani Simbine in 9.99 seconds. Femi Ogunode of Qatar was third in 10.13 seconds. Canadian rising star Andre DeGrasse was fifth in 10.21.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Aisha Praught established a new national record in the Women’s 3,000m steeplechase in 9:19.29 minutes, after finishing eighth.
Praught, who is based in the United States of America (USA), went well below her previous Jamaican record of 9:31.75 minutes set in London last July.
Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng, in a meet record and world-leading time of 9:00.12 minutes, won the grueling event. Her teammate Beatrice Chepkoech was second in a personal best of 9:01.57, with Bahrain’s Ruth Jebet third in 9:01.99.
The 27-year-old, who was born in the USA, applied to the Jamaica Administrative Athletics Association (JAAA) for a transfer after meeting her biological father, Joseph Grant in Berlin, Germany, in 2013 for the first time.
Praught, at the time, said that she knew something was wrong growing up, and once she met her father in Berlin they just connected. She has been representing Jamaica since and was at the Olympics in 2016.
Jamaica’s middle distance prodigy Natoya Goule finished eighth in the Women’s 800m.
Goule, 26, formerly of Manchester High, Louisiana State University and Clemson University, clocked 2:01.59 minutes.
The race was won easily by South Africa’s Semenya Caster in a world-leading 1:56.61 minutes ahead of Wambui Nyairera of Kenya in 1:57.03, with Sum Jepkoech third in 1:58.76.
Goule started strongly and was second for 500m behind pacesetter Jennifer Meadows of Great Britain, but when the big guns came forward, she faded badly as the early pace apparently took its toll on her. She picked up one point for her effort.
Jamaica’s rising sprint hurdler, Megan Simmonds finished fifth in the Women’s 100m hurdles in 13.13 seconds (-2.3 mps).
The event was won by American Kendra Harrison in a splendid 12.59 seconds ahead of Germany’s Cindy Roleder in 12.90. Sharika Nelvis of USA was third with 12.91 seconds.
Megan, for her fifth-placed finish, collected four points in the opening race in the rich Diamond League series.
Jamaica’s national 400m champion Annsert Whyte could only muster eighth in the Men’s 400m hurdles in 50.80 seconds.
Whyte, who has a best time of 48.07 established at the 2016 Rio Olympics, struggled home at the back of the field from lane seven.
The event was won by homeboy Abderrahaman Samba of Qatar in 48.44 seconds, ahead of America Kerron Clement in 49.40. South Africa’s Zyl LJ Van was third with 49.49.
— Howard Walker
Up deh Elaine dweet mums