ROME, ITALY, June 06—It was the most hyped clash of the Rome Diamond League and it didn’t disappoint. Noah Lyles, the yearly world 100 leader, was up against Michael Norman, the 400 leader, and they were meeting in the middle at 200m. Coming into Rome, Lyles led their career head-to-head record 3–0, with 200 wins over Norman at the ’15 USATF Juniors, the ’16 Olympic Trials and the ’18 Lausanne DL.
Norman started well and was up on Lyles—who ran 9.86 in Shanghai just a few weeks prior—before they came off the bend. Norman transitioned well into the straight, while Lyles kept his cool and trusted in his own finishing abilities. Sure enough, Lyles gradually made up ground on his fellow 21-year-old and for a brief moment it looked as though his momentum would get him to the finish first, but a well-timed dip from Norman gave him the advantage on the line, winning in a world-leading 19.70 with Lyles just 0.02 behind.
Norman, who took 0.14 off his previous best, moved up to No. 12 on the world all-time list and No. 7 among Americans. “I changed a few things with my race pattern,” he said. “I was a lot stronger today and I tried to hold the composure. I’m really happy with the time, there was a good flow.”
His performance was one of seven world-leading marks set in the Italian capital. Genzebe Dibaba ran her fastest 1500 since breaking the WR in the event four years ago to hold off Laura Muir 3:56.28– 3:56.73. After a swift opening lap (62.43 by rabbit Noelie Yarigo), the pace dipped a bit on the second (66.81) but Dibaba made her way to the front to ensure she had the advantage going into the final lap. Fellow Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay tracked Dibaba with Muir close behind in 3rd. Muir moved up to 2nd with 200 to go, but Dibaba dug in deep and managed to hold off the Briton’s challenge. Muir’s time was the second-fastest of her career.
Telahun Haile Bekele (T&FN doesn’t use the Bekele part) pulled off a shock win in the men’s 5000—although, with a name like ‘Haile Bekele’ it’s no surprise that he’s good. The opening pace (7:45.50 for 3000) suggested that the finishing time would be well inside 13:00. Diamond League champion Selemon Barega, still just 19, took up the running once the pacemakers had dropped out, but he couldn’t shake off the challenge of his rivals. Compatriots Hagos Gebrhiwet and Haile were ahead of Barega as they embarked on the final lap, but Barega moved into the lead with 200 to go and looked to be on his way to winning. Haile, however, wasn’t done and came back with just 30m remaining. Haile just got the advantage on the line, winning in a world-leading 12:52.98 to Barega’s 12:53.04. A half-dozen finished inside 13:00, including Canada’s Mo Ahmed, who set a national record 12:58.16. Back in 11th, Ben True put up the fastest U.S. time of the year, 13:09.81.
American Donavan Brazier was another runner who timed his finish to perfection. The men’s 800 had started with a speedy 49.96 opening lap, after which Nijel Amos and Wycliffe Kinyamal fought for the lead. Kinyamal edged ahead as they entered the home straight but clipped Amos in doing so, throwing them both off balance. Brazier initially ran himself into a box, but managed to stay out of trouble and closed well to take the win in a world-leading 1:43.63. Amos was just 0.02 behind with Canada’s Brandon McBride finishing 3rd in 1:43.90.
After a few early-season defeats, double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson looked to be back to her best when winning the women’s 100 in a world-leading 10.89. European champion Dina Asher-Smith, who led for most of the race, finished 2nd in 10.94.
Rai Benjamin notched up his first victory of the year, winning the 400H in a season’s best of 47.58. He clipped the eighth barrier and was unhappy with his final two hurdles, but looked utterly dominant in putting up the second-fastest time of his career.
Dalilah Muhammad was also a clear winner in the women’s long-hurdle event. The Olympic champion won in 53.67 from Shamier Little (54.40).
The triple jump was missing Christian Taylor and Will Claye, but fellow American Omar Craddock got one of the biggest wins of his career, defeating a field that included 18m performer Pedro Pablo Pichardo and ’08 Olympic champion Nelson Évora. Craddock’s second-round 57-5 (17.50) was 3cm farther than Pichardo’s best.
ROME DIAMOND LEAGUE MEN’S RESULTS
Golden Gala; Rome, Italy, June 06
200(0.7): 1. Michael Norman (US) 19.70 PR (WL, AL) (12, x W; 7, x A);
2. Noah Lyles (US) 19.72; 3. Alex Quiñónez (Ecu) 20.17; 4. Ramil Guliyev (Tur) 20.35; 5. Filippo Tortu (Ita) 20.36; 6. Jereem Richards (Tri) 20.52; 7. Bernardo Baloyes (Col) 20.59; 8. Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (GB) 20.68; 9. Leon Reid (Ire) 20.83.
800: 1. Donavan Brazier (US) 1:43.63 (WL, AL);
2. Nijel Amos (Bot) 1:43.65; 3. Brandon McBride (Can) 1:43.90; 4. Ferguson Cheruiyot (Ken) 1:44.11; 5. Clayton Murphy (US) 1:44.59; 6. Wyclife Kinyamal (Ken) 1:44.65 (1:16.87); 7. Adam Kszczot (Pol) 1:44.74; 8. Marcin Lewandowski (Pol) 1:45.32; 9. Andreas Kramer (Swe) 1:45.33; 10. Haydar Abdalla (Qat) 1:45.53;… rabbit—Harun Abda (US) (49.96).
Non-DL St: 1. Benjamin Kigen (Ken) 8:06.13 PR (WL);
2. Getnet Wale (Eth) 8:06.83 PR; 3. Chala Beyo (Eth) 8:09.95; 4. Lawrence Kemboi (Ken) 8:15.68 (5:29.08); 5. Fernando Carro (Spa) 8:15.73 PR; 6. Andy Bayer (US) 8:16.52; 7. Albert Chemutai (Uga) 8:16.66 PR; 8. Abdelkarim Ben Zahra (Mor) 8:18.12 PR; 9. Barnabas Kipyego (Ken) 8:20.12; 10. Daniel Arce (Spa) 8:20.16 PR;… rabbit—Bernard Nganga (Ken) (2:42.03).
5000: 1. Telahun Haile (Eth) 12:52.98 PR (WL);
2. Selemon Barega (Eth) 12:53.04 (x, 6 WJ) (2:32.90, 5:08.57, 7:45.50 [outdoor WL]);
3. Hagos Gebrhiwet (Eth) 12:54.92; 4. Birhanu Yemataw (Brn) 12:56.26 PR; 5. Abadi Hadis (Eth) 12:56.48 (10:25.27); 6. Mo Ahmed (Can) 12:58.16 NR; 7. Edward Zakayo (Ken) 13:03.19 PR; 8. Andrew Butchart (GB) 13:09.33; 9. Yemaneberhan Crippa (Ita) 13:09.52 PR; 10. Justyn Knight (Can) 13:09.76 PR;
11. Ben True (US) 13:09.81 (AL);
12. Bethwel Birgen (Ken) 13:10.21; 13. Davis Kiplangat (Ken) 13:11.65 PR; 14. Filip Ingebrigtsen (Nor) 13:11.75 PR; 15. Aron Kifle (Eri) 13:13.85; 16. Oscar Chelimo (Uga) 13:20.10 PR; 17. Paul Tanui (Ken) 13:23.13; 18. Milkesa Mengesha (Eth) 13:25.74 PR; 19. Nick Willis (NZ) 13:56.94.
110H(0.4): 1. Sergey Shubenkov (Rus) 13.26; 2. Andrew Pozzi (GB) 13.29; 3. Antonio Alkana (SA) 13.30; 4. Gabriel Constantino (Bra) 13.50; 4. Milan Trajkovic (Cyp) 13.50; 6. Aurel Manga (Fra) 13.51; 7. Lorenzo Perini (Ita) 13.58; 8. Johnathan Cabral (Can) 13.61; 9. Orlando Ortega (Spa) 14.00.
Non-DL 400H: 1. Rai Benjamin (US) 47.58 (AL) (10, x A);
2. David Kendziera (US) 48.99; 3. Takatoshi Abe (Jpn) 49.57; 4. Thomas Barr (Ire) 49.65; 5. Kenny Selmon (US) 49.83; 6. Mamadou Kasse Hann (Fra) 50.00; 7. José Reynaldo Bencosme (Ita) 50.36; 8. Patryk Dobek (Pol) 50.38; 9. Rasmus Mägi (Est) 50.52.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Bohdan Bondarenko (Ukr) 7-7 (2.31) (=out WL);
2. Majd Eddin Ghazal (Syr) 7-5¾ (2.28); 3. Maksim Nedasekau (Blr) 7-5¾; 4. Gianmarco Tamberi (Ita) 7-5¾; 5. Ilya Ivanyuk (Rus) 7-5¾; 6. Brandon Starc (Aus) 7-3¼ (2.22); 7. Andriy Protsenko (Ukr) 7-3¼; 8. Mateusz Przybylko (Ger) 7-2¼ (2.19); 9. tie, Takashi Eto (Jpn) & Django Lovett (Can) 7-2¼); 11. Naoto Tobe (Jpn) 7-½ (2.15);… nh—Bryan McBride (US).
TJ: 1. Omar Craddock (US) 57-5 (17.50) (55-9¼, 57-5, 56-9¼, 54-1¼, 56-10¼, 56-4) (17.00, 17.50, 17.30, 16.49, 17.33, 17.17); 2. Pedro Pablo Pichardo (Por) 57-3¾ (17.47) (57-3¾, 56-11¼, 54-10¾, p, 55-3½, 56-7½) (17.47, 17.35, 16.73, p, 16.85, 17.26); 3. Donald Scott (US) 57-2¼ (17.43) PR (55-1, 57-2¼, 55-3¾, 53-5¾, f, 54-2¾) (16.79, 17.43, 16.86, 16.30, f, 16.53);
4. Fabrice Zango Hugues (Bur) 56-9¼ (17.30) PR; 5. Nazim Babayev (Aze) 55-11¾ (17.06); 6. Andy Díaz (Cub) 55-9¼ (17.00); 7. Chris Benard (US) 55-4¾ (16.88); 8. Alexis Copello (Aze) 54-11¼ (16.74); 9. Yaming Zhu (Chn) 54-10¾ (16.73); 10. Nelson Évora (Por) 54-9¼ (16.69); 11. Pablo Torrijos (Spa) 53-3¾ (16.25).
SP: 1. Konrad Bukowiecki (Pol) 72-1 (21.97) PR (67-6¾, 65-9½, 65-9, 69-5¼, 72-1, 70-9¼) (20.59, 20.05, 20.04, 21.16, 21.97, 21.57); 2. Darrell Hill (US) 71-2¾ (21.71) (67-8, f, f, f, 68-9¼, 71-2¾) (20.62, f, f, f, 20.96, 21.71); 3. Darlan Romani (Bra) 71-1½ (21.68) (67-11, 71-1½, f, 69-9, 69-8¼, 69-8¼) (20.70, 21.68, f, 21.26, 21.24, 21.24);
4. Joe Kovacs (US) 70-5 (21.46); 5. Michal Haratyk (Pol) 69-9 (21.26); 6. O’Dayne Richards (Jam) 68-8 (20.93); 7. Tim Nedow (Can) 67-6 (20.57); 8. Chuk Enekwechi (Ngr) 67-4¾ (20.54); 9. Curtis Jensen (US) 65-1¼ (19.84); 10. Tomáš Stanek (CzR) 64-6 (19.66); 11. Leonardo Fabbri (Ita) 63-6¼ (19.36).
ROME DL WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(0.6): 1. Elaine Thompson (Jam) 10.89 (WL);
2. Dina Asher-Smith (GB) 10.94; 3. Aleia Hobbs (US) 11.12; 4. Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CI) 11.14; 5. Jenna Prandini (US) 11.17; 6. Vitoria Cristina Rosa (Bra) 11.22; 7. Shania Collins (US) 11.34; 8. Ángela Tenorio (Ecu) 11.38; 9. English Gardner (US) 11.42.
400: 1. Salwa Eid Naser (Brn) 50.26; 2. Shericka Jackson (Jam) 51.05; 3. Stephenie-Ann McPherson (Jam) 51.39;
4. Jessica Beard (US) 51.55; 5. Justyna Swiety-Ersetic (Pol) 52.04; 6. Kendall Ellis (US) 52.09; 7. Lisanne de Witte (Neth) 52.17; 8. Courtney Okolo (US) 52.17.
1500: 1. Genzebe Dibaba (Eth) 3:56.28 (WL) (3:11.14);
2. Laura Muir (GB) 3:56.73; 3. Gudaf Tsegay (Eth) 3:59.96;
4. Jenny Simpson (US) 4:01.18 (AL);
5. Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (Can) 4:01.28 PR; 6. Eilish McColgan (GB) 4:02.29; 7. Elinor Purrier (US) 4:02.34 PR; 8. Axumawit Embaye (Eth) 4:02.65; 9. Rababe Arafi (Mor) 4:03.25; 10. Winny Chebet (Ken) 4:03.86; 11. Alemaz Teshale (Eth) 4:04.43; 12. Lemlem Hailu (Eth) 4:04.78;
13. Marta Pérez (Spa) 4:07.14; 14. Claudia Bobocea (Rom) 4:07.61; 15. Dawit Seyaum (Eth) 4:18.78;… rabbit—Noelie Yarigo (Ben) (62.43, 66.81 [2:09.24]).
400H: 1. Dalilah Muhammad (US) 53.67; 2. Shamier Little (US) 54.40; 3. Zuzana Hejnová (CzR) 54.82; 4. Kori Carter (US) 55.09; 5. Janieve Russell (Jam) 55.42; 6. Anna Ryzhykova (Ukr) 55.64; 7. Sage Watson (Can) 55.71; 8. Ayomide Folorunso (Ita) 55.99; 9. Léa Sprunger (Swi) 56.36.
Field Events
PV: 1. Angelica Bengtsson (Swe) 15-7¼ (4.76) NR (14-11½ [2], 15-3½ [3], 15-7¼ [3], 15-9¼ [xxx]) (4.46[2], 4.56 [2], 4.66 [3], 4.76 [3], 4.81 [xxx]); 2. tie, Sandi Morris (US) & Robeilys Peinado (Ven) 15-3½ (4.66); 4. Yarisley Silva (Cub) 15-3½; 5. tie, Katie Nageotte (US) & Katerína Stefanídi (Gre) 15-3½ (4.66); 7. tie, Ninon Guillon-Romarin (Fra) & Anzhelika Sidorova (Rus) 14-11½ (4.56); 9. Ling Li (Chn) 14-11½; 10. Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou (Gre) 14-11½;… nh—Angelica Moser (Swi), Jenn Suhr (US).
LJ: 1. Malaika Mihambo (Ger) 23-2½ (7.07) PR (WL) (22-1, 21-11½, 22-7¾ [WL], 23-2½, f, 22-7¼) (6.73, 6.69, 6.90, 7.07, f, 6.89);
2. Caterine Ibargüen (Col) 22-6½ (6.87); 3. Brittney Reese (US) 22-2¼ (6.76); 4. Yelena Sokolova (Rus) 21-11 (6.68); 5. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (Ukr) 21-9½ (6.64); 6. Ivana Španović (Srb) 21-8¾ (6.62); 7. Nastassia Mironchyk-Ivanova (Blr) 21-7½ (6.59); 8. Éloyse Lesueur-Aymonin (Fra) 20-11¾ (6.39); 9. Shara Proctor (GB) 20-8 (6.30); 10. Laura Strati (Ita) 20-7 (6.27); 11. Chantel Malone (BVI) 20-7 (6.27); 12. Lorraine Ugen (GB) 20-5¼ (6.23).
JT: 1. Huihui Lu (Chn) 218-1 (66.47) (208-5, 206-6, 205-2, 207-9, 218-1, 215-8) (63.52, 62.95, 62.54, 63.32, 66.47, 65.75); 2. Eda Tugsuz (Tur) 211-7 (64.51); 3. Lina Muze (Lat) 209-1 (63.72);
4. Kara Winger (US) 207-0 (63.11) (AL) (207-0, f, 204-8, 195-9, 198-1, 206-1) (63.11, f, 62.39, 59.66, 60.39, 62.83);
5. Christin Hussong (Ger) 206-9 (63.02); 6. Nikola Ogrodníková (CzR) 203-6 (62.02); 7. Barbora Špotáková (CzR) 201-9 (61.51); 8. Tatsiana Khaladovich (Blr) 201-2 (61.32); 9. Martina Ratej (Slo) 190-2 (57.96); 10. Shiying Liu (Chn) 188-2 (57.37); 11. Zahra Bani (Ita) 186-10 (56.95).◻︎
