Gong, Su: Diamond delights
SHANGHAI — China’s top sprinter Su Bingtian stormed to victory in the non-points men’s 100m and world silver medalist Gong Lijiao notched a convincing triumph in women’s shot put at the Shanghai Diamond League meet on Saturday, while double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson of Jamaica won the women’s 100m in a worldleading time.
Su’s 10.09sec was his best time of the season, but was not a points-scoring event in the second stop of the global Diamond League.
“I ran faster than I had expected,” said Su, 27, who was the first Chinese to reach the world men’s 100m final at the 2015 championships in Beijing.
“Since the London World Championships is still months away, I will not think too much about it now and just hone my skills and keep a steady form.”
World silver medalist Gong notched a convincing victory with a heave of 19.46 meters in the sixth round of the shot put competition, which opened the meet.
Daniella Bunch of the United States finished second at 18.98m and Hungary’s Anita Marton, the bronze medalist at last summer’s Rio Olympics, was third at 18.69m.
For the first time, the men’s and women’s discus was combined into a single event as the world’s best competed in alternating rounds, a change introduced by local organizers.
Croatia’s Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic and Philip Milanov of Belgium emerged as respective women’s and men’s champions. Perkovic said the change in format took her by surprise and she felt it was “a little too crowded” in the athletes’ waiting area.
As expected, the women’s 100m title went to Thompson as she ran the year’s leading time of 10.78 seconds. Rio Olympics runner-up Tori Bowie of the US came second while Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Cote d’Ivoire was third.
“I made a great start and I was able to bring it home. I am pleased with the time,” said Thompson.
In the men’s long jump, Rio Olympics silver medalist Luvo Many on ga of South Africa leapt to a Diamond League record of 8.61m to take top honors — then said he can improve.
“The track was really fast and that made it difficult and I did a few fouls( three) and that was a distraction,” Manyonga said .“I didn’ t get the distance I wanted as I was looking for 8.80m, but it will come.”
China’s Gao Xinglong took silver with a jump of 8.22, while compatriots Huang Changzhou (8.20) and Zhang Yaoguang (8.19) finished third and fourth respectively.
The men’s high jump opened with a major surprise when Rio Olympics champion Derek Drouin of Canada failed to clear the first bar at 2.20m, while 2015 worlds runner-up Zhang Guowei of China, still troubled by a hip injury, was out at 2.24.
China’s Wang Yu cleared 2.30 to take silver behind Qatar’s Rio Olympics runnerup Mutaz Essa Barshim, who won with a leap of 2.33 — five cm short of the meet record he set in 2015. Ukraine’s Andriy Protsenko was third.
Olympic champion Omar McLeod of Jamaica clinched the 110m hurdles title, holding off a late challenge from Spaniard Orlando Ortega, the silver medalist at the Rio Games, to finish in 13.09. Shanghai native Xie Wenjun was third, clocking 13.31.
Olympic bronze medalist Sam Kendricks of the US beat indoor world record holder Renaud Lavillenie of France to win the men’s pole vault at 5.88m. Lavillenie was second at 5.83m and world champion Shawn Barber of Canada was third at 5.60m.
The men’s 800m saw Kenyans sweep the top five as junior world champion Kipyegon Bett nailed the victory in 1:44.70, ahead of Robert Biwott and Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich.
On the women’s side, reigning Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya clocked a world- leading time of 3:59.22 to retain her 1,500m title. Ethiopia’s Dawit Seyaum finished second in 4:00:52 while compatriot Besu Sado placed third in 4:03.10.