(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Agencies & The Peninsula
LONDON: South African Akani Simbine pulled off something of a surprise in the London Diamond League 100 metres yesterday, holding off local hope Zharnel Hughes and former world champion Yohan Blake to come home in 9.93 seconds.
Hughes had clocked an impressive 9.96 in the heats, despite easing up and running into a slight headwind but he was always trailing in the final, posting 9.95.
Blake, the joint-second fastest man of all time with his 9.69 set in 2012, is getting back towards his best and continued his good season with third in 9.97 as the top five all broke 10 seconds.
Olympic champion Elaine Thompson was a convincing winner of the women's 200m in 22.13, holding off fast-finishing Marie-Josee Ta Lou (22.36) and Britain's Beth Dobbin, who was delighted with a personal best of 22.50.
It was Norway all the way in the 400m hurdles as Karsten Warholm destroyed the field to come home in a European record 47.12 seconds, miles ahead of Turkey's Yasmani Copello (48.93).
Warholm, another with fond memories of the Olympic Stadium after winning the world title here two years ago, was in total control from the start. Running in his preferred lane seven, better for his hamstrings than the tighter inside lane, he wiped away his personal best of 47.33.
There was huge disappointment for the crowd when Botswana's Nijel Amos, who ran the fastest 800m by anyone since the London 2012 Olympics, in Monaco eight days ago (1:41.89), fell 120 metres into yesterday's race.
In his absence Kenyan Cheruiyot Rotich held off compatriot Wyclife Kinyamal in 1:43.14.
The second day of the event takes place today, featuring two Qatari stars, the 2017 World Athlete of the Year, Mutaz Essa Barshim, and one lap sprinter Abderrahman Samba.
The reigning world champion and the two-time Olympic medallist, Barshim is set to make his first IAAF Diamond League appearance in 13 months after being sidelined due to an injury which he suffered during an attempt on a would-be world record of 2.46m in Szekesfehervar last year.
Barshim resumed training in April before making a roaring return to action, leaping to 2.27m to win at Sopot Grand Prix Athletics in Sopot, Poland, in June.
In London today, he will be up against current world leader Ilya Ivanyuk who topped 2.33m in Szekesfehervar, Hungary nine days ago. Syria's Majd Eddin Ghazal, who took bronze at the IAAF World Championships London 2017, where Barshim won the gold, is also on the slate.
Samba, meanwhile, will be up against a strong field which includes Jonathan Jones of Barbados, Botswana's Baboloki Thebe and Jamaican Akeem Bloomfield.
The women's 5,000 metres will feature new mile world record holder Sifan Hassan while women's 100m, will see local favourite Dina Asher-Smith going against double Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
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