Reigning world champion Fred Kerley fired a warning shot to his main rivals as he powered to a 100m meeting record at the Diamond League athletics meeting in Rabat, Morocco on Sunday (28 May).
The American sprinting sensation lined up against three of the top-10 fastest men of all time and demonstrated why he is currently the ‘world’s fastest man’. Kerley led the race from start to finish storming over the line in a time of 9.94 seconds.
South Africa’s Akani Simbine followed on his heels in 9.99s with African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala settling for bronze in 10.05s.
“I can’t describe my happiness for winning this race and hitting the meeting record today,” Kerley said.
“This is the result the I was expecting and I will keep up to achieve and reach the world championship in the best shape ever.”
Reigning world champion Shericka Jackson cruised to victory in the women’s 200m setting a new meeting record and season’s best of 21.98s.
The performance should give the Jamaican some confidence as she looks to continue her historic climb in the event. Last year Jackson became the second-fastest woman in history over the 200m distance when she won the world title in an incredible 21.45s.
“I am happy about my victory and it is not going to be my last though it was a little bit breezy at the start. It was competitive at first but it was okay for me because I was well prepared,” Jackson said.
“I would definitely work harder to get more wins and hit world record in the next upcoming championships.”
C R U I S E C O N T R O L@sherickajacko storms to 21.98 in Rabat, holding off @Anthonique_ who sets a PB of 22.15.#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/c34I89vd8P
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 28, 2023Upsets in the 800m and 110m hurdles
Olympic gold medallist and record holder Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway was in cruise control in his first 1500m race of the season. Ingebrigtsen dictated the pace over the three and three-quarter laps racing home in a time of 3:32.59. Rising American star Yared Nuguse followed in second in 3:33.02 with training partner Oliver Hoare finishing third in 3:33.39.
“I am happy about my performance. I felt good. I could run faster but it was a bit difficult in the last turn because of the wind,” Ingebrigtsen said.
“I won the race as I was feeling good and thanks to the training I have had. I hope the other athletes had a good race. I am trying to get ready for the upcomimg competitions. I was surprised at the atmosphere and at the support of the crowd.”
In the men’s 800, Kenyan teenager Emmanuel Wanyonyi claimed the big scalp of Olympic and world champion Emmanuel Korir winning the two-lap event in a time of one minute, 44.36 seconds (1:44.36). Wanyonyi is the early season pacesetter in the event after posting a world lead in Kenya earlier this month.
The 18-year-old Wanyonyi pushed to the front with 200 metres to go with compatriot Wyclife Kinyamal pushing him to the finish. Kinyamal crossed in second (1:44.73) with Frenchman Benjamin Robert taking third in 1:45.04. Korir laboured across the line in a time of 1:48.42.
The men’s 110m hurdles also delivered a surprise result with Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell pipping double world champion Grant Holloway over the last 10 metres of the event. Broadbell clocked a meeting record of 13.08 seconds with American Holloway dipping in second place (13.12s). Fellow Jamaican and Olympic Games winner Hansle Parchment bagged bronze in 13.24s.
The next race saw another meeting record take a tumble with Gudaf Tsegay leading an Ethiopian 1-2-3 podium stopping the clock in a blistering 3:54.03. Freweyni Hailu and Birke Haylom followed nearly four seconds behind her in 3:57.65 and 3:57.66 respectively.
MAHUCHIKH Yaroslava 2.01m
breaking the MR and WL.#RabatDL #meetingim6
📸 @matthewquine pic.twitter.com/4oAxoCLwWg
— Rabat DL (@MeetingIM6) May 28, 2023Magical Mahuchikh
Olympic champion Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas won the men’s 400m with relative ease in a time of 44.70s while former world silver medallist Shamier Little won the women’s one-lap hurdles event in 53.95s.
Meeting records also tumbled in the field events, with Ukraine’s world indoor high jump champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh leading the way. Mahuchikh again soared over two metres in her pet event, setting a meeting record with a winning jump of 2.01m.
“I am extremely happy for jumping 2.01 metres and achieving the meeting record and the world lead. It’s definitely a boost for me to keep up and achieve more victories,” Mahuchikh said.
Slovenia’s world discus champion Kristjan Ceh continued where he left off after bowing out of the 2022 season with an unblemished record in the Diamond League. Ceh landed another 70-metre heave taking the title with a best effort of 70.32m.
