AthletesThe athletics night at Norwegian capital came alive with many world-class performances in the 6th stage of IAAF Diamond League. There could not have a better way for the ExxonMobil Bislett Games to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Though the Oslo DL meeting brought only one world-leading performance in the women’s 400m hurdles, the glittering presence of world’s crème de la crème in track and field ornamented the event’s prestigious half-century in the Bislett Stadion.

In women’s 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer recorded her third consecutive DL victory after Doha and Shanghai. Spencer clocked a world-lead time of 54.15s ahead of USA’s Georganne Moline, who ran in 54.29. In women’s 5000m, Ethiopia’s world indoor 3,000m champion, Genzebe Dibaba had a great finish in 14:21.29. Her compatriot Senbera Teferi was second with14:38.57. Dibaba came tantalizingly close to her sister Tirunesh’s 14:11.15 world record but slowed down in patches to miss it by 10 seconds. In 100m hurdles for women, Doha DL winner Jasmine Stowers of USA continued her fine performance this season by winning at Oslo as well. She clocked 12.84 second in a photo- finish with compatriot and world champion, Brianna Rollins, who also clocked 12.84 but was declared second. In men’s high jump, China’s Zhang Guowei created a flutter by shocking his more established counterparts. The 24-year old Chinese cleared only 2.36m but that was enough to push the Qatar’s celebrated world indoor champion, Mutaz Essa Barshim to third place at 2.33m. World and European champion, Bogdan Bondarenko of Ukraine finished fifth also with 2.33m. Barshim was planning a jump of 2.45m but he was hugely disappointed. The second spot was taken by Italy’s Marco Fassinotti also at 2.33m.

 

In 1500m race for women, Great Britain’s 22-year old Laura Muir stunned everyone in taking the first place in 4:00.39 ahead of Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who finished second in 4:00.94. Muir’s victory was not the only one for a British athlete. In men’s long jump, UK’s Olympic champion Greg Rutherford leapt 8.25m in Oslo to make it two-in-a-row after his Birmingham victory. USA’s Mike Hartfield took second place at 8.04m. In the famous Dream Mile, Kenya’s world outdoor 1500m champion, Asbel Kiprop strode amazingly for the first-place finish at 3:51.45 ahead of countryman Silas Kiplagat, who clocked 3:51.72.

In women’s 100m sprint, Ivory Coast’s world 100m and 200m silver medalist and 2012 Oslo DL 200m winner, Murielle Ahoure captured the first place in 11.03. Jamaica’s double Olympic 200m champion and 4-time world champion, Veronica Campbell-Brown finished second at 11.08. In women’s shot-put, Germany’s European indoor and outdoor champion, Christina Schwanitz, who also won at Birmingham four days back, followed it with another victory at Oslo. The 29-year old German hurled the metal ball at 20.14m, almost one meter further than the rest of the field. Michelle Carter of USA was second at 19.20m. The event did not have New Zealand’s World champion Valerie Adams. In men’s 400m, Bahama’s Steven Gardiner caused a stir by winning in 44.64m. Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith finished second at 45.09.

Colombian women’s triple jump world champion Caterine Ibarguen extended her winning streak to 25 competitions by taking the first place at Oslo. She leapt to 14.68m to continue her fine form that also yielded victories for her in DL meets at Shanghai and Eugene. Gabriela Petrova of Bulgaria took the second place at 14.57m. In men’s 3000m steeplechase, African champion, Jarius Birech of Kenya repeated his Shanghai DL win with a 8:05.63 victory at Oslo. His compatriot Conseslus Kipruto was second at 8:11.92. In men’s 200m sprint, Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre dashed in season’s best time of 20.21. Anaso Jobodwana of South Africa was second in 20.39s.

In women’s javelin, Israel’s Marharyta Dorozhon shocked the field by hurling the spear to 64.56m to finish first. South Africa’s Sunette VilJoen was second with 64.36m. In men’s discus, Poland’s Robert Urbanek added to his Shanghai and Eugene DL victories with a 63.85m victory at Oslo. Erik Cadee of the Netherlands was second at 62.32m.