MAKWALA QUALIFIES FOR DIAMOND LEAGUE FINAL
Sprinter, Isaac Makwala has qualified for the men’s 200m final at the Diamond League. The final is scheduled for Zurich in September. His coach, Justice Dipeba told Sport Monitor that he would have preferred the 400m final.
“I think missing Rome at the beginning of the Diamond League worked against us. We are great and looking forward to hit the World Athletics Championships qualifying time in the 200m.
We missed it by .02 yesterday,” he said. Makwala resumed his Diamond League action last week with a brilliant performance in Lausanne.
It was his first competition after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where he was instrumental in assisting the men’s 4x400m relay team to win a bronze medal.
Makwala was up against strong opponents in 400m which included the Olympics 400m hurdles champion, the Norwegian, Karsten Warholm on Thursday. The race produced the tightest finish with Wilbert London out-dipping Makwala with a time of 45.17.
Makwala finished second and clocked 45.20. On Friday morning, Makwala travelled to France for another leg of the Meet.
He told SportMonitor that he received the confirmation for Paris Meet after the Lausanne race. On Saturday, Makwala finished on the fifth position on a time of 20.26 in the men’s 200m. American, Fred Kerley won the race reaching the finish line with a PB (personal best) of 19.79.
He tied up with his fellow country man Kenneth Bednarek who also brought home 19.79. Canadian, Aaron Brown was third clocking 20.20.
The next leg of Diamond League is September 3 in Brussels. Athletes earn points at the 13 series of the Diamond League meetings to qualify for the final of their discipline. At each of the series meetings, athletes are awarded eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two or one point for rankings.
The winner would be awarded a diamond trophy, cash prize of US$30, 000 and a wild card for the 2021 World Athletics Championships to be hosted by Oregon.
There is also cash prize for bottom positions: 2) US$12, 000, 3) US7, 000, 4) US$4,000, 5) US$2.500, 6) US$2, 000, 7) US$1,500 and 8) US$ 1, 000. As the next leg arrives in Brussels this Friday, Makwala has accumulated 10 points in 200m and 1 point in the 400m.
Makwala said the Paris Meet was not on his competition schedule. “I received an invitation on Thursday night and I decided to go , but I am happy because I made it to top eight for the final in Zurich from September 8-9.
To win a Diamond League final you do not need points. Whoever wins on that final day is the league champion,” he said. He explained that points is just to make top eight finalists.