Simbine stuns Diamond League star cast

Doha, May 6: South Africa’s Akani Simbine surprised a world-class sprint field, including Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell and Andre de Grasse to claim a seasonopening 100m Diamond League victory on Friday.

The 23-year-old powered home in a time of 9.99sec to become the first South African man to win a Diamond League 100m, and serve notice that the Blue Riband event could be more competitive than for some time with the impending international retirement of Usain Bolt.

“I’m happy with my shape now, just to come up here and set a motivation for the rest of the season is what I was hoping for,” said Simbine.

Jamaica’s Powell, a former world record holder, finished second in a time of 10.08secs, and Qatar’s Femi Ogunode was a place further back in 10.13.

Silver and bronze medallists in Rio, American Gatlin and Canada’s De Grasse, Bolt’s heir apparent, trailed in fourth and fifth.

The women’s double Olympic sprint champion, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson once again beat her main rival Dafne Schippers in the 200m with a time of 22.19secs.

Caster Semenya said she surprised herself with her finish after winning the women’s 800m, in a time of 1min 56.61secs, the fastest of the year so far.

In the men’s 800m, Eijah Manangoi, the 2015 World Championship silver medallist, took first place, in a season’s best of 3mins 31.9sec. He was followed by five other Kenyans.

But arguably the performance of the night came in the javelin where Germany’s Thomas Rohler threw 93.90m, only the second man in history to throw such a distance.

Czech javelin legend Jan Zelesny threw the best ever 98.48m in 1996.

American double Olympic gold-medallist triple jumper, Christian Taylor, secured victory with a last round jump of 17.25m, to deny compatriot Omar Craddock.