Beijing’s 200m world champion Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers ran at scintillating pace to notch up season’s best performance ahead of Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson at Oslo’s ExxonMobil Bislett Games, of which 7th IAAF Diamond League Meet was a part. Schippers clocked 21.93s to smash two records in the process. The Dutchwoman knocked 0.01 off Gwen Torrence’s meeting record apart from eclipsing DL record, jointly held by Jamaicans Veronica Campbell-Brown and Allyson Felix. USA’s Brianna Rollins broke her runners-up jinx to win women’s 100m hurdles and Asbel Kiprop and Faith Kipyegon embellished their Diamond Race leads with victories in Oslo’s signature Dream Miles. Other notable winners at Oslo DL were; Canadian Andre De Grasse in men’s 100m sprint, Turkey’s Yasmani Copello in men’s 400m hurdles, Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie in pole-vault, Ivana Spanovic in women’s long jump, Thomas Rohler in men’s javelin and Joe Kovacs in men’s shot put.
Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers was the toast of Oslo’s Exxonmobil Bislett Games. The reigning 200m world champion broke away from the pack midway through the bend and powered her way to an incredible 21.93 second finish. Schippers was a two-year old toddler in 1994, when American Gwen Torrence set the Oslo meet record in 1994 by running in 21.94 but Schippers had bettered that now. Schippers also set a new DL record by overtaking two Jamaican runners; Veronica Campbell-Brown and Allyson Felix, both of whom jointly shared the 21.98 seconds until last Sunday. Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson was a distant second in 22.64 and Bulgaria’s Ivet Lalova-Collio third in 22.78.
In women’s 100m hurdles, 2013 world champion Brianna Rollins of USA won her first DL race this season after finishing second in Eugene and Birmingham. Rollins clocked 12.56, ahead of 2008 Beijing Olympic Gold-medalist and compatriot Dawn Harper Nelson, who clocked 12.75. Another US woman Jasmine Stowers finished third in 12.79. Men’s 100m sprint was won by Canada’s Andre De Grasse, who outran USA’s Mike Rodgers and clocked 10.07 to Rodgers’ 10.09. St. Kitts & Nevis native and 40-year old Kim Collins led the race until 70m but finished last after pulling up his left-groin muscle. USA’s Dentarius Locke finished third in 10.12. Men’s 400m hurdles was full of closing stage drama. USA’s Michael Tinsley and Puerto Rican Javier Culson; running neck-to-neck until close to the last barrier, were suddenly overtaken by Turkey’s Yasmani Copello. The Turk earned his first career DL victory in 48.79, Culson was second in 48.99 and Tinsley third in 49.02. Jamaica’s Stephenie Ann McPherson won women’s 400m in 51.04, ahead of USA’s Natasha Hastings, who clocked 51.38. Another Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills was third in 51.66.
Men and women’s one-mile events were the most keenly watched races at Oslo. Kenyans Asbel Kiprop and Faith Kipyegon emerged convincing winners and consolidated their DL race leads. 2008 Olympic champion Kiprop ran ahead of everyone from penultimate lap and slowed down somewhat over the last 200 meters. Regardless, he still finished first in a world-lead time of 3:51.48. Kiprop’s compatriot Elijah Manangoi was second in 3:52.04 and Algeria’s Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi third in 3:52.24. Women’s dream mile was won by Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon in a world-lead time of 4:18.60. Britain’s Laura Muir finished second in 4:19.12 while Sweden’s Meraf Bahta was third in 4:25.26. Women’s 3000m steeplechase was also won in a master-class performance by Kenyan world champion Hyvin Kiyeng. Her world-lead time of 9:09.57 was nearly 10 seconds less than the second-placed athlete. Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa was second in 9:18.53 and her compatriot Etenesh Diro third in 9:19.40. Ethiopia also made it 1-2-3 in men’s 5000m with Hagos Gebrhiwet winning in 13:07.70; Muktar Edris finishing second in 13:08.11 and Yomif Kejelcha taking the third place in 13:08.34.
France’s Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie recorded his fourth consecutive pole-vault victory at Oslo. After missing the opening height twice, Lavillenie went over 5.65m in his third attempt. However, when Canada’s world champion Shawn Barber topped 5.73, Lavillenie beat him with 5.80m. Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski finished third with 5.65m. Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic won women’s long jump with 6.94m. Canada’s Cristabel Nettey was second with 6.68m and Britain’s Shara Proctor third in 6.67. Cuba’s Alexis Copello won men’s triple jump with 16.91m ahead of second-placed Frenchman Teddy Tamgho with 16.80. Germany’s Max Hess was third in 16.69. In women’s high jump, Spain’s Ruth Beitia cleared 1.90m to win the event ahead of Czech Michaela Hruba’s 1.85m. Tonje Angelsen of Norway finished third.
Germany’s Thomas Rohler won men’s javelin with a world-lead hurl of 89.30m. Rohler also added 3 centimeters to his career best throw and looked pretty good as Olympic Games gold-medal prospect. Rohler’s compatriot Johannes Vetter finished second with 87.11m and Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad & Tobago was third with 86.35m. USA’s Joe Kovacs reiterated his shot put dominance by breaching the 22m mark to record 22.01 while Poland’s 19-year-old Konrad Bukowiecki finished second with 21.14. In women’s discus, it was once again the Croatian Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic, who sent the disc to 67.10 against the second-placed German Nadine Muller’s 63.09m.
