Sha’Carri dazzles; Kerley storms to win in Doha

Doha: Former US NCAA champion Sha’Carri Richardson yesterday registered her biggest win since the Tokyo Olympic Trials, posting the best time of the season at the Diamond League season opener in Doha, yesterday.

The 23-year-old’s 10.76-second mark in the women’s 100m was enough to beat the reigning world 200m champion Jamaican Shericka Jackson and the former world 200m title holder Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain, who finished in the second and third positions respectively at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium, in front of a full house.

Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani along with Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) President Mohammed Issa Al Fadala poses with the Event Management System Certificate awarded to QAF by ISO on the sidelines of Diamond League season opener at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. The QOC President also attended action during the opening meet.

The US sprinter trailed Jackson and Asher-Smith at half way, but powered through in the closing stages with her unique sprinting style, to erase the previous meeting record in Doha by taking 0.04 off. The previous mark was set in 2016 by Richardson’s compatriot Tori Bowie, who tragically passed away earlier this week.

Jackson finished second in 10.85 and Asher-Smith was third in 10.98.

Just over a year and nine months ago, Richardson returned to the track at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, after serving a brief ban - following a positive test for a banned substance – which led her to miss the Tokyo Olympics and she later failed to qualify for the World Championships last year.

USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson wins the women’s 100m event during the Doha Diamond League meeting, yesterday. AFP

Upon her return in Eugene, she was placed last with a dire 11.14 second mark in the 100 meters race which was won by the reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, but vowed to come back strongly, saying “This is one race. I’m not done. You know what I’m capable of. I’m not done. I’m the sixth-fastest woman in this game, ever.”

At the Qatari capital yesterday, she proved just that.

“I’m so blessed and thankful, I feel at peace. All I do is the best I do and I’m excited to do it. Like I said it before, I had to be kicked out from another 100m race, so I had to do my best no matter what. Peace, love and life,” Richardson said after the impressive run. 

“The whole point about my season is to race against the best, and I did that tonight. I am really happy with my race, third place is a good start and the time is decent. Obviously I have good memories of Doha, winning the World 200m title in 2019. It’s really nice to be back, I enjoy the warm weather. My next race hasn’t been announced, but I’m looking forward to a big year ahead,” Asher-Smith said.

The Doha crowd was treated with another blazing sprint finish later when the world 100m champion Fred Kerley claimed a strong win in the men’s 200m which features a host of world and Olympic medallists.

His US teammate Kenny Bednarek, the 200 metre silver winner at Tokyo Games, did his best to surpass Kerley, but the calm and cool Kerley led comfortably to win with a season’s best of 19.92. 

“I was comfortable, but I know I still got work to do. The most important this was to win, and I did. I was happy with the competition, it was a good one, the guys gave me a fight. Next is Japan (where I will) open up my season in the 100,” Kerley, who is aiming for a 100,200 double at the World Championships later this year, said. 

Bednarek finished at 20.11, while two-time Olympic medallist and two-time World Championship bronze winner Aaron Brown of Canada came third in 20.20 while his fellow countryman Andre de Grasse, the reigning Olympic 200m champion, finished in sixth place (20.23). World 400m champion Michael Norman finished two spots off De Grasse. 

The men’s 3000m also saw some of the biggest stars on track, but it was Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma who prevailed with a new meeting record time of 7:26.18, moving to eighth on the world all-time list.

Girma was racing for the first time since breaking the world indoor record at the distance, but yesterday’s he had to race against a stellar line-up which included 1500m, 10,000m, steeplechase and cross country world champions.

Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega came second with a personal best of 7:27.16 while Berihu Awregawi came third in 7:27.61 to make an all-Ethiopian podium, also making it just the second time in history that three men have finished inside the 7:28 mark. World and Olympic steeplechase champion Soufiane El Bakkali was fourth while the 2019 world 1500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot were close behind him at fifth spot.

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Rai Benjamin, the Olympic and world silver medalist won in 47.78, while Winfred Yavi of Bahrain won a deep women’s 3000m steeplechase in 9:04.38. Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico took the 100m hurdles in 12.48 secs.

DOHA DIAMOND LEAGUE RESULTS 
Men's 200m
1.    Fred Kerley (Usa) 19.92
2.    Kenneth Bednarek (Usa) 20.11
3.    Aaron Brown (Can) 20.20
Men's 800m
1.    Slimane Moula (Alg) 1:46.06
2.    Wyclife Kinyamal Kisasy (Ken) 1:46.61
3.    Djamel Sedjati (Alg) 1:46.97
Men's 3000m
1.    Lamecha Girma (Eth) 7:26.18
2.    Selemon Barega (Eth) 7:27.16
3.    Berihu Aregawi (ETH) 7:27.61
Men's 400mH
1.    Rai Benjamin (Usa) 47.78
2.    Cj Allen (Usa) 47.93
3.    Wilfried Happio (FRA) 49.12
Men's High Jump
1.    JuVaughn Harrison (Usa) 2.32
2.    Woo Sang-hyeok (Kor) 2.27
3.    Mutaz Barshim (QAT) 2.24
Men's Triple Jump
1.    Pedro Pichardo (Por) 17.91    
2.    Hugues Fabrice Zango (Bur) 17.81    
3.    Andy Díaz HernándeZ (CUB) 17.80    
Men's Discus Throw
1.    Kristjan Ceh (Slo) 70.89
2.    Daniel Ståhl (Swe) 67.14
3.    Sam Mattis (USA) 64.69
Men's Javelin Throw
1.    Neeraj Chopra (Ind) 88.67
2.    Jakub Vadlejch (Cze) 88.63
3.    Anderson Peters (GRN) 85.88
Women's 100m
1.    Sha'carri Richardson (Usa) 10.76
2.    Shericka Jackson (Jam) 10.85
3.    Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) 10.98
Women's 400m
1.    Marileidy Paulino (Dom) 50.51
2.    Shamier Little (Usa) 50.84
3.    Natalia Kaczmarek (POL) 51.64
Women's 1500m
1.    Faith Kipyegon (Ken) 3:58.57
2.    Diribe Weltej (Eth) 3:59.34
3.    Freweyni Hailu (ETH) 4:00.29
Women's 100mH
1.    Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Pur) 12.48
2.    Alaysha Johnson (Usa) 12.66
3.    Nia Ali (USA) 12.69
Women's 3000mSC
1.    Winfred Mutile Yavi (Brn) 9:04.38
2.    Sembo Almayew (Eth) 9:05.83
3.    Faith Cherotich (KEN) 9:06.43
Women's Pole Vault
1.    Katie Moon (Usa) 4.81
2.    Tina Šutej (Slo) 4.76
3.    Sandi Morris (USA) 4.71