FLORENCE, ITALY, June 10 — Barriers didn’t really get in the way of the three hurdle victors at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meet, moved from its usual Rome setting because of stadium work.
The women’s 100H highlighted undefeated Jasmine Camacho-Quinn. Already the world leader at 12.32, the Puerto Rican hit 12.38 here, a time no other woman has topped this season, winning by nearly a half-second.
“I did much better than I thought I would,” the Kentucky alum admitted. “I was really nervous at the start, so all I could think when I was in the blocks was to have a good start, push really hard, and be good to go.”
“It feels good to be winning again,” said Omar McLeod after flying his way to the top of the men’s 110H world list with a 13.01 that dominated the field.
The 27-year-old Jamaican now stands as the greatest of challengers to Grant Holloway in the reigning world champion’s quest to conquer the top of the podium in Tokyo, a position that McLeod held in Rio.
“I am having fun again,” he said. “I put together a technically sound race. I did not hit a hurdle. The weather is a bit shaky but we have to put up with this. The time is close enough to 13 seconds and I will get under 13 seconds when the time is right. Now I had two solid races back-to-back and I am getting better with every race.”
Left far behind was Britain’s Andrew Ponzi in 13.25, with France’s Wilhelm Belocian at 13.31 and one of the meet’s few Americans, Devon Allen, at 13.32.
Women’s 400H winner Femke Bol continued her breakout season, which already has featured a flat-400 NR of 50.56, by taking a second Dutch Record at 53.44. “I have to find my rhythm over the hurdles,” she said.
A pair of distance races produced stunning times, the first being the women’s 1500, where Sifan Hassan, just 4 days after setting a 10,000 World Record, authored a sizzling performance at the short end of her repertoire.
Taking over after the first lap, Hassan led through 800 in 2:07.03 and 1200 in 3:09.73. Only Kenya’s Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and Laura Muir stayed close. On the final lap, Muir lost touch as Kipyegon and Hassan battled down through the final 200.
Hassan, with a 59.57 final circuit, took the win in a world-leading 3:53.63, the No. 6 performance ever. Kipyegon ran a Kenyan Record 3:53.91 (the fastest non-winning time ever), while Muir held on for a 3:55.59. Canada’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford led the second pack at 4:00.46.
The winner was shocked. “I thought Faith was going to win. It was not my plan to run so fast; I had hoped to run under 4:00.”
The European Record fell in the men’s 5000 as WR holder Joshua Cheptegei tired of the rabbit and took over early, leading the field through 2K in 5:11.87 and 3K in 7:44.55, a 2:32.28 kilo. That strung the field out. The next kilo of 2:32.38 made the lead pack even thinner.
The shock came when the Ugandan faded over the last 2 laps. Approaching the bell, Canada’s Moh Ahmed took over, but started looking around for someone to take the hot potato from him. Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia obliged, leading Ahmed and Jakob Ingebrigtsen through the first half of a fast lap.
Coming off the final turn, the 20-year-old Norwegian kicked best. He made it to the line in a world-leading 12:48.45, a stride ahead of Gebrhiwet’s 12:49.02. Ahmed ran 12:50.12 in 3rd. Cheptegei faded to 6th in 12:54.69, his first loss at the distance since ’19.
Said Ingebrigtsen, whose time moved him to No. 12 all-time, “If I am able to win against the best runners, then I can also win at the Olympics. I did not expect this time and this record. But I know from my training that I am able to run that fast, to do it. But it is something different to know something and to do something.”
Dina Asher-Smith highlighted the sprints with her 22.06 win over Marie-Josée Ta Lou in the 200.
The final-3 format failed again in the men’s shot, with Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri throwing farthest overall with his second-round 71-2¾ (21.71), but being relegated to 3rd. New Zealand’s Tom Walsh got the “win” with his 70-5¼ (21.47). In between the two was Serbian Armin Sinančević at 70-10½ (21.60).
Walsh was OK with it, saying, “This new Diamond League final already worked in my favor twice, so I’m happy about it.”
The women’s long jump suffered from a similar disruption.
FLORENCE DL MEN’S RESULTS
100(-0.1): 1. Akani Simbine (SA) 10.08; 2. CJ Ujah (GB) 10.10; 3. Emmanuel Matadi (Lbr) 10.16; 4. Yupun Abeykoon Mudiyanselage (SrL) 10.16; 5. Michael Rodgers (US) 10.25; 6. Arthur Cissé (CI) 10.35; 7. Cejhae Greene (Ant) 10.39; 8. Jak Ali Harvey (Tur) 10.46.
400: 1. Anthony José Zambrano (Col) 44.76; 2. Davide Re (Ita) 45.80; 3. Matthew Hudson-Smith (GB) 45.93; 4. Zakhiti Nene (SA) 46.23; 5. Ricky Petrucciani (Swi) 46.24; 6. Edoardo Scotti (Ita) 46.38; 7. Vladimir Aceti (Ita) 46.55;… dnf—Machel Cedenio (Tri).
St: 1. Soufiane El Bakkali (Mor) 8:08.54 (WL);
2. Bikila Tadese Takele (Eth) 8:10.56; 3. Mohamed Tindouft (Mor) 8:11.65 PR; 4. Ahmed Abdelwahed (Ita) 8:12.04 PR; 5. Chala Beyo (Eth) 8:12.35; 6. Osama Zoghlami (Ita) 8:14.29 PR; 7. Djilali Bedrani (Fra) 8:15.87; 8. Yemane Haileselassie (Eri) 8:16.75; 9. Louis Gilavert (Fra) 8:19.79 PR; 10. Albert Chemutai (Uga) 8:23.96; 11. Abdelhamid Zerrifi (Fra) 8:25.74 PR; 12. Yohanes Chiappinelli (Ita) 8:27.86; 13. Jean-Simon Desgagnés (Can) 8:39.47;… dnf—Conseslus Kipruto (Ken);… rabbit—Wilberforce Kones (Ken) (2:45.30, 5:31.53).
5000: 1. Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Nor) 12:48.45 NR (WL) (12, x W);
2. Hagos Gebrhiwet (Eth) 12:49.02; 3. Moh Ahmed (Can) 12:50.12; 4. Mohamed Katir (Spa) 12:50.79 NR; 5. Justyn Knight (Can) 12:51.93 PR; 6. Joshua Cheptegei (Uga) 12:54.69 (5:11.87, 7:44.55, 10:17.93); 7. Birhanu Yemataw (Bhr) 12:57.71; 8. Robert Kiprop Koech (Ken) 13:12.56 (2:35.01) PR; 9. Yemaneberhan Crippa (Ita) 13:17.96; 10. Telahun Haile Bekele (Eth) 13:18.29; 11. Stewart McSweyn (Aus) 13:20.11; 12. Isaac Kimeli (Bel) 13:21.66; 13. Muktar Edris (Eth) 13:25.98; 14. Iliass Aouani (Ita) 13:28.09 PR; 15. Matthew Ramsden (Aus) 13:32.37.
110H(-0.1): 1. Omar Mcleod (Jam) 13.01 (WL);
2. Andrew Pozzi (GB) 13.25; 3. Wilhem Belocian (Fra) 13.31; 4. Devon Allen (US) 13.32; 5. Shane Brathwaite (Bar) 13.46; 6. Lorenzo Perini (Ita) 13.63; 7. Paolo Dal Molin (Ita) 13.64; 8. Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (Fra) 14.26.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Ilya Ivanyuk (Rus) 7-7¾ (2.33) (7-1, 7-2½, 7-4¼, 7-5¼, 7-6½ [2], 7-7¾, 7-8¾ [xxx]) (2.16, 2.20, 2.24, 2.27, 2.30 [2], 2.33, 2.36 [xxx]); 2. Brandon Starc (Aus) 7-7¾ (7-1, 7-2½, 7-4¼ [3], 7-5¼ [3], 7-6½ [3], 7-7¾ [2], 7-8¾ [xxp], 7-9¾ [x]) (2.16, 2.20, 2.24 [3], 2.27 [3], 2.30 [3], 2.33 [2], 2.36 [xxp], 2.38 [x]); 3. Gianmarco Tamberi (Ita) 7-7¾ (7-2½ [2], 7-4¼ [2], 7-5¼, 7-6½, 7-7¾ [3], 7-8¾ [xxx]) (2.20 [2], 2.24 [2], 2.27, 2.30, 2.33 [3], 2.36 [xxx]); 4. Andriy Protsenko (Ukr) 7-6½ (2.30); 5. Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qat) 7-6½; 6. Maksim Nedasekau (Blr) 7-5¼ (2.27); 7. tie, Loïc Gasch (Swi) & Donald Thomas (Bah) 7-2½ (2.20); 9. Stefano Sottile (Ita) 7-1 (2.16).
SP: 1. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 71-2¾ (21.71) (68-9¾, 71-2¾, 69-2½, 67-7, 68-6½, 65-½) (20.97, 21.71, 21.09, 20.60, 20.89, 19.82); 2. Armin Sinančević (Ser) 70-10½ (21.60) (f, 69-10¾, f, 70-10½, f, 68-8) (f, 21.30, f, 21.60, f, 20.93); 3. Tomas Walsh (NZ) 70-5¼ (21.47) (69-¾, 68-10½, 70-3¾, 68-7¼, 70-2¼, 70-5¼) (21.05, 20.99, 21.43, 20.91, 21.39, 21.47) (under DL protocol order of top 3 was reversed); 4. Filip Mihaljević (Cro) 70-2¼ (21.39); 5. Michał Haratyk (Pol) 68-7 (20.90); 6. Tomáš Staněk (CzR) 66-8 (20.32); 7. Zane Weir (Ita) 65-9¾ (20.06); 8. Konrad Bukowiecki (Pol) 63-1¼ (19.23).
FLORENCE WOMEN’S RESULTS
200(0.2): 1. Dina Asher-Smith (GB) 22.06; 2. Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CI) 22.58; 3. Mujinga Kambundji (Swi) 22.60; 4. Dalia Kaddari (Ita) 22.86 PR; 5. Beth Dobbin (GB) 22.88; 6. Dafne Schippers (Neth) 23.03; 7. Gloria Hooper (Ita) 23.25; 8. Sarah Atcho (Swi) 24.43.
1500: 1. Sifan Hassan (Neth) 3:53.63 (out WL) (x, 6 W) (2:07.03, 3:09.73); 2. Faith Kipyegon (Ken) 3:53.91 NR (6, 7 W);
3. Laura Muir (GB) 3:55.59; 4. Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (Can) 4:00.46; 5. Winnie Nanyondo (Uga) 4:00.84; 6. Eilish McColgan (GB) 4:02.12; 7. Elise Vanderelst (Bel) 4:02.63 NR; 8. Lemlem Hailu (Eth) 4:03.24; 9. Esther Guerrero (Spa) 4:03.67; 10. Katie Snowden (GB) 4:03.86; 11. Gaia Sabbatini (Ita) 4:04.23 PR; 12. Ciara Mageean (Ire) 4:04.32; 13. Rababe Arafi (Mor) 4:04.72; 14. Federica Del Buono (Ita) 4:08.58;… rabbit—Aneta Lemiesz (Pol) (62.76).
(best-ever mark-for-place: 2)
100H(-0.8): 1. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PR) 12.38; 2. Devynne Charlton (Bah) 12.80; 3. Elvira Herman (Blr) 12.85; 4. Megan Tapper (Jam) 12.94; 5. Luminosa Bogliolo (Ita) 12.99; 6. Pia Skrzyszowska (Pol) 13.03; 7. Pedrya Seymour (Bah) 13.51;… dnf—Elisa Maria Di Lazzaro (Ita).
400H: 1. Femke Bol (Neth) 53.44 NR; 2. Anna Ryzhykova (Ukr) 54.19 PR; 3. Jessica Turner (GB) 54.79; 4. Wenda Nel (SA) 55.20; 5. Sara Slott Petersen (Den) 55.21; 6. Linda Olivieri (Ita) 55.63 PR; 7. Ayomide Folorunso (Ita) 56.92; 8. Tia-Adana Belle (Bar) 58.36.
Field Events
PV: 1. Anzhelika Sidorova (Rus) 16-1¼ (4.91) (14-11½, 15-5½, 15-7¼, 15-11¼ [2], 16-1¼ [2]) (4.56, 4.71, 4.76, 4.86 [2], 4.91 [2]); 2. Iryna Zhuk (Blr) 15-5½ (4.71); 3. Katerína Stefanídi (Gre) 15-3½ (4.66); 4. Holly Bradshaw (GB) 15-3½; 4. Angelica Bengtsson (Swe) 15-3½; 6. Robeilys Peinado (Ven) 15-3½; 7. Tina Šutej (Slo) 14-11½ (4.56); 8. Angelica Moser (Swi) 14-11½;… nh—Roberta Bruni (Ita).
LJ: 1. Malaika Mihambo (Ger) 22-4½ (6.82) (f, f, 22-4½, 22-1¾, p, 20-9¼) (f, f, 6.82, 6.75, p, 6.33); 2. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (Ukr) 22-3½ (6.79) (21-4¼, 21-9½, 21-7¼, f, 22-3½, f) (6.51, 6.64, 6.58, f, 6.79, f); 3. Ivana Španović (Ser) 22-1½ (6.74) (f, 21-11, 22-1½, p, p, 21-6¼) (f, 6.68, 6.74, p, p, 6.56) (official finish Španović, Mihambo, BR); 4. Chantel Malone (BVI) 21-10 (6.65); 5. Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova (Blr) 21-8¼ (6.61); 6. Larissa Iapichino (Ita) 21-2 (6.45); 7. Laura Strati (Ita) 20-7¾ (6.29); 8. Caterine Ibarguen (Col) 20-¼ (6.10).
DT: 1. Sandra Perković (Cro) 224-1 (68.31) (222-1, 224-1, f, f, f, 219-6) (67.70, 68.31, f, f, f, 66.90); 2. Yaimé Pérez (Cub) 219-3 (66.82) (219-3, 218-1, 216-9, 214-11, 212-11, 214-5) (66.82, 66.49, 66.07, 65.51, 64.91, 65.37); 3. Kristin Pudenz (Ger) 211-4 (64.42); 4. Marija Tolj (Cro) 207-7 (63.28); 5. Claudine Vita (Ger) 205-9 (62.72); 6. Liliana Cá (Por) 204-5 (62.30); 7. Denia Caballero (Cub) 201-2 (61.33); 8. Daisy Osakue (Ita) 184-4 (56.20).