Diamond League 2019 - Rabat 16th June

[RunUnlimited]

Just 3 days after a fabulous Oslo Diamond League meeting with world leads galore, national records being set and a long standing European record getting taken down by a local hero, the athletics circus has a quick turnaround and heads to Africa for the next stop, this time in Rabat in Morocco.

Plenty of top class events on show later today, especially in the men's Long Jump where Echevarria, Manyonga, Sumaai, Visser and Henderson all in attendance looking to jump far in the expected good conditions in the stadium.

The women's 100m should be an interesting race with German Gina Luckenkemper making her season debut here, lining up alongside Dafne Schippers, Marie-Josee Ta Lou and Blessing Okagbare.

There'salso some British involvement in Rabat, with Holly Bradshaw in the Pole Vault looking to improve on her poor showing in Shanghai, going up against Nageotte, Morris and Stefanidi. Andy Pozzi in the 110m Hurdles going against Omar McLeod, Shubenkov and Trajkovic and in the women's 800m and Lynsey Sharp will look to try and put behind her the dreadful time she had in the race at Oslo.

[LuckySpikes]

https://rabat.diamondleague.com/en/p..._SCHEDULE_JSON

Looking forward to Dibaba v Hassan. Hassan has not been doing herself any favours with choice of distance and tactics. Still can be very dangerous over 1500m.

Pacers due to go through 800 in 2:04 (presumably at Dibaba's request), the like of which we haven't seen since Dibaba broke the WR 4 years ago!

Does she blow up or will she run 3:52/3:53-ish?

[LuckySpikes]

Could we not see some more PV or HJ instead of 2-3 minutes of the 100m runners waiting in the callroom? Athletics coverage is so frustrating!

[RunUnlimited]

Yikes, not a good performance from Schippers there. Was never in the running in that 100m.

Ta Lou didn't look comfortable throughout the race to my eye... Good run from Okagbare in the end, but that time in these days isn't going to be ripping up any trees.

Dina, Elaine aren't going to be worried about that result if you ask me.

[RunUnlimited]

Disappointing pole vault competition from Holly Bradshaw. Although she managed a season's best in it, it was "only" 4.57m and she wasn't able to go higher, while her main rivals for medals in Doha are still in the contest. She's gotta get her season going sooner rather than later.

[RunUnlimited]

Eh, I'd just like to see her jump higher for change. Most of the time she's in Diamond League competition, she doesn't usually jump to her potential. Not asking her to try and jump 5 meters every contest, but struggling to get over 4.57m doesn't exactly give a notoriously confidence based athlete the pep she might want heading into a major championships later in the year.

I dunno, maybe I'm just been a grouch and should mind my own business.

[drobbie]

dibabas back on the gear clearly, pbs for mccolgan and macdonald

[LuckySpikes]

Wow, what a Women's 1500 - too many great results to list except to say 8 of the top 11 set PBs including 3 National Records for Hassan, Arafi & Nanyondo! Seven under 4 minutes & time-wise one of the top 4 or 5 deepest races in history.

McColgan 4:00.97 PB in 9th, McDonald 4:01.50 PB.

[RunUnlimited]

Dang, Dibaba guts'd that last 200m out against Hassan and ends up with a 3:55.47WL. Hassan with a NR 3:55.93 comes 2nd, and Tsegay who faded in the closing stages, still managed a 3:57.40 PB. Arafi of Morocco delighted the home fans by smashing the national record, going 3:58.84.
The pace and quality of this race was so high that aside from Dibaba, 8 out of the 11 runners managed either a personal best, a season's best or a national record! Nanyondo of Uganda in 6th place ran a stonking new national record, 3:59.56, taking almost 2 seconds off the previous figures she herself had set earlier this season. Debues-Stafford of Canada (again!) improves on her 1500m PB, with a 4:00.46 clocking, behind Jenny Simpson's SB of 3:59.83.

Elish McColgan had a great run too, with now her 3rd straight personal best in a slew of distances as she just missed out on going sub 4 minutes, with 4:00.97 in 9th place. In 10th, British team mate Sarah McDonald along with McColgan, rose further up the UK all time list with her 4:01.50 timing.

What a race!

[RunUnlimited]

Further on McColgan and McDonald... with those runs, they move up to 9th and 12th respectively on the UK 1500m All Time list.

[LuckySpikes]

In fact Sarah McDonald's 4:01.50 is a place record for 10th! Take out those ridiculous Chinese races in the 90s and tonight's race is vying for the deepest ever.

[LuckySpikes]

So, is it Pingua or Zakayo? Some races he's Zakayo, some he's Pingua. #Confused

[RunUnlimited]

So, is it Pingua or Zakayo? Some races he's Zakayo, some he's Pingua. #Confused

The more important question... Is he *really* 17 years old?

[LuckySpikes]

The more important question... Is he *really* 17 years old?

LOL, there is that as well.

[RunUnlimited]

Well that was an.... interesting way for Shubenkov to equal the meeting record wasn't it? (13.12 btw)

Pozzi avoided the carnage, had a good race and came 2nd, running 13.30.

[speedyg]

Another solid run in 2nd by Pozzi. 13.30 behind Shubenkov who ran a meeting record of 13.12

[drobbie]

decent run for sharp, takes about a second off her seasons best