PARIS, FRANCE, June 18 — In the penultimate Diamond League stage-setter before the World Championships 4 weeks in front of us, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce laid down a marker at the Meeting de Paris.
The 35-year-old Jamaican — she of a record 4 world titles in the 100, including the last one, and also the winner of a pair of Olympic century golds in ’08 and ’12 — rolled to a 10.67 victory. That equaled her own yearly world leader, only this time not at the altitude of Nairobi but effectively at sea level in heatwave temps that beset Stade Charléty and the rest of the French capital.
That SAFP is sprinting hot at the moment and enjoying her pursuit of global century crown No. 5 is not to be second-guessed. That Fraser-Pryce smile, there it was beaming at 11 on the 10-point scale after the meet’s well-chosen finale event.
Indoor 60 fast gun Ewa Swoboda may have got the better of Fraser-Pryce out of the blocks but by 20m the Jamaican had the Pole’s number. Essaying a brilliant drive phase and form throughout that resisted all efforts by the average ink-stained wretch to find fault with, SAFP headed the swiftest of her pursuers by 0.2 at 60m and ran away to a near 5m margin over Daryll Neita (10.99) and Marie-Josée Ta Lou (11.01) at the end. Swoboda placed 4th in 11.05, an 0.02 improvement on her PR.
“I cannot be disappointed,” said Fraser-Pryce. “I am still training hard so I am now looking forward to the national championships and then afterwards. The fans were so nice here, I enjoyed tonight.
“The plan and the aim is to make sure that I am able to run 10.6 sustainably. And if I am able to do that, I definitely think I am able to go very, very fast and improve my PB.”
SAFP’s PB? That would be the 10.60 she ran in Lausanne last August, an 0.03 improvement on her 10.63 in Kingston last June. A remarkable fact to consider here is that for Fraser-Pryce, 34 years young all last season, her previous best of 10.70 dated from the Jamaican Olympic Trials of ’12 when she was 25.
“I think I will try to run 10.5,” she continued. “But the aim is just to continue the work and because I am 35, I cannot say no rush, but [rather] speed it up. But everything is going brilliant so I am really looking forward to what is next.”
Who isn’t? The stage looks set for a momentous clash with Elaine Thompson-Herah and the rest in Eugene.
No fewer than 5 Tokyo gold medalists revealed earnest readiness to vie for World titles next month.
For the second time in 2 days Valarie Allman met rival Sandra Perković, whose place atop the women’s discus the American has arguably taken. Throwing this time in proper shoes — not the running flats she donned for Oslo’s slippery wet circle — in round 4 the American spun out a 225-4 (68.68) throw, more than 6ft longer than Perković’s winning mark in Oslo. The Croatian inched closer in frames 5 and 6 but her 223-8 (68.19) was not enough.
Allman found the sweaty Paris conditions, in the 90s with moisture-laden air, to her liking. “In Texas, it is also hot and humid,” she said, “so I felt like at home. I like this weather.”
Of her sixth outright win over Perković in their last 9 meetings, Allman said, “After Oslo, this win feels especially good. It is definitely a rivalry between us and respect.”
In the men’s 400, Steven Gardiner reached 200 in 21.3, 0.2 down to Lidio Feliz and then turned a masterful second bend in 10.7 to emerge 0.3 in front at 300 (32.0–32.3) before putting it away down the straight for a 44.21–44.92 win from the Dominican.
Selemon Barega, the Tokyo 10K winner, thoroughly trounced the 5000 field. The 22-year-old Ethiopian set out on his own after 3K to win by 40m in 12:56.19. His finishing figures: 2:03.0, 59.7, 29.2 with the race well in hand.
In the men’s hammer (a non-DL offering), Wojciech Nowicki out-threw Polish compatriot and rival Paweł Fajdek 266-7 (81.25) to 262-10 (80.11), each reaching his best in round 3.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo made swift work of the women’s 400 in 50.10 ahead of Poles Natalia Kaczmarek (5.24) and Anna Kiełbasińska (50.28 PR). The Bahamian, who has yet to win an outdoor WC 400 gold, did it all in the first 300 with 100 splits of 11.9, 11.5 (23.4) and 12.4 that allowed her to coast home in 14.3.
Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi tore away with the women’s steeple win. Her year-leading 8:56.55 moved her to No. 4 on the all-time list. Simbo Alemayehu’s 9:09.19 in 2nd improved the 17-year-old Ethiopian’s World Youth Record.
Hurdling on a hot streak, Devon Allen won his third race in 6 days. Rafael Henrique Pereira, to his immediate left, pressed the American early but Allen was able to win this one late and decisively, 13.16–13.25.
As Ukrainian women high jumpers training in invasion-forced exile placed 1st, 2nd and =3rd, Yaroslava Mahuchikh won with a second-attempt 6-7 (2.01), a centimeter below the height with which she won the World Indoor title.
PARIS DL MEN’S RESULTS
Non-DL 100(-1.6): 1. Benjamin Azamati (Gha) 10.25; 2. Mouhamadou Fall (Fra) 10.32; 3. Jimmy Vicaut (Fra) 10.34.
200(0.6): 1. Luxolo Adams (SA) 19.82 PR; 2. Alexander Ogando (DR) 20.03 NR; 3. Mouhamadou Fall (Fra) 20.26 PR; 4. Andre De Grasse (Can) 20.38; 5. Amaury Golitin (Fra) 20.52; 6. Eseosa Desalu (Ita) 20.52; 7. Yancarlos Martinez (DR) 20.61; 8. Azamati 20.77.
400: 1. Steven Gardiner (Bah) 44.21; 2. Lidio Feliz (DR) 44.92; 3. Zakithi Nene (SA) 44.99; 4. Trevor Stewart (US) 45.18; 5. Liemarvin Bonevacia (Neth) 45.75; 6. Loïc Prévôt (Fra) 45.94; 7. Kevin Borlée (Bel) 46.64.
800: 1. Benjamin Robert (Fra) 1:43.75 PR; 2. Peter Bol (Aus) 1:44.00 NR; 3. Tony van Diepen (Neth) 1:44.14 PR; 4. Gabriel Tual (Fra) 1:44.23 PR; 5. Mohamed Ali Gouaned (Alg) 1:44.43 PR; 6. Pierre-Ambroise Bosse (Fra) 1:44.54; 7. Andreas Kramer (Swe) 1:44.75; 8. Patryk Dobek (Pol) 1:45.15; 9. Elliot Giles (GB) 1:45.94; 10. Amel Tuka (Bos) 1:46.88;… rabbit—Patryk Sieradzki (Pol) (49.74).
5000: 1. Selemon Barega (Eth) 12:56.19 (10:22.22); 2. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Bur) 13:05.24; 3. Muktar Edris (Eth) 13:06.54; 4. Jimmy Gressier (Fra) 13:08.75 PR; 5. Addisu Yehune (Eth) 13:14.40; 6. Geordie Beamish (NZ) 13:19.90 PR; 7. Mike Foppen (Neth) 13:20.34; 8. Abdessamad Oukhelfen (Spa) 13:22.77; 9. Hamish Carson (NZ) 13:23.37; 10. Rodrigue Kwizéra (Bur) 13:26.17 PR (7:46.91);… rabbit—Ben Buckingham (Aus) (2:36.35, 5:13.91).
110H(-0.2): 1. Devon Allen (US) 13.16; 2. Rafael Henrique Pereira (Bra) 13.25 =PR; 3. Just Kwaou-Mathey (Fra) 13.27 PR; 4. Damian Czykier (Pol) 13.31; 5. Milan Trajkovic (Cyp) 13.39; 6. Andy Pozzi (GB) 13.49; 7. Asier Martínez (Spa) 13.69;… dq—Aaron Mallett (US);… dnc—Sasha Zhoya (Fra).
Heats: I(-1.7)–1. Martínez 13.30; 2. Zhoya 13.40 PR; 3. Mallett 13.42; 4. Pozzi 13.54; 5. Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (Fra) 13.55; 6. Jason Joseph (Swi) 13.59;
II(-1.1)–1. Allen 13.20; 2. Pereira 13.25 PR; 3. Damian Czykier 13.44; 4. Kwaou-Mathey 13.44; 5. Trajkovic 13.47; 6. Raphael Mohamed (Fra) 13.62.
Field Events
PV: 1. Ben Broeders (Bel) 19-¼ (5.80) (18-½, 18-6½ [2], 18-10¼, 19-¼, 19-2¼ [xxx]) (5.50, 5.65 [2], 5.75, 5.80, 5.85 [xxx]); 2. Renaud Lavillenie (Fra) 19-¼ (18-6½, 19-¼ [2], 19-2¼ [xxx]) (5.65, 5.80 [2], 5.85 [xxx]);
3. Thibaut Collet (Fra) 18-10¼ (5.75); 4. Anthony Ammirati (Fra) 18-6½ (5.65); 5. Kurtis Marschall (Aus) 18-6½; 6. tie, Baptiste Thiery (Fra) & Valentin Lavillenie (Fra) 18-6½; 8. tie, Harry Coppell (GB) & Thiago Braz (Bra) 18-½ (5.50); 10. Bokai Huang (Chn) 17-6½ (5.35).
TJ: 1. Jordan Alejandro Díaz (Spa) 57-11¼ (17.66) (54-4¾, 57-2¾, 57-10½, 57-11¼, 47-6¼, 57-1) (16.58, 17.44, 17.64, 17.66, 14.48, 17.40); 2. Andy Díaz (Cub) 57-11 (17.65) PR (f, 57-11 PR, 57-5½, p, 55-9, 57-7¾) (f, 17.65 PR, 17.51, p, 16.99, 17.57); 3. Pedro Pablo Pichardo (Por) 57-4¾ (17.49) (57-4¼, 56-3¾, 57-4¾, 56-10¾, p, f) (17.48, 17.16, 17.49, 17.34, p, f);
4. Hugues Fabrice Zango (BF) 56-7¼ (17.25); 5. Almir dos Santos (Bra) 55-2 (16.81); 6. Yaming Zhu (Chn) 55-0 (16.76); 7. Christian Taylor (US) 54-3¼ (16.54); 8. Benjamin Compaoré (Fra) 53-11 (16.43); 9. Melvin Raffin (Fra) 51-9 (15.77).
Non-DL HT: 1. Wojciech Nowicki (Pol) 266-7 (81.25) (263-11, 262-9, 265-0, 266-7, 260-11, 256-8) (80.45, 80.09, 80.77, 81.25, 79.54, 78.25); 2. Paweł Fajdek (Pol) 262-10 (80.11) (251-4, 251-2, f, 262-10, 250-6, 254-5) (76.60, 76.56, f, 80.11, 76.35, 77.56);
3. Quentin Bigot (Fra) 256-3 (78.12); 4. Bence Halász (Hun) 250-5 (76.32); 5. Myhaylo Kokhan (Ukr) 245-10 (74.93); 6. Yann Chaussinand (Fra) 243-9 (74.31); 7. Jean-Baptiste Bruxelle (Fra) 228-8 (69.70).
Tri(SP, LJ, 110H): 1. Makenson Gletty (Fra) 2584; 2. Maicel Uibo (Est) 2523; 3. Teo Bastien (Fra) 2522; 4. Benjamin Hougardy (Bel) 2491; 5. Arthur Prevost (Fra) 2407;… dnf—Kevin Mayer (Fra) (51-2¾/15.61, 24-2½/7.38, dnc).
PARIS WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(0.5): 1. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jam) 10.67 (=WL; lo-alt WL) (x, =11 W) <BGB zero wind/altitude 10.70—x, =7 W>;
2. Daryll Neita (GB) 10.99; 3. Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CI) 11.01; 4. Ewa Swoboda (Pol) 11.05 PR; 5. Michelle-Lee Ahye (Tri) 11.07; 6. Zoe Hobbs (NZ) 11.10; 7. Gina Bass (Gam) 11.24; 8. Ajla Del Ponte (Swi) 11.34.
400: 1. Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Bah) 50.10; 2. Natalia Kaczmarek (Pol) 50.24; 3. Anna Kiełbasińska (Pol) 50.28 PR; 4. Fiordaliza Cofil (DR) 50.76; 5. Lieke Klaver (Neth) 50.80 PR; 6. Justyna Święty-Ersetic (Pol) 51.05; 7. Amandine Brossier (Fra) 51.78; 8. Shana Grebo (Fra) 51.98.
St: 1. Winfred Yavi (Bhr) 8:56.55 PR (WL) (4, 6 W) (5:56.44);
2. Simbo Alemayehu (Eth) 9:09.19 WYR (old WYR 9:18.98 Alemayehu ’22) (3, 9 WJ);
3. Mekides Abebe (Eth) 9:11.09; 4. Elizabeth Bird (GB) 9:19.46 NR; 5. Chiara Scherrer (Swi) 9:20.28 NR; 6. Zerfe Wondemagegn (Eth) 9:27.75; 7. Roseline Chepngetich (Ken) 9:32.67;… rabbit—Virginia Nyambura (Ken) (2:55.65).
100H(-0.4): 1. Tobi Amusan (Ngr) 12.41 NR; 2. Devynne Charlton (Bah) 12.63; 3. Cindy Sember (GB) 12.73; 4. Cyrena Samba-Mayela (Fra) 12.76; 5. Liz Clay (Aus) 12.89; 6. Ditaji Kambundji (Swi) 12.90; 7. Laeticia Bapte (Fra) 13.05.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukr) 6-7 (2.01) (out WL) (6-2, 6-4¾, 6-6, 6-7 [2], 6-8¾ [xxx]) (1.88, 1.95, 1.98, 2.01 [2], 2.05 [xxx]);
2. Iryna Herashchenko (Ukr) 6-6 (1.98); 3. tie, Nicola Olyslagers (Aus) & Yuliya Levchenko (Ukr) 6-4¾ (1.95); 5. Marija Vuković (Mont) 6-4¾; 6. Kateryna Tabashnyk (Ukr) 6-4¾; 7. Nafissatou Thiam (Bel) 6-3½ (1.92); 8. Elena Vallortigara (Ita) 6-2 (1.88).
DT: 1. Valarie Allman (US) 225-4 (68.68) (207-0, 206-1, 207-2, 225-4, f, 216-0) (63.10, 62.83, 63.15, 68.68, f, 65.84); 2. Sandra Perković (Cro) 223-8 (68.19) (f, 216-6, f, f, 219-5, 223-8,) (f, 66.00, f, f, 66.89, 68.19,);
3. Kristin Pudenz (Ger) 211-3 (64.39); 4. Shanice Craft (Ger) 207-2 (63.14); 5. Lagi Tausaga (US) 206-0 (62.79); 6. Claudine Vita (Ger) 205-4 (62.60); 7. Marike Steinacker (Ger) 203-0 (61.87); 8. Liliana Cá (Por) 202-6 (61.73); 9. Mélina Robert-Michon (Fra) 200-5 (61.10).
Non-DL HT: 1. Malwina Kopron (Pol) 234-0 (71.33); 2. Bianca Ghelber (Rom) 233-5 (71.15); 3. Rose Loga (Fra) 226-5 (69.02); 4. Krista Tervo (Fin) 224-8 (68.49); 5. Alexandra Tavernier (Fra) 223-10 (68.22).
JT: 1. Haruka Kitaguchi (Jpn) 207-1 (63.13); 2. Līna Mūze (Lat) 205-3 (62.56); 3. Liveta Jasiūnaitė (Lit) 203-8 (62.09); 4. Mackenzie Little (Aus) 200-10 (61.23); 5. Kelsey-Lee Barber (Aus) 198-10 (60.60); 6. Barbora Špotáková (CzR) 198-0 (60.35); 7. Elína Tzénggo (Gre) 190-10 (58.16); 8. Nikola Ogrodníková (CzR) 188-11 (57.58); 9. Alizee Minard (Fra) 184-5 (56.21); 10. Eda Tuğsuz (Tur) 173-5 (52.87).
