2010 IAAF Diamond League

Welcome to the athletics-leics.com dedicated page for the
2010 IAAF Diamond League.

Meeting Schedule

'Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix'
Khalifa International Stadium - Doha
Friday 14th May

'Shanghai Golden Grand Prix'
Shanghai Stadium - Shanghai
Sunday 23rd May

‘Exxon Mobil Bislett Games’
Bislett Stadium - Oslo
Friday 4th June

‘Golden Gala’
Olympic Stadium - Rome
Friday 10th June

‘Reebok Grand Prix’
Icahn Stadium – New York
Sunday 19th June

'Prefontaine Classic'
Hayward Field - Eugene
Saturday 3rd July

'Athletissima'
Stade Olympique de la Pontaise - Lausanne
Thursday 8th July

'AVIVA British Grand Prix'
Gateshead International Stadium - Gateshead
Sunday 11th July

‘Meeting Areva’
Stade de France - Paris
Friday 16th July

'Meeting Herculis'
Stade Louis II - Monaco
Thursday 22nd July

'DN Galan'
Stockholm Olympic Stadium - Stockholm
Friday 6th August

'AVIVA London Grand Prix'
Crystal Palace - London
Friday/Saturday 13th & 14th August

‘Weltklasse’
Letzigrund Stadium - Zurich
Thursday 19th August

‘Ivo Van Damme Meeting’
Stade Roi Baudouin - Brussels
Friday 27th August

Media Coverage

Coverage is available on BBC Sport, BBC Radio FIVE LIVE and British Eurosport with highlights on the IAAF Athletix programme on Sky Sports and on the Trans World Sport programme.

2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League - Reports

19.57secs – Bolt delights Brussels as Bekele, Isinbayeva and Richards share golden jackpot

2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League Belgacom Memorial Van Damme Meeting

Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels

Friday 4th September 2009

HE’s brilliant… he’s brash… he’s the lightning Bolt! - as Kenenisa Bekele (5,000m), Yelena Isinbayeva (pole vault) and Sanya Richards (400m) completed their sixth consecutive victories to share the One Million Dollar jackpot in the final ever edition of the Golden League, the biggest star on show in Brussels was triple Olympic and World champion Usain Bolt who delighted the packed 47,000 crowd in the Stade Roi Baudouin with a stunning 19.57secs clocking over 200m as the 23-year-old Jamaican stormed to victory despite the cool damp conditions in the Belgium capital.

The final ever ÅF Golden League meeting was celebrated in style as superstar Usain Bolt recorded the world's fourth fastest time of 19.57 seconds to eclipse the meeting record of 19.79, set by American Tyson Gay in 2006, a mark which only himself and the legendary American Michael Johnson have ever bettered.

The USA’s Wallace Spearmon, the World bronze medallist, finished a distant second in 20.19, with teenager Azerbaijan sprinter Ramil Guliyev third in 20.47.

Bolt said afterwards: "I am very tired, my body was telling me to slow down. I was fatigued in the last 20-30 metres.

"But the crowd gave me that extra push - the fans always expect something extra from me and I was very surprised by the energy they gave me, I enjoy to do the show, always, and I knew that as it is a new track it would be fast."

American Sanya Richards was equally impressive and dominant in the women’s 400m as the elegant 24-year-old produced an awesome world-leading performance to race away from the field in a meeting record of 48.83secs to secure her share of the Million Dollar jackpot improving her previous 2009 best of 48.94 set in Zurich at the 'Weltklasse' last week.

Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu continued her solid return to top form following her hamstring injury, having won in Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday the Brit out sprinted Jamaican Shericka Williams, the world silver medallist in Berlin, by a margin of 0.12secs to take second place in 50.43 with compatriot Nicola Sanders eighth in 51.38.

Double world 10,000m and 5,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele waited until the last lap to secure his $333,333 share pulling way from the field to clock a time of 12mins 55.31secs ahead of fellow Ethiopian Imane Merga and Kenya's Vincent Chepkok. Great Britain’s European indoor 3,000m champion Mo Farah was a distant 13th in 13:22.33.

A week after breaking her own world-record and collecting a $50,000 bonus Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva completed her sixth Golden League victory to secure her share of the jackpot with a winning height and a first time clearance of 4.70 metres.

Poland’s Monika Pyrek finished second on countback tied with three other athletes including compatriot and the surprise World champion Anna Rogwanska, whilst, the Loughborough-based United Kingdom record-holder Kate Dennison finished fifth with a height of 4.50m.

Isinbayeva having claimed the victory tried to break the world mark again with three decent attempts at 5.07m, one centimetre above her global record, in the difficult conditions.

UK champion Jemma Simpson produced one of her best 800m performances of the season to finish second behind American Anna Willard in a time of 1:59.40. Marilyn Okoro finished 8th in 2:01.68 ahead of American Maggie Vessey.

In the men’s 400m former Olympic and World champion Jeremy Wariner, in the absence of compatriot and current double title holder LaShawn Merritt, was easily the class of the field as the American comfortably won in a time of 44.94secs ahead of Trinidad’s Renny Quow, second in 45.55.

Britain’s Michael Bingham clocked 45.70 to finish third edging out Ireland's David Gillick (45.73) and fellow Brit Martyn Rooney (45.83), a late call-up to the Brussels meeting.

With Usain Bolt competing over 200m fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell, the reigning Commonwealth champion, secured a well-deserved victory over 100m ahead of American Tyson Gay with an impressive time of 9.90secs (-0.4m/s) on the damp track.

Gay, who will require surgery at the end of the outdoor season on a long term groin injury finished second in 10.00, ahead of fellow countryman Darvis Patton (10.08), whilst, Britain’s Simeon Williamson was eighth in 10.21.

Loughborough graduate William Sharman once again underlined his potential by finishing fourth in world class 110m hurdles field in a time of 13.39secs, as the Barbadian World champion Ryan Brathwaite prevailed in 13.30.

American Carmelita Jeter, following her victory in the windy conditions of Gateshead, produced another superb run to capture the women's 100 metres, defeating the Jamaican duo of Shelly-Ann Fraser and Kerron Stewart, the gold and silver medallists respectively at the Berlin World Championship. Jeter flew to victory in 10.88secs, edging Fraser (10.98) and Stewart (11.05).

Brigitte Foster-Hylton, having become the oldest World champion over the 100m hurdles secured a narrow win edging out Canada's powerful Priscilla Lopes-Schliep by just 0.01 seconds over the line. The 34-year-old clocked 12.48secs to defeat Lopes-Schliep (12.49) and Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London (12.71).

Gelete Burka bounced back from her World Championships disappointment when leading in the final of the 1500m the Ethiopian was pushed to the track and was last seen lying distressed on the track in Berlin to win the rarely run 2,000m but finishing outside of Ireland’s Sonia O’Sullivan’s 1994 world record-time of 5:25.36.

The 23-year-old was paced brilliantly before falling short on the last-lap to clock a time of 5:35.46 – a new African record - improving the mark of 5:31.52 set by Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot in Eugene back in June of this year. Cheruiyot, the World 5,000m champion finished second in 5:35.46 just ahead of compatriot Mercy Cherono (5:35.65).

In the women’s high jump badly affected by the conditions in Brussels double World Champion Blanka Vlasic won the competition with a 2.00m victory ahead of Berlin silver medalist, Russian Anna Chicherova on countback and third placed American Chaunte Howard (1.97m).

The 2007 World champion Tero Pitkämäki of Finland bounced back after missing the Zurich meeting last week and having been ill in Berlin to win the men’s Javelin competition with an opening round throw of 86.23m. Norway’s Olympic gold medallist Andreas Thorkildsen produced only one throw of 82.61 and then retired from the competition suffering pain in his groin.

Cuba’s Yamile Aldama won the women’s triple jump with a leap of 14.27m.

With Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi, the reigning World champion missing the Brussels meeting, compatriot Paul Kipsiele Koech won the 3000m steeplechase taking the victory ahead of Berlin silver medallist Richard Mateelong in a time of 8:06.92, with Finland’s Jukka Keskisalo third.

David Rudisha of Kenya returned to winning ways with strong kick off the final bend crossing the line in 1:45.80 to secure victory in the men's 800m. Osaka 2007 World champion Alfred Yego of Kenya finished second in 1:46.36 with the new global gold medallist Mbulaeni Mulaudzi fading to fifth place. Canada’s Gary Reed was third in 1:46.82.

The Team England quartet of Andy Baddeley (3:39), Ricky Stevenson (3:43.3), Loughborough-based Nick McCormick (3:44.7) and Mark Draper (3:47.6) smashed the 30-year-old United Kingdom 4x1500m relay record finishing fifth in a time of 14:54.57 in the very rarely run event.

Kenya clocked a world record time of 14:36.23 as Augustine Choge (3:36.9) anchored home the squad of William Biwott (3:38.5), Gideon Gathimba (3:39.5), Geoffrey Rono (3:41.4).

From next year the new IAAF Diamond League will start in May and will comprise 14 competitions around the world, compared to the current six Golden League meetings based in Europe.

The Diamond League will begin in Doha next spring before taking in cities across America, Asia, the Middle East and Europe, including London and Gateshead, Shanghai, New York, Stockholm and Paris.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Ivo Van Damme 
(February 21st 1954 – December 29th 1976)

Ivo Van Damme was a brilliant Belgian middle-distance runner born in Brussels. He played football until he was 16, but then switched to athletics. His breakthrough came in 1973, when he placed fourth in the IAAF Junior World Championships in the 800m.

In 1976, he won the European indoor title over 800m, and was one of the favourites for a medal at 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. There, he placed second in both the 800m and 1500m, finishing behind Alberto Juantorena and John Walker, respectively. They were his last successes, as Van Damme was tragically killed in a car accident while travelling home from Southern France, he was only 22-years-old.

Since 1977, a memorial competition has been held in Brussels to remember him, the Ivo Van Damme Memorial meeting.

Full results are available at: www.iaaf.org/gle09/results/eventcode=4178/index.html

5.06m – Isinbayeva breaks pole vault world-record; Bolt 9.81secs as Merritt and Richards impress over 400m in Zurich

2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League Weltklasse Meeting

Letzigrund Stadium, Zurich

Friday 28th August 2009

ZURICH’s Weltklasse, the world’s premier track and field one-day meeting lived-up to expectation and hype to deliver a sparkling post Berlin show, highlighted by a stunning return to form for Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva who broke her own pole vault world-record clearing a height of 5.06m to keep in the chase for the US$1 Million Golden League jackpot, whilst, Jamaican superstar sprinter Usain Bolt flew to another impressive victory over 100m with a 9.81secs clocking as the American duo of LaShawn Merritt and Sanya Richards prevailed over 400m and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele set a world-leading time to win the 5000m (12:52.32).

They say a week is a long time in politics, well the same could be said of golden girl Yelena Isinbayeva, having failed to record a height at the recent World Championships in Berlin the last seven days for the 27-year-old Olympic champion would have been spent in deep reflection on what went wrong in the German capital and the re-evaluation of her approach to competition - and what a difference a week made as here in Zurich the smile was back, the bounce in her step returned and more importantly the world record-breaking form was fully evident on the runway as the elegant Russian improved her global mark by a margin of one centimetre to dazzle the sell-out 26,000 crowd at the Letzigrund Stadium.

Isinbayeva reflecting on her performance commented : "During the World Championships my body was there but my mind was absent, but today I was fully concentrated for the competition and for myself because this week I was hungry for world records and I just felt the feelings again that I want to be the best again and I want to compete."

Surprise world champion Anna Rogowska of Poland was second with a mark of 4.76m with Brazil’s Fabiana Murer clearing 4.71m for third. Loughborough-based Kate Dennison, the reigning United Kingdom record-holder, finished in 7th place with a best clearance of 4.41m.

Top of the bill in Zurich was undoubtedly global superstar and multiple world record-holder Usain Bolt, the Jamaican once again playing to and delighting the assembled crowd with another fabulous performance, understandable following his exploits in Berlin their was to be no improvement on his world mark of 9.58 as the 23-year-old still scorched to a time of 9.81 seconds pushed all the way by compatriot and former world record-holder Asafa Powell, who finished second in 9.88.

American Darvis Patton was third in a season’s best of 9.95 with the reigning US champion Michael Rogers securing fourth in 9.98. Britain’s Tyrone Edgar finished last in 10.28.

Bolt commented afterwards: “It was alright, I would say this was a shaky race, my body was sitting at the start, I was a little bit tired through the race, but again, it’s alright. All things considered, the time is not bad. I need to pick up my speed as my body did not respond well to the race.”

If Usain Bolt dominants the sprints then Kenenisa Bekele is the undisputed king of the long-distance events, looking fresh from completing the 10,000m and 5,000m double in Berlin the Ethiopian showed no signs of tiredness to set a superb world-leading time of 12:mins 52.32secs to win over 5k and stay in the Golden League jackpot chase.

Kenya’s Edwin Soi finished runner-up in 12:55.03 as American Dathan Ritzenhein with his third place 12:26.27 clocking smashed compatriots Bob Kennedy’s national and area record also set in Zurich way back in August 1996.

Great Britain’s Lisa Dobriskey, silver medallist in Berlin, finished third in the women’s 1500m as the Loughborough-based Commonwealth champion clocked a new lifetime best of 3mins 59.50secs as double world champion Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain prevailed in 3:59.15 with American Anna Willard also setting a new personal best to take second in 3:59.50 following a close run race.

Dobriskey now joins an elite club of four British female athletes who have ran under four-minutes over 1500m including Olympic champion Kelly Holmes, and Hayley Tullett and Zola Budd.

In the men’s race US-based Tom Lancashire clocked 3:34.74 to secure fifth place as Kenya's Augustine Choge won in 3:33.38.

Kenya’s world champion Ezekiel Kemboi produced another powerful performance to win the men's 3000m steeplechase in 8:04.44 ahead of France’s world bronze medallist Bob Tahri (8:05.29), whilst, another world gold medalist David Rudisha won the men’s 800m in a lifetime best of 1:43.52 taking victory as in Berlin ahead of Alfred Yego (1:43.66), the 2007 world champion also setting a new personal best.

Sanya Richards continued her fine outdoor season having won the world title in Berlin the 23-year-old American stayed in the jackpot chase with another quality Golden League victory breaking her own world-leading mark with a time of 48.93secs to finish ahead of compatriot and world 200m champion Allyson Felix (49.83).

Reigning Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu and fellow Brit Nicola Sanders finished fourth and sixth in 50.41 and 51.02 respectively.

World and Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt continued his dominant form in the men’s 400m to defeat fellow American Jeremy Wariner with a time of 44.21secs. Wariner finished second in 44.62, whilst, Trinidadian Renny Quow claimed third in 44.77.

Loughborough-based David Gillick surpassed his sixth-place finish in the recent world final to finish fourth in an impressive 45.25 defeating Americans, Angelo Taylor and Kerron Clement in the process.

A fourth place finish in the Berlin world 110m hurdles final gave Great Britain’s William Sharman a senior Golden League debut having competed in the ‘B’ race at the 2007 Oslo Bislett Games, and the 24-year-old Loughborough graduate finished in sixth place with a time of 13.37secs as Jamaican Dwight Thomas won in a national-record of 13.16.

World champion Brigitte Ann Foster-Hylton set a global best for 2009 in the women’s 100m hurdles as the 34-year-old Jamaican clocked 12.46secs to defeat Olympic champion Dawn Harper of the USA.

American Carmelita Jeter gained some revenge for her world final defeat as she ended the Golden League jackpot chase for Jamaican Kerron Stewart with victory in the women’s 100m clocking a time of 10.86secs in Zurich. Jetter finished third to Shelly Ann Fraser and Stewart in Berlin but Stewart had to settle for second this time in 11.04, the same time as Bahamian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie. Fraser was fourth in 11.10.

In the field events Portugal’s Nelson Evora, who was defeated into second place in Berlin came back to win the men’s triple jump competition with a leap of 17.38m. World, Olympic and European champion Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway set a world-leading 91.28m to take victory in the javelin, whilst, another world champion, Croatia’s delightful Blanka Vlasic, with her first time clearance at 2m was good enough to win the women’s high jump ahead of Russia’s Anna Chicherova, the Berlin silver medallist, and American Chaunte Howard equal on countback at 1.98. German Ariane Friedrich, the World bronze medallist was fourth on 1.94.

The maestro Usain Bolt finished off the Weltklasse meeting with superb last leg to anchor the world champions Jamaica home to victory in the men’s 4x100m. Collecting the baton some three metres adrift of American Wallace Spearmon, Bolt chased him down as the Jamaican quartet of Lerone Clarke, Michael Frater and Steve Mullings claimed victory in 37.70secs to lift the Zurich trophy with America second in 37.73.

World bronze medallists Great Britain clocked 38.22secs to finish fourth with their squad of Rikki Fifton, Tyrone Edgar, Marlon Devonish and Loughborough University student Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available at: www.iaaf.org/gle09/results/eventcode=4181/index.html

9.79secs - Bolt lights up Paris

2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League Meeting
Areva

Stade de France, Paris

Friday 17th July 2009

WORLD record-holder Usain Bolt stormed to ÅF Golden League victory on a rain-soaked Stade de France track to win the 100 metres at the Paris Areva Meeting in a stunning time of 9.79 seconds watched by an appreciative crowd of 46,500.

Daniel Bailey of Antigua finished second in 9.91 with compatriot Jamaican Yohan Blake third in 9.93. Britain’s Simeon Williamson's a week after defeating Dwain Chambers in Birmingham to win the UK title finished sixth in 10.14secs.

Bolt, who holds the 100m world record with 9.69 seconds set at the Beijing Olympic Games last year, was slow out of the blocks but pulled clear of the field after the first 50 metres. American Tyson Gay set the fastest time of the year with 9.77 seconds in Rome last week.

Sanya Richards of the USA sprinted clear of the field to win the 400 metres to continue her pursuit of the $1 Million jackpot clocking 49.34 seconds ahead of Jamaican Noviene Williams Mills (50.39) and Amantle Montsho of Botswana (50.61).

Jamaican sprinter Kerron Stewart, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele all completed comfortable victories to stay in contention.

Sanya Richards watched by fiancé, New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross, need little motivation to win her fourth Golden League 400 metre race as the 24-year-old American powered to victory in a time of 49.34secs ahead of Jamaican Novlene Williams (50.39) and Botswana’s African champion Amantle Montsho (50.61).

"The four that are left, I think we can all go through and win all six (ÅF Golden League) events," Richards commented. "Kerron looks really great. She's run 10.7. She's been the most consistent in the women's 100. Yelena is unbeatable, it seems. And Kenenisa Bekele is also doing great. I think the four of us may make it all the way through."

Jamaican Kerron Stewart, the double Olympic medallist from Beijing was very impressive in the women’s 100 metres to win unopposed in 10.99secs to underline her credentials in the $1 Million jackpot chase.

In the women’s 800m Britain’s Marilyn Okoro clocked a season best of 1min 59.56secs to take fourth place behind race winner Anna Willard of the USA who set a lifetime best of 1:58.80 to take victory. Willard edged Italy’s Mediterranean Games champion Elisa Cusma (1:58.99) and Russian Oksana Zbrozhek (1:59.13) as the first seven women all dipped under two minutes with season’s best times, whilst, Shannon Rowbury, the USA 1500m champion, also improved her personal best to 2:00.94 in eighth.

The men’s 800m witnessed Olympic silver medallist Ahmed Ismail winning comfortably in 1:45.85, well ahead of Algerian Nadjim Mansour (1:46.31) and American Khadevis Robinson (1:46.47). Britain’s Michael Rimmer ran a solid race to finish fourth in 1:46.73.

Loughborough graduate Andy Turner finished fifth in the 110m Hurdles as American Dexter Faulk flew out of his blocks and stormed to an impressive win in 13.14secs, whilst, in the women’s 100m Hurdles, two time World champion Michelle Perry and Olympic champion Dawn Harper, went head-to-head as Harper took the win over Perry in 12.68secs to 12.75, with Virginia Powell third in 12.81.

Tim Benjamin came to Paris having not competed for a month because of a hamstring injury and thus faded to seventh place in the men’s 400 metres race as American Jeremy Wariner, the reigning World champion, laboured to victory in 45.28secs. Benjamin clocking 46.32.

Olympic champion Melanie Walker had to settle for second place in the women’s 400m Hurdles as Poland’s Anna Jesien claimed victory in 54.37secs with Walker second in a season’s best of 54.47 with Tiffany Williams to third in 54.72.

Kenenisa Bekele, despite his agent wanting a 5,000m race the Ethiopian triple Olympic champion held off the challenge of double world champion Bernard Lagat of the USA over 3,000m to stay very much alive in the chase for the $1 million jackpot with a 7:28.64 victory. Mourad Amdouni of France was third in 7:37.50, the fastest by a European this season.

Bekele races over the mile in London next weekend and a 1000m race in Stockholm on July 31st before deciding whether he’ll defend both of his titles at the World Championships in Berlin next month.

World champion Blanka Vlasic won the women’s High Jump with a second clearance at 1.99m to defeat the joint silver medallists from Osaka, Anna Chicherova of Russia and Italy’s Antonietta Di Martino who finished level on countback with 1.97.

In the field events Great Britain’s Olympic triple jump silver medallist Phillips Idowu produced a fourth round winning effort of 17.17 metres to defeat the Cuban trio of Yoandris Betanzos, Alexis Copello and David Giralt.

Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen claimed his second straight victory over his main rival, Finland’s Tero Pitkämäki, in the Javelin with a magnificent throw of 88.03m despite the swirling wind inside the stadium.

The rain also affected the women’s Pole Vault with Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva winning the competition to keep herself in the hunt for the jackpot with just one vault at 4.65m - taking victory ahead of compatriot and former World record holder Svetlana Feofanova (4.55), with Poland’s Anna Rogowska third on the same height of 4.55.

In the final event of the evening as the Stade de France track was rain-soaked with large puddles Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad’s sent the partisan crowd home happy with a significant victory over Kenyan Ezekiel Kemboi in the 3,000m Steeplechase with a time of 8:13.23 to 8:15.27, with Finland’s European champion Jukka Keskisalo finishing third in a personal best 8:15.59.

Earlier Renaud Lavillenie, the new French record-holder (6.01m) delighted the crowd by winning the men’s Pole Vault competition with a third time clearance at 5.70m.

The ÅF Golden League now takes a break for the 12th IAAF World Championships in Berlin next month and returns in Zurich on August 28th and the final ever meeting before the series is re-launched as the Diamond League in 2010 takes place in Brussels on September 4th.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available at: www.iaaf.org/gle09/results/eventcode=4185/index.html

9.77secs - Tyson Gay runs fastest 100 metre time of the year in Rome

2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League Golden Gala Meeting

Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Friday 10th July 2009

TYSON GAY sent out a warning to world record-holder Usain Bolt by running the fastest 100 metres of the year in a time of 9.77 seconds at the Golden Gala meeting - the third leg of the 2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League series at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Following a nervous false start the powerful American Gay swept past previous record-holder Asafa Powell 40 metres from the finish in a time that would have been good enough to equal the world record less than two years ago. Powell finished second in 9.88secs, and fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake was third with 9.96.

Gay, preparing to defend his 100m and 200m titles at the next month’s world championships in Berlin commented on his victory said: "I feel that I improved on the previous races, today the race was better executed and my shape is improving, Bolt's in excellent shape. I was working really hard for this, but I'm still training and I feel good."

He expected to be a favourite at the Beijing Olympics but a hamstring strain at the US Olympic trials ended that hope, and Bolt won both gold medals in world records. Bolt opted not to run in Rome, but recorded an impressive 200m in the teeming rain at Lausanne, Switzerland, on Tuesday, clocking a world-leading 19.59.

In the women's 100, Jamaican Kerron Stewart was still in contention for a share in the US$1 million jackpot after three legs of the six-leg Golden League. Olympic silver medallist Stewart won in 10.75 ahead of Olympic champion and countrywoman Shelly-Ann Fraser, who crossed in 10.91. Third went to the Bahamas' Chandra Sturrup, who finished with her season's best of 10.99.

The elegant Sanya Richards won her third consecutive Golden League meeting by dominating the 400m to add to her previous victories in Berlin and Oslo. The American took the lead by the first bend and increased it down the back straight. Richards conserved her energy on the final bend then accelerated to win in 49.46secs and beat Marita Koch's record of 36 races under 50 seconds. Jamaica's Sherika Williams was second with 50.31, whilst, Ami Mbake Thiam from Senegal ran a season-best of 50.71 for third.

"Today was a really good run, the field is getting tougher and tougher, but we missed Christine Ohuruogu (Olympic and world champion) today," Richards said. "I was hoping to go faster than 49.2, but I will take 49.4. I have one more race in Paris, then I want to go back to the United States and get some hard training in for the worlds."

Chris Brown won the men’s 400m following a tough battle with Ireland’s Loughborough-based David Gillick. The Bahamian fended off the challenge and won on in a season’s best of 44.81secs, with Gillick was just outside of the 44.77 national-record he set in Madrid last weekend. Renny Quow finished third in 45.02.

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bikele kept up his challenge for the jackpot when he won the 5,000 metres in 12:56.33. The Olympic champion and world record-holder bided his time until the final lap, when he led a group of six. Leonard Komon of Kenya stayed close but Bikele gradually extended his lead until to enter the home straight with a comfortable gap.

"It was a strong race, but it was not easier than Berlin and Oslo," he said. "I feel that my shape is improving and I am now in good form, in Berlin I will run the 10,000 metres and maybe I might race the 5,000 metres, but I am not sure."

The fourth athlete still in with a chance of taking a jackpot share was Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva, who won the pole vault competition in the venue where she broke the world record a year ago. Isinbayeva began competing only at a height of 4.75 metres, a height none of her competitors were able to clear. After successfully clearing 4.75, she vaulted over 4.85 then failed to clear 4.95. Fellow Russians Yuli Golubchikova and Svetlana Feofanova finished second and third respectively.

The home fans in the Stadio Olimpico were delighted by high jumper Antonietta Di Martino, who caused one of the shocks of the night by beating reigning world champion Blanka Vlasic with a height of 2.00m.

Finland's Tero Pitkamaki will not be sharing in the jackpot after finishing second to Olympic javelin champion Andrea Thorkildsen, as he did a year ago in Beijing. Norway's Thorkildsen managed 87.46 metres, and Pitkamaki was almost four meters behind with 83.68m.

Fellow Olympic champion Dayton Robles continued his buildup to the worlds in August with a win in the 110m Hurdles in 13.17secs. Also impressing were United States duo of Dwight Phillips and Kerron Clement, who won the Long jump and 400m Hurdles respectively.

The 2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League series continues next Friday 17th July in Paris with the Meeting Areva at the Stade de France.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available at: www.iaaf.org/gle09/results/eventcode=4187/index.html

Richards outclasses Ohuruogu to take Oslo victory

2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League Exxon Mobil Bislett Games Meeting

Bislett Stadium, Oslo

Friday 3rd July 2009

WORLD and Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu faded to a surprise sixth place as the Brit was completely out classed by American rival Sanya Richards who continued her excellent outdoor season by setting a world leading 49.23secs to win her second Golden League victory and stay in the hunt for the $1 million jackpot challenge at the rain-affected Exxon Mobil Bislett Games in Oslo.

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele in the 5,000m and Finland's Javelin star Tero Pitkamaki, combined with Jamaican sprinter Kerron Stewart (100m), American Damu Cherry in the 100m hurdles and Yelena Isinbayeva in the pole vault all won their respective events to also continue their jackpot hopes.

In one of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities the superb Bislett Games were delayed by a storm of quite biblical proportions that required the international Golden League programme to finally begin one hour late of schedule, however, this break in competition had no affect on Sanya Richards, the elegant 24-year-old American star unbeaten in 2009 having won the opening Golden League meeting in Berlin with a 49.57secs clocking was simply a class apart racing to victory after flying out of the blocks on the rain-soaked track stormed to the win to firmly lay down a marker for next months Berlin World Championships.

Richards finished ahead of Olympic silver medallist Shericka Williams (49.98) of the Bahamas and Amantle Montsho (50.71) with Ohuruogu, who defeated the American in Beijing on the way to the World and Olympic double, trailing in a distance sixth in a very average 51.19.

Richards, having won her fifth US title in Eugene, Oregon, the previous week commented: "I've been feeling great in training these past few weeks. And I'm all the happier that my parents are here with me," said Richards, who said coach Clyde Hart had urged her to be patient and concentrate hard into the final stretch.

"I finished well. I am on form and I think I can go under 49 seconds soon, that's my best time today since 2006 and the fourth best of my career."

In the sprint events, former world record-holder and Commonwealth champion Asafa Powell won the men's 100m in a time of 10.07secs, edging Antiguan Daniel Bailey following a close photo finish as Britain’s Simeon Williamson finished fourth in 10.13.

Powell reflected: "My legs were heavy and I got off to a bad start. I just tried to win." Fellow Jamaican Michael Frater was third in 10.08."

Loughborough University graduate Jeanette Kwakye made her long-awaited season opener but finished last in the women’s 100m, the 26-year-old world indoor silver medallist and Olympic finalist recorded a time of 11.67secs in the race won by Olympic runner-up Keron Stewart of Jamaica in 10.99.

Trinidadian Renny Quow won the 400m in 45.18secs whilst, over the 800m Russia's Yuriy Borzakovskiy clocked 1:44.42 to defeat Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Al Salhi.

Africa, as ever, dominated the longer distances with Kenyan Collins Cheboi winning the 1500m in 3:36.24 ahead of compatriot Geoffrey Kipkoech Rono (3:36.96) and Morocco's Fouad Elkaam (3:37.19).

In the famous ‘Dream Mile’, Ethiopia's Deresse Mekonnen clocked a winning time of 3:48.95 to edge out Kenya's William Biwott who set a new world junior record of 3:49.29, as the 3,000m was an all-Kenyan affair where Richard Bartale crossed the line in 7:50.58 to beat compatriots Henry Kiplagat (7:54.00) and Mike Tuiny (7:57.54).

Britain’s European indoor 3,000m champion Mo Farah played pacemaker for the vast majority of the men’s 5,000m before being eclipsed by an African train as the superb Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele stormed to an impressive victory over the last two laps to win ahead of James Ckururi and Vincent Chepkok in a time of 13mins 04.87secs.

Farah faded to 11th place clocking a European lead time of 3:12.28 but the 26-year-old Londoner will need a massive improvement in tactics if he plans to make any impact at next months Berlin World Championships.

Loughborough graduate Andy Turner, the European and Commonwealth bronze medallist over the 110m hurdles continued his fine outdoor season, having won the title at the recent European Team Championships for Great Britain in Leiria, Portugal, last month the 28-year-old pushed the former world junior champion Antwon Hicks all of the way to the line with the American prevailing just three-hundredths of a second ahead of Turner who clocked a time of 13.44sec with Poland’s Arthur Noga third (13.46).

Damu Cherry of the United States won the women's 100m Hurdles to continue her claim for the jackpot prize taking victory in 12.68secs ahead of Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster-Hylton (12.75).

Scotland’s Claire Gibson won the 800m national race in an impressive 2:01.42 lifetime best inside the Commonwealth Games qualifying mark of 2:01.80. Gibson took the race on, front running to victory to eclipse the Scottish standard for next year's Games in Delhi by 0.38 seconds ahead of home athlete Ingvill Bovim of Norway (2:02.54) and Kenya's Nelly Jepkosgei (2:07.37).

With triple Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba having withdrew from the meeting in the week leading up to the event her 5,000m world mark of 14:11.65 was never under threat as fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar won in a comfortable 14:36.38 with Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya second in 14:37.01 and Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu third in 14:37.50.

Kenya's Ruth Bisibori Nyangau won the 3,000m Steeplechase in 9:18.65 ahead of the Ethiopian duo Sofia Assefa and Mekdes Bekele. British record-holder Helen Clitheroe finished 10th in 9:52.58.

Russia's Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva edged victory in a very poor competition struggling with a knee injury clearing 4.71m to win on countback ahead of Monika Pyrek of Poland.

"I am happy to win, but not with the result," said Isinbayeva. "It was very difficult with all the waiting, it was one of the longest competitions I've ever competed in during my life, first to wait before my first jump, and then waiting for the rain to stop.”

In the infield Finland’s Tero Pitkamaki completed victory in the Javelin with a best throw of 84.63m, to defeat compatriot Teemu Wirkkala (83.54). Double Olympic champion and home favourite Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway was third with a mark of 83.15, whilst, reigning World champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia won the High Jump competition with a height of 2.00m.

Four athletes were eliminated in Oslo from jackpot contention - as the Bahamas 400m sprinter Chris Brown, Antigua sprinter Daniel Bailey and American 110m hurdler Dexter Faulk were all defeated, whilst, German high jumper Ariane Friedrich missed the event to concentrate on her national championships.

The Oslo results ensure that six athletes are still in line to claim the $1 million dollars (700,000 euros) jackpot if they land wins at all six venues in the series. The 2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League series continues next Friday 10th July with the Golden Gala meeting at Rome’s Olympic Stadium.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available at: www.iaaf.org/gle09/results/eventcode=4191/index.html

Richards sets world lead as Friedrich lights up Berlin

2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League DKB-ISTAF Meeting

Olympic Stadium, Berlin

Sunday 14th June 2009

SANYA Richards ran the fastest time in the world this year to win the 400 metres at the opening 2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League meeting on the electric blue track of Berlin's imposing Olympic Stadium, the same venue in the German capital where the American hopes to turn the tables on Christine Ohuruogu at the World Championships in August and avenge her defeat tot he Brit at last summers Beijing Olympics.

Berlin marked the start of the final edition of the IAAF Golden League in its present format and begin the chase for the $1 million Jackpot. Having been reduced to six events in 2001 – the series will be re-launched next year under the title of the Diamond League and includes 12 meetings from around the world rather than just Europe, including two in the UK.

Richards, 24, who claimed bronze in the 400m at the Beijing Olympics when she faded badly over the line, won in Berlin in a time of 49.57 seconds, improving her own world best of 49.86 set at the Prefontaine Classic the previous week in Eugene.

Richards, a Golden League jackpot winner in 2007 when sharing the prize with Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva, finished well ahead of Amantle Montsho (50.94) and Yulia Gushchina (51.10) with Scotland’s Lee McConnell fourth in 52.22.

Richards commented on her win saying: "I am really looking forward to coming back in August and leaving Germany with gold, it took some time for me to get over the disappointment of the Olympics last year but this is a new start and I'm looking forward to racing Ohuruogu at the World Championships.

"If I were to pick up an injury - hopefully I won't - I would certainly stop competing at Golden League meetings and others."

Richards victory means that she will be challenging Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele and Russian Yelena Isinbayeva for the jackpot after they clinched victories in the 5,000m and pole vault respectively.

Performance of the day especially for the huge 50,000 home crowd assembled in Berlin was a superb new German national high jump record for the bleach blonde Ariane Friedrich who claimed victory with a clearance of 2.06m - just three centimetres short of Stefka Kostadinova's world record set in Rome way back in 1987- defeating Croatia's Olympic silver medallist Blanka Vlasic, who was beaten by Friedrich at the final Golden League meeting of 2008, thus missing out on a jackpot share of $500,000.

A delighted Friedrich reflected on her record commenting: “I was really happy to jump a German record. I had never been thinking about jumping it. Heike Henkel held the record for such a long time and she is a real idol in Germany. Every kid knows Heike Henkel, not every kid knows Ariane Friedrich, so I am l really proud of being a little bit her successor. It will be difficult to be a full successor but that is something I will try to do. 



“Also, I want to try to make High Jump interesting again, to interest our kids, and make them interested not only in the High Jump but also athletics. I also want to raise the interest and enthusiasm for the World Championships.”

In the 100m sprints pre-race favourite Daniel Bailey of Antigua took victory in 10.03secs with Britain's former World University Games gold medallist Simeon Williamson second in 10.13. Fellow Brit and Loughborough University student James Dasaolu pulled-up with ten metres to go and crossed the line in last place.

In the women’s race Kerron Stewart of Jamaica, the 100m Olympic silver medallist cruised to victory ahead of American rival Stephanie Durst in 11 seconds dead.

Stewart commented: “Today was a good race, I made a couple of technical mistakes but it was ok. I just pray that it all continues like this and I remain healthy.

“The World Championships is my first goal this year, every other thing will just fall into place after that. I have put in so much hard work that I now expect great thing from myself.”

American Dexter Faulk clocked a personal best of 13.18secs to take victory in the 110m Hurdles ahead of compatriots Ryan Wilson (13.21) and Olympic silver medallist David Payne (13.22). Compatriot Damu Cherry won the women's 100 Hurdles in 12.76secs.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Chris Brown battled hard with Congo's Gary Kikaya to win the men’s 400m in 45.68secs.

"The win was good and the feel of the competitiveness was very great," Brown said. "I just want to thank the Lord for this victory and allow me to go and come away healthy."

Commonwealth champion Augustine Choge stormed to victory in the 1500m leading a powerful Kenyan 1-2-3 over the line setting a new lifetime best of 3mins 29.47secs as Haron Keitany and William Biwott finished in 3:30.20 and 3:32.34 respectively also setting new personal bests.

Choge will race again in at the Golden Spike in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Wednesday (17th June) in an even stronger test of his speed, he’ll contest the 800m, where’s he recorded a 1:48.7 lifetime best back in 2004.

In the 5,000 metres Ethiopia's imposing multiple world and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele looked at his imperious best to take victory in a time of 13mins 00.76secs increasing his three-year winning streak in the event.

Yelena Isinbayeva eased to victory in the Pole Vault with a 4.83m clearance to head the world rankings for 2009 and looks well on course to match her jackpot performance of last year. After clearing at her opening 4.68m and 4.83m on her first attempts the Russian failed at 4.93m. Poland’s Monika Pyrek and Anna Rogowska were second and third, clearing season’s bests of 4.78 and 4.68 respectively.

South African Godfrey Mokoena, the Olympic silver medallist, dominated the Long Jump with a best of 8.33m to equal his season’s best.

Estonia’s Gerd Kanter won the men’s Discus event with a mark of 67.88 set in the fifth round, as German Nadine Kleinert’s with a throw of 19.39 claimed victory in the women’s event.

Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen had to settle for second place as rival, Finland's Tero Pitkamaki, won the Javelin competition with a season's best throw of 86.53m. Double Olympic champion Thorkildsen who placed second with a throw measuring 85.48m achieved in his first attempt, was not satisfied, after he achieved a winning throw of 88.97m in Finland last weekend.

In the pre-meeting support races Marlon Devonish led a UK clean sweep in the 100m 'B' race ahead of Loughborough-based world junior gold medalist Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Tyrone Edgar.

Robin Schembera produced another German victory for the home crowd following a strong kick off the final bend to take the 800m in a time of 1:45.96. Britain’s Michael Rimmer was second in a season’s best of 1:46.31 following a storming last 100 metres moving through from fourth place with Kenyan Reuben Bett (1:46.68) third. Tom Lancashire seems to excel in Golden League meetings having set a lifetime best last year at the Bislett Games in Oslo the 23-year-old improved that mark with a 3mins 34.29secs clocking to take 7th place.

Emily Freeman ran a personal best of 11.33 in winning the 100m 'C' race, matched by Ashlee Nelson (11.36) in second. Laura Turner finished second in the 'B' race in 11.46 with Kadi-Ann Thomas fourth in 11.59.

Great Britain claimed two welcome victories in the 4x100m relays as 2008 world junior silver medallist Ashlee Nelson anchored the British quartet, that also included Laura Turner, Emily Freeman and Montell Douglas, home in 43.18secs, whilst, in the men’s event Simeon Williamson, Tyrone Edgar, Rikki Fifton and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey won in 38.52secs ahead of Germany and France.

After a nearly three-week break, the 2009 ÅF IAAF Golden League series resumes on Friday 3rd July with the ExxonMobil Bislett Games in Oslo.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available at: www.iaaf.org/gle09/results/eventcode=4192/index.html

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