PARIS, FRANCE, June 20 — A pair of dominant performances over barriers highlighted the women’s competition at the Paris DL. American Grace Stark notched a statement win in the 100H, while Kenyan Faith Cherotich continued her hot streak in the steeple.
Stark started well at Charléty Stadium and held off a late charge from Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, to win the 100H in 12.21, which put her =No. 5 on the all-time list (and No. 4 among Americans). WR-holder Amusan (12.24) took 2nd, followed by Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent (12.30, the fastest 3rd ever).
“I wanted to break into the 12.2s. I felt like it was something coming and something we’ve been training for,” said Olympic 5th-placer Stark, who won in Stockholm the previous Sunday and improved on the 12.31 PR she set last year. “I try to just focus on myself. There are so many talented girls I try to just focus on myself and it worked today.”
The steeple turned into a 2-woman duel when Cherotich took the lead at about 1600m and had only ’21 Olympic champ Peruth Chemutai of Uganda for company. Chemutai surged ahead approaching the final waterjump, but Cherotich sprinted home well to extend her DL win streak to 4, dating back to last year’s Final. Cherotich clocked a world-leading 8:53.37, with Chemutai (8:54.41) also comfortably under 9:00.
Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew (9:01.22) took 3rd, followed by Americans Gabbi Jennings (9:08.05) and Courtney Wayment (9:08.88). NC State’s Angelina Napoleon, less than a week removed from her 3rd-place finish at the NCAA, lowered her PR to 9:10.72 to place 7th and move to No. 9 on the U.S. all-time list.
There was also plenty of fast running in flat races. Marileidy Paulino and Salwa Eid Naser resumed their heated rivalry in the 400 with a thrilling homestretch battle. Olympic champ Paulino came out on top, 48.81–48.85, with Chile’s Martina Weil (49.83 NR), American Lynna Irby-Jackson (49.87) and Great Britain’s Amber Anning (49.96) following. American Bella Whittaker, winner in Oslo and Stockholm, saw her hot streak come to an end as she took 6th in 50.18.
At half the distance, American Anavia Battle kept her perfect DL record intact, taking the lead off the turn then powering home in 22.27 (wind: 0.9) ahead of Amy Hunt (22.45) and McKenzie Long (22.49).
“I’m having such a good beginning to my year and I’m super excited for USA Trials that are in a month,” said Battle, the winner in Xiamen, Shanghai/Keqiao and Rome. “Every time I step on a track, I won’t say I shock myself, but I do make myself proud, so that’s always my aim, to be happy and confident with my work.”
On the verge of her first loss since the ’23 World Championships, 2-time Olympic discus gold medalst Valarie Allman of the U.S. pulled out a spectacular 221-8 (67.56) on the final throw of the competition to pass Jorinda van Klinken of the Netherlands — who had been leading at 217-11 (66.42) — and Cuba’s Yaimé Pérez (213-4/65.03).
“So much of throwing, of discus, is needing your technique to be locked in, and my technique was just off today. We’ve been making changes in training and I believed it was there, but sometimes it’s only in round 1 where you see where you’re at,” said Allman, who had opened with 212-10 (64.88) but struggled until the sixth round. “Over the course of an hour in our competition I was working hard to be able to line it up, and to feel it come together in round 6 was really special.”
Americans swept the top three spots in the vault, with Katie Moon taking the win over Sandi Morris after clearing 15-6¼ (4.73) on her second attempt, while Morris needed three. Moon then skipped 15-8¼ (4.78), while Morris missed her first attempt and passed to 15-10 (4.83), a height neither could negotiate. Emily Grove took 3rd at 15-2¼ (4.63).
“I did feel like I was having some step issues that were creating inconsistencies, but I think I gained a lot out of this competition,” said Moon, who has won 6 of her 7 competitions this year. “Every meet that you don’t feel great you actually learn a lot more, and so I’m very happy with the result but I do feel like we can become a lot more consistent coming off of this meet.”
World Indoor high jump champ Aussie Nicola Olyslagers, who won last week in Stockholm, was the only athlete to make it over 6-6¾ (2.00). Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who cleared 6-10¾ (2.10) to set a WR at this meet last year, could only manage 6-5½ (1.97), finishing ahead of another Australian, Eleanor Patterson, on the countback.
In the 1500, Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir moved to the front at 1200, but 9 women were in contention with 200 remaining. Chepchirchir won in 3:57.02, holding off Sarah Healy (3:57.15), Birke Haylom (3:57.50), Linden Hall (3:57.63), Worknesh Mesele (3:57.95) and 6 others who went sub-4:00.
PARIS DL WOMEN’S RESULTS
200(0.9): 1. Anavia Battle (US) 22.27; 2. Amy Hunt (GB) 22.45; 3. McKenzie Long (US) 22.49; 4. Deajah Stevens (US) 22.66; 5. Brittany Brown (US) 22.77; 6. Dina Asher-Smith (GB) 22.81; 7. Audrey Leduc (Can) 22.90.
400: 1. Marileidy Paulino (DR) 48.81; 2. Salwa Eid Naser (Bhr) 48.85; 3. Martina Weil (Chl) 49.83 NR; 4. Lynna Irby-Jackson (US) 49.87; 5. Amber Anning (GB) 49.96; 6. Bella Whittaker (US) 50.18; 7. Lieke Klaver (Neth) 50.26.
1500: 1. Nelly Chepchirchir (Ken) 3:57.02 (out WL) (3:10.40);
2. Sarah Healy (Ire) 3:57.15 PR;
3. Birke Haylom (Eth) 3:57.50 (x, 6 WJ);
4. Linden Hall (Aus) 3:57.63; 5. Worknesh Mesele (Eth) 3:57.95; 6. Georgia Hunter Bell (GB) 3:58.06; 7. Agathe Guillemot (Fra) 3:58.44; 8. Susan Ejore-Sanders (Ken) 3:58.65; 9. Sarah Madeleine (Fra) 3:59.06 PR; 10. Salomé Afonso (Por) 3:59.32 PR; 11. Jemma Reekie (GB) 3:59.42; 12. Netsanet Desta (Eth) 4:00.69 PR.
St: 1. Faith Cherotich (Ken) 8:53.37 PR (WL) (6, 10 W) (5:57.33);
2. Peruth Chemutai (Uga) 8:54.41; 3. Sembo Almayew (Eth) 9:01.22; 4. Gabbi Jennings (US) 9:08.05; 5. Courtney Wayment (US) 9:08.88; 6. Lea Meyer (Ger) 9:09.73;
7. Angelina Napoleon (US) 9:10.72 PR (9, x A);
8. Alice Finot (Fra) 9:15.33; 9. Lomi Muleta (Eth) 9:15.45.
100H(0.7): 1. Grace Stark (US) 12.21 PR (=5, =5 W; 4, 4 A);
2. Tobi Amusan (Ngr) 12.24 (x, =7 W);
3. Ackera Nugent (Jam) 12.30; 4. Keni Harrison (US) 12.48; 5. Nadine Visser (Neth) 12.51; 6. Devynne Charlton (Bah) 12.53; 7. Alaysha Johnson (US) 12.66; 8. Pia Skrzyszowska (Pol) 12.67.
(best-ever mark-for-place: 3)
Field Events
HJ: 1. Nicola Olyslagers (Aus) 6-6¾ (2.00) (6-3¼, 6-4¼, 6-5½ [2], 6-6¾ [2], 6-8 [xxx]) (1.91, 1.94, 1.97 [2], 2.00 [2], 2.03 [xxx]);
2. Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukr) 6-5½ (1.97); 3. Eleanor Patterson (Aus) 6-5½; 4. Vashti Cunningham (US) 6-4¼ (1.94); 5. Morgan Lake (GB) 6-4¼; 6. Charity Hufnagel (US) 6-3¼ (1.91); 7. tie, Christina Honsel (Ger) & Angelina Topić (Ser) 6-2 (1.88).
PV: 1. Katie Moon (US) 15-6¼ (4.73) (14-10¼ [2], 15-6¼ [2], 15-10 [xxx]) (4.53 [2], 4.73 [2], 4.83 [xxx]); 2. Sandi Morris (US) 15-6¼ (14-10¼, 15-2¼ [2], 15-6¼ [3], 15-8¼ [x], 15-10 [xx]) (4.53, 4.63 [2], 4.73 [3], 4.78 [x], 4.83 [xx]);
3. Emily Grove (US) 15-2¼ (4.63); 4. Angelica Moser (Swi) 15-2¼; 5. Amálie Švábíková (CzR) 15-2¼; 6. tie, Marie-Julie Bonnin (Fra) & Tina Šutej (Slo) 14-10¼ (4.53); 8. Gabriela Leon (US) 14-6¼ (4.43).
DT: 1. Valarie Allman (US) 221-8 (67.56); 2. Jorinde van Klinken (Neth) 217-11 (66.42); 3. Yaimé Pérez (Cub) 213-4 (65.03)); 4. Sandra Elkasević (Cro) 208-5 (63.52); 5. Bin Feng (Chn) 206-0 (62.80); 6. Amanda Ngandu-Ntumba (Fra) 205-11 (62.77); 7. Mélina Robert-Michon (Fra) 200-8 (61.16);…10. Lagi Tausaga (US) 188-3 (57.39).
