RABAT, MOROCCO, June 16—On a night of drama at the Mohammed VI Diamond League meet, with Jamaica’s discus thrower Fedrick Dacres appealing a foul into a Diamond League record 232-3 (70.78), Sergey Shubenkov winning the 110H on his right shoulder and South Africa’s world long jump champion Luvo Manyonga being carried off on a stretcher, the centerpiece was a women’s 1500 of unparalleled quality. No fewer than 7 finished under 4:00 and 9 under 4.01—the latter a record in international racing. And at the head of them was Genzebe Dibaba. The Ethiopian WR holder produced a 2019-leading time of 3:55.47, but she was pushed all the way round the final lap of a phenomenally competitive race by Sifan Hassan of The Netherlands, who was rewarded with a national record of 3:55.93, the fastest non-winning time ever.
It was a classic battle in cooling and blustery conditions, and both finished with teeth conspicuously gritted. Around the final bend Hassan came up to Dibaba’s shoulder but could never get past it as the Ethiopian moved clear for a narrow lead she held to the line. “I am very happy with my performance tonight,” said Dibaba after producing history’s No. 11 performance. “It feels great running in Africa. Based on my level and performance I feel ready for the World Championships.” Dibaba’s compatriot Gudaf Tsegay finished 3rd in a PR 3:57.40, with home runner Rababe Arrafi, winner of the Shanghai DL, setting a national record of 3:58.84 that prompted a joyous lap of honor. Jenny Simpson was the last woman under 4:00, with a U.S.-leading 3:59.83.
Simpson’s compatriot Sandi Morris produced a dominant victory in the vault as she finished the night with a meet record and season’s best of 15-9¾ (4.82) despite difficult conditions which meant she needed two attempts at her opening height of 14-8 (4.47) and three at 15-7¾ (4.77). Second went to Russian Anzhelika Sidorova, who had taken the lead with a second-try make at 15-7¾. “I am very satisfied with the result and the victory, but I had a terrible warm-up and I did not feel at 100%,” said Morris. “I also had a problem with the wind. We had a lot of headwind during the competition. It was tough. “But I was able to make some adjustments and to make some very good jumps. My priority this year is to be at my peak at the World Championships in Doha. But first I need to be selected in the U.S. team. So now I am focused on the Trials at the end of July.”
Dacres ended the night as a belated recordbreaker after successfully appealing against the disqualification of his third throw. Before that late call, Sweden’s Daniel Ståhl, who had headed this year’s rankings with 231-6 (70.56), appeared to have earned victory in a meet record 229-5 (69.94), just 44cm clear of what was a season’s best 228-0 (69.50) by the Jamaican.
Shubenkov, narrowly beaten by world and Olympic champion Omar McLeod in Shanghai, reversed that result here as he clocked 13.12. But the Siberian was left with a skinned right shoulder and scrapes to both knees and hands after being clipped by his falling Jamaican rival having overtaken him in the final couple of meters, with McLeod finishing a disappointed 5th. Said Shubenkov, last year’s No. 1, “It was a dramatic race, but a really great race. And I was able to win. That’s very important. I am feeling stronger than before. Having Omar in the field gave me an extra motivation.”
Manyonga was carried from the arena on a stretcher after appearing to injure his left ankle while landing his fourth effort. In his absence, Cuba’s 20-year-old rising talent Juan Miguel Echevarría stretched out to eclipse Manyonga’s first-round lead of 26-11¼ (8.21) to secure victory with a season’s best of 27-4½ (8.34).
A women’s 800 notably lacking Caster Semenya—for whom an invitation to compete here came too late to be practicable after she was granted the right to continue her appeal against effective suspension from the sport by a Swiss court on Friday—was won by Kenya’s Nelly Jepkosgei in 1:59.50. Bahrain’s 21-year-old Salwa Eid Naser won the women’s 400 in 50.13, holding off a late challenge from Aminatou Seyni, who clocked a Nigerian Record 50.24. World champion Phyllis Francis of the U.S. was never quite in touch with the leaders, and finished 4th in 50.76.
Meanwhile, Olympic medalist Andre de Grasse took another step back up after two years of hamstring injuries as he beat Turkey’s 200m world champ Ramil Guliyev in 20.19. “It’s a season best and I am very grateful with the victory but not happy with the time,” the Canadian star said. “I want to achieve sub 20 seconds. But it is a long process. I am not fully healthy, I still have a lot of work to do to be really back in shape. I want to be back where I was two years ago. But I have time before the World Championships.”
RABAT DL MEN’S RESULTS
Meeting International Mohammed VI; Rabat, Morocco, June 16—
200(-0.5): 1. Andre De Grasse (Can) 20.19; 2. Ramil Guliyev (Tur) 20.28; 3. Alex Quiñónez (Ecu) 20.30; 4. Kenny Bednarek (US) 20.51; 5. Clarence Munyai (SA) 20.63; 6. Leon Reid (Ire) 20.88; 7. Bernardo Baloyes (Col) 20.91.
800: 1. Nijel Amos (Bot) 1:45.57; 2. Emmanuel Korir (Ken) 1:45.60; 3. Clayton Murphy (US) 1:45.99; 4. Ferguson Cheruiyot (Ken) 1:46.38; 5. Álvaro De Arriba (Spa) 1:46.64; 6. Andreas Kramer (Swe) 1:46.75; 7. Jonathan Kitilit (Ken) 1:46.78 (1:19.33); 8. Mostafa Smaili (Mor) 1:47.47;… rabbit—Saúl Martinez (Spa) (49.96).
Non-DL 1500: 1. Vincent Kibet (Ken) 3:35.80; 2. Hicham Akankam (Mor) 3:35.85 PR; 3. Alexis Miellet (Fra) 3:35.98 PR (2:54.09); 4. Adel Mechaal (Spa) 3:36.21; 5. Stewart McSweyn (Aus) 3:36.30; 6. Brahim Kaazouzi (Mor) 3:36.67; 7. Michael Kibet (Ken) 3:36.71; 8. Hicham Ouladha (Mor) 3:37.05; 9. Brimin Kiprono (Ken) 3:37.20; 10. Teddese Lemi (Eth) 3:37.40 PR; 11. Yemaneberhan Crippa (Ita) 3:37.81 PR; 12. Fouad El Kaam (Mor) 3:38.13;… rabbit—Mounir Akbache (Fra) (56.81, 1:54.86).
St: 1. Getnet Wale (Eth) 8:06.01 PR (WL) (10, x non-Kenyan);
2. Chala Beyo (Eth) 8:06.48 PR; 3. Benjamin Kigen (Ken) 8:07.25; 4. Leonard Bett (Ken) 8:09.27; 5. Hillary Bor (US) 8:12.08; 6. Mohamed Tindouft (Mor) 8:12.89 PR; 7. Abraham Kibiwot (Ken) 8:17.25; 8. Djilali Bedrani (Fra) 8:18.44 PR; 9. Stanley Kebenei (US) 8:21.25; 10. Nicholas Bett (Ken) 8:24.69; 11. Soufiane El Bakkali (Mor) 8:27.56;… dnf—Andy Bayer (US); … rabbits—Daniel Arce (Spa) (2:43.68), Lawrence Kipsang (Ken) (5:26.14).
Non-DL 5000: 1. Edward Zakayo (Ken) 13:11.49; 2. Solomon Berihu (Eth) 13:16.08 (7:54.18, 10:35.52); 3. Soufiyan Bouqantar (Mor) 13:17.26; 4. Bouh Ibrahim (Dji) 13:17.54 PR; 5. Abdelaati Iguider (Mor) 13:17.74; 6. Said El Otmani (Ita) 13:19.30 PR; 7. Tariq Ahmed Al Amri (Sau) 13:19.70 PR; 8. Yohans Kifle (Eri) 13:27.06; 9. Abe Gashahun (Eth) 13:29.49;;… rabbits—Ayad Lamdassem (Spa) (2:36.90), Nassim Hassaus (Spa) (5:16.78).
110H(0.3): 1. Sergey Shubenkov (Rus) 13.12; 2. Andrew Pozzi (GB) 13.30; 3. Gabriel Constantino (Bra) 13.41; 4. Wilhem Belocian (Fra) 13.43; 5. Omar McLeod (Jam) 13.48 (fell on runin); 6. Antonio Alkana (SA) 13.51; 7. Milan Trajkovic (Cyp) 13.53; 8. Eduardo Santos (Bra) 13.58; 9. Aurel Manga (Fra) 13.88.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Bohdan Bondarenko (Ukr) 7-5¾ (2.28); 2. Naoto Tobe (Jpn) 7-5¾; 3. Ilya Ivanyuk (Rus) 7-5¾; 4. Mathew Sawe (Ken) 7-5¾; 5. Brandon Starc (Aus) 7-4½ (2.25); 6. Andriy Protsenko (Ukr) 7-3¼ (2.22); 7. Chris Baker (GB) 7-2¼ (2.19); 8. Gianmarco Tamberi (Ita) 7-2¼; 9. Sylwester Bednarek (Pol) 7-½ (2.15); 10. Donald Thomas (Bah) 7-½.
LJ: 1. Juan Miguel Echevarría (Cub) 27-4½ (8.34) (25-4¾, f, f, 25-11½, 27-4½, 26-11¾) (7.74, f, f, 7.91, 8.34, 8.22); 2. Luvo Manyonga (SA) 26-11¼ (8.21); 3. Ruswahl Samaai (SA) 26-9¼ (8.16); 4. Eusebio Cáceres (Spa) 25-7¼ (7.80); 5. Yahya Berrabah (Mor) 25-5½ (7.76); 6. Mouhcine Khoua (Mor) 25-¾ (7.64); 7. Fabian Heinle (Ger) 24-9¾ (7.56); 8. Zarck Visser (SA) 24-8¼ (7.52); 9. Tyrone Smith (Ber) 24-7 (7.49); 10. Jeff Henderson (US) 20-¼ (6.10).
DT: 1. Fedrick Dacres (Jam) 232-3 (70.78) NR (WL) (19, x W) (originally called a foul) (220-1, 225-5, 232-3, 228-0, 225-10, f) (67.09, 68.71, 70.78, 69.50, 68.83, f);
2. Daniel Ståhl (Swe) 229-5 (69.94) (f, 222-7, f, 229-5, f, f) (f, 67.84, f, 69.94, f, f); 3. Lukas Weißhaidinger (Aut) 223-7 (68.14); 4. Piotr Małachowski (Pol) 218-5 (66.58); 5. Martin Wierig (Ger) 212-1 (64.65); 6. Reggie Jagers (US) 211-11 (64.59); 7. Andrius Gudžius (Lit) 211-2 (64.37); 8. Victor Hogan (SA) 206-7 (62.98); 9. Ola Isene Stunes (Nor) 201-6 (61.43); 10. Christoph Harting (Ger) 200-2 (61.02).
RABAT DL WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(-0.6): 1. Blessing Okagbare (Ngr) 11.05; 2. Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CI) 11.09; 3. Crystal Emmanuel (Can) 11.30; 4. Orlann Ombissa-Dzangue (Fra) 11.32; 5. Dafne Schippers (Neth) 11.32; 6. Gina Lückenkemper (Ger) 11.36; 7. Vitoria Cristina Rosa (Bra) 11.38; 8. Jamile Samuel (Neth) 11.40; 9. Mikiah Brisco (US) 11.47.
400: 1. Salwa Eid Naser (Bhr) 50.13; 2. Aminatou Seyni (Nig) 50.24 NR; 3. Christine Botlogetswe (Bot) 50.48 PR; 4. Phyllis Francis (US) 50.76; 5. Jaide Stepter (US) 51.44; 6. Lisanne de Witte (Neth) 51.53; 7. Kendall Ellis (US) 51.82.
800: 1. Nelly Jepkosgei (Ken) 1:59.50 (1:28.41); 2. Habitam Alemu (Eth) 1:59.90; 3. Olha Lyakhova (Ukr) 2:00.35; 4. Lynsey Sharp (GB) 2:00.61; 5. Halimah Nakaayi (Uga) 2:00.91; 6. Ce’Aira Brown (US) 2:01.19; 7. Emily Jerotich (Ken) 2:01.67; 8. Malika Akkaoui (Mor) 2:01.87; 9. Selina Büchel (Swi) 2:02.20;… rabbit—Noélie Yarigo (Ben) (57.20).
1500: 1. Genzebe Dibaba (Eth) 3:55.47 (WL) (x, 11 W) (3:07.75); 2. Sifan Hassan (Neth) 3:55.93 NR (9, 14 W);
3. Gudaf Tsegay (Eth) 3:57.40 PR; 4. Rababe Arafi (Mor) 3:58.84 NR; 5. Axumawit Embaye (Eth) 3:59.02 PR; 6. Winnie Nanyondo (Uga) 3:59.56 NR;
7. Jenny Simpson (US) 3:59.83 (AL);
8. Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (Can) 4:00.46 PR; 9. Eilish McColgan (GB) 4:00.97 PR; 10. Sarah McDonald (GB) 4:01.50 PR;
11. Lemlem Hailu (Eth) 4:02.97 PR (8, x WJ);
12. Siham Hilali (Mor) 4:05.80; 13. Winny Chebet (Ken) 4:13.31; 14. Josephine Chelangat (Ken) 4:16.17;… rabbits—Ilona Ivanova (Bul) (61.98), Esther Guerrero (Spa) (2:05.04).
(best-ever mark-for-place; 2, 9–10.
Field Events
PV: 1. Sandi Morris (US) 15-9¾ (4.82) (14-8 [2], 15-0, 15-3¾, 15-7¾ [3], 15-9¾, 16-1¾ [xxx]) (4.47 [2], 4.57, 4.67, 4.77 [3], 4.82, 4.92 [xxx]); 2. Anzhelika Sidorova (Rus) 15-7¾ (4.77); 3. Katie Nageotte (US) 15-3¾ (4.67); 4. Katerína Stefanídi (Gre) 15-3¾; 5. Robeilys Peinado (Ven) 15-3¾;
6. Yarisley Silva (Cub) 15-3¾; 7. Alysha Newman (Can) 15-3¾; 8. Huiqin Xu (Chn) 15-0 (4.57) PR; 9. Holly Bradshaw (GB) 15-0.
DT: 1. Yaimé Pérez (Cub) 224-0 (68.28) (212-8, 215-7, 219-2, f, 219-1, 224-0) (64.82, 65.72, 66.80, f, 66.78, 68.28); 2. Denia Caballero (Cub) 216-4 (65.94); 3. Sandra Perković (Cro) 212-6 (64.77) (5 fouls); 4. Valarie Allman (US) 211-10 (64.58); 5. Nadine Müller (Ger) 210-0 (64.01); 6. Andressa de Morais (Bra) 207-1 (63.12); 7. Kristin Pudenz (Ger) 206-1 (62.82); 8. Fernanda Martins (Bra) 205-1 (62.51); 9. Claudine Vita (Ger) 198-9 (60.59); 10. Mélina Robert-Michon (Fra) 194-4 (59.24). ◻︎
