Diamond League wins for Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Paris
Saturday 4 July 2015 21:39, UK
Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made up for the absence of injured Usain Bolt by storming to double 100m glory in the Diamond League meet in Paris on Saturday.
But there was heartbreak for Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba who narrowly missed out on breaking her older sister Tirunesh's world record in the women's 5000m.
Former 100m world record holder Powell held his nerve to power through the line in 9.81 seconds, Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut equalling the European record of 9.86sec in second ahead of American Michael Rodgers (9.99).
Fraser-Pryce blasted to an impressive victory at the Stade de France in 10.75sec, ahead of Nigerian Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor (10.80) and American English Gardner (10.97).
In a gripping 5000m, Dibaba and compatriot Almaz Ayana were glued together until the last lap when the former struck out, but she fell an agonising 4.26sec short of her sister's record of 14:11.15 set in Oslo in 2008.
There was the unusual sight in the women's shot put of seeing double Olympic and four-time world champion Valerie Adams finishing off the podium in fifth, her first loss in almost five years breaking a 56-event winning streak.
Another unlikely spectacle was watching American Evan Jager leading a strong field of Kenyans into the final bend of the men's 3000m steeplechase, only to come a cropper on the final hurdle to allow Jairus Kipchoge Birech in in a world leading 7:58.83.
Jager still claimed an American record after scrambling back to his feet and finishing second (8:00.45), Kenya's two-time Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi down in 11th.
Wayde Van Niekerk ran a fantastic men's 400m, the 22-year-old South African shattering his personal best with an African record of 43.96sec to beat Grenada's Olympic champion Kirani James (44.17) into second.
Reigning world, African and Commonwealth champion Eunice Sum continued her unbeaten year with a comprehensive victory in the women's 800m in a world-leading 1:56.99.
And there was more Kenyan glory in the men's 1500m, Silas Kiplagat kicking for home to win in 3:30.12, also the fastest time this season.
