Four World Leads & Other Fine Performances Bring the Oslo Diamond Meet Alive

The fifth edition of 2014 IAAF Diamond League at Norwegian capital Oslo on June 11, 2014 produced four world leads with great performances by Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, Yenew Alamirew, Jarius Kipchoge-Birech and Tianna Bartoletta. Martinot-Lagarde, the winner in Eugene Diamond League clocked 13.12 seconds in 110m hurdles, Alamirew finished 5000m in 13:01.57 minutes; Kipchoge-Birech followed his triumph in Rome to clock 8:02.27 in 3,000m Steeplechase and American Tianna Bartoletta leapt to a 7.02m world lead in the long jump. Other world class athletes, who excelled at the Bislett Stadium were; Renaud Lavillenie, Sandra Perkovic, Allyson Felix, Novlene Williams-Mills, Kaliese Spencer, Eunice Sum and Will Claye.

In men’s 110m hurdles, Martinot-Lagarde of France ran with supreme confidence to win in 13.12 seconds. Jamaican Andrew Riley was second in 13.36 and Russian Sergey Shubenkov  third in 13.37. Ethiopian Alamirew and Kenyan Caleb Ndiku enacted their Eugene performance in 5000m, running a close race but this time Alamirew was narrowly ahead of Ndiku at 13:01.57, while Kenyan took the second spot in 13:02.15. American Rupp Galen was third in 13:03.35. The third world-lead in Oslo came in the 3000m Steeplechase, where Jairus Kipchoge-Birech of Kenya clocked 8:02.37 minutes. The second place went to Jager Evan of USA, with a timing of 8:06.97, while another Kenyan Hillary Kipsang Yego finished third in 8:10.93. Fourth world lead came in women’s long jump with USA’s Tianna Bartoletta leaping through 7.02m. GBR’s Shara Proctor was second in 6.78, while Funmi Jimoh of USA was third in 6.36.

France’s Olympic Pole Vault champion, Renaud Lavillenie produced another stellar performance at Oslo with an easy 5.77m win and added his Norway DL victory to those at Shanghai and Eugene meetings. In second place was Germany’s Malte Mohr, who reached 5.70m and Konstadinos Filippidis of Greece finished third with 5.60m. Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic claimed her third straight IAAF Diamond League victory in discus with a 67.17m throw. The reigning world champion was followed at second place by American Gia Lewis-Smallwood with 65.77 and Denia Caballero of Cuba third with 64.89. Triple world champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix returned to form in Oslo to win 200m sprint in 22.73 seconds. GBR’S Jodie Williams clocked 22.97 to finish second while Frenchwoman Myrium Soumare was third in 22.98.

Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica won the 400m sprint in 50.06 seconds to add to her victories at Shanghai and Eugene in this Diamond League season. USA’s Natasha Hastings was second with 50.60 and Botswana’s Amantle Montsho third with 51.05. Another Jamaican, Kaliese Spencer, also added to her victories in Eugene and Rome to finish victor at Oslo in 400m hurdles. Spencer clocked 54.94 seconds but she had to struggle to stay ahead of Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya, who was second with 54.96. Eilidh Child of GBR finished third in 55.33. Another woman athlete, who added to her earlier DL wins was Kenyan Eunice Sum, who ran 800m in 1:59.02, ahead of USA’s Ajee Wilson, who clocked 1:59.68. In third place was GBR’s Jessica Judd in her lifetime best of 1:59.77. Women’s high jump was won by Russian Mariya Kuchina with a clearance of 1.98m. Croatia’s two-time world indoor and outdoor champion, Blanka Vlasic was second on count-back. Ana Simic, another Croatian was third with 1.95.

Men’s triple jump at Oslo saw another absorbing contest between the world famous Americans; Will Claye and Christian Taylor with Claye prevailing finally with a last-round leap of 17.41m. Taylor’s best leap was 17.15 while Cuba’s Ernesto Reve finished third with 16.96m. In men’s 100m, 2008 Olympic silver medallist Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Thompson was first in 10.02 seconds. Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut was a close second in 10.04 while GBR’s Adam Gemili came third in 10.11. Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman proved his triumph in Eugene’s Bowerman Mile event was no fluke, when he won the Oslo Dream Mile in 3:49.49 minutes. New-Zealander Nick Willis took the second place in 3:49.83 and Homiyu Tesfaye of Germany was third in 3:49.86. In men’s javelin, Tero Pitkamaki of Finland threw the spear 84.18m to take the first place. The guy couldn’t sleep over the past few days as his wife delivered a baby on Monday. Kenyan Julius Yego was second as his spear fell just one centimeter short. Czech Republic’s Vitezslav Vesely was third with 83.53. American Joe Kovacs won the men’s shot put by hurling 21.14m. Germany’s double world champion David Storl was second with 21.08m, while Reese Hoffa of US finished a close third at 21.07.

Men’s 1500m was won by Czech Republic’s Jakub Holusa in 3:35.26. He was followed in the second place by Australian Ryan Gregson in 3:36.18 while Austria’s Andreas Vojta was third in 3:36.43, In a non-DL men’s 400m hurdles, USA’s Ashton Eaton ran in 49.16 seconds to take the first place. American Johnny Dutch was second in 49.77 while Rasmas Magi of Estonia was third in 49.88.