Women’s sprints in Zurich see 10.65 for Jamaica’s Olympic champion and 21.78 for the Namibian teenager as Keely Hodgkinson wins the 800m in 1:57.98

The Wanda Diamond League final held at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich on Thursday night lived up to its billing as the greatest one-day meeting in the world with one stunning women’s track event after another.

The 100m was not as quick as in Tokyo with this time Elaine Thompson-Herah running a superb meeting record 10.65 compared to her 10.61 in Japan but the depth was comparable with fifth going at 10.94 compared to Tokyo’s 10.97.

Dina Asher-Smith, who looks like she is improving race by race started fast and was level with the Jamaican at 20m (3.1) and 40m (5.1) but was narrowly behind at 60m as Thompson-Herah (6.9) was edging clear of the Brit (7.0) who was still close at 80m (8.8 to 8.9) before stretching the margin at the finish with the Brit second in 10.87 for a season’s best and indeed her third equal best time only bettered by her Doha silver (10.83) and Berlin European gold (10.85).

It was close for third with those well matched rivals Ajla del Ponte and Daryll Neita sharing 10.93 (the Swiss edging it by four thousandths of a second) just ahead of Mujinga Kambundji’s 10.94.

This was the first 100m that two British women have run sub-11 in the same race as Neita again improved her PB.

Thompson-Herah said: “It has been a crazy season, a long one and a tiring one. I was so consistent because I was just keeping the faith in me and did not allow any negativity. I would describe this season with one word: amazing, yet with ups and downs.

“The audience was very warm and cheerful, I wished we had so many people to cheer in Tokyo on the finish line. This year, it was a long season but next year, the world record is definitely on my mind.”

While the 100m was not much of a race given the Jamaican’s dominance, the 200m was a superb battle that went to the wire and resulted with yet another world junior record for Christine Mboma.

Asher-Smith ran the best bend and led into the straight but gradually Olympic 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson edged ahead in what is her best event when she does not ease off in races prematurely!

This time, unlike her Olympic heat, she held her form and ran through the line but while she finished fast, even faster was the 18-year-old Namibian who ran her usual relative sluggish bend and incredible straight and her time of 21.78 (0.6) was another world under-20 record and African record.

She said: “When I crossed the finish line, I did not know that I won. Then I just saw my name and I was like: Wow, I won!

“This season was quite tough and very busy. I did a lot of races so now, I am feeling a bit tired. I see some supporters here and I know some of them. It is nice to see the stadium packed, I really like it. This trophy means a lot to me. I am glad I was able to run here and get this victory. But still have some two more competitions in my schedule.”

Jackson was rewarded with a PB 21.81 (edging her previous 21.82). Asher-Smith held on to third in 22.19 just ahead of Kambundji’s 22.27 for her second top three of the night. Britain took three of the top six places with Neita completing a memorable night with a PB 22.81 just ahead of Beth Dobbin’s 22.88.

“It’s been a great evening for me and I’m super happy. I was hoping for a slightly faster 200m but honestly, after running a 10.8 100m, I’m taking whatever!”@dinaashersmith on her night at the DL final in Zurich. #WDLFinal ?? pic.twitter.com/0zAUoCCEkD

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) September 9, 2021

Asher-Smith said: “It’s been a great evening for me and I’m super happy. I was hoping for a slightly faster 200m but after running a 10.8 100m, I’m taking whatever.”

In the Brussels 800m, Olympic silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson narrowly lost to Natoya Goule and the race looked similar here with Noelle Yarigo leading through 40-0m in 57.11 before Goule took command down the backstraight and led past 600m in 1:28.63 with Hodgkinson on her shoulder and Jemma Reekie clawing the inside and shortest route.

In last week’s race, Goule eased back a little on the final bend and kicked the final straight and she did so again but this time the Briton was closer and had not run as wide and she eased past to win comfortably in 1:57.98 with Grace catching Goule as both ran 1:58.34.

Reekie maintained her consistency with fourth in 1:58.61 again beating world champion Halimah Nakaayi (1:58.89) and 1:56.71 performer Habitam Alemu.

Hodgkinson, who to the relief of Britain’s other 800m runners, has sealed her world place next year leaving three spots remaining, ran her third fastest ever time and said: “My aim here today was to win, and it was not going to be easy with a field which is very strong – you have Natoya, Jemma , and all the other girls, so I just wanted to make sure I gave it my all.

“It was my last race, so I think I did that, and to come home with a win, it’s the icing on the cake really. Now, I am going home, and I am going straight on a plane [to Greece], and I am not going home for 10 days. I don’t want to see a track for those 10 days, and I am leaving my running shoes at home.”

“This season’s been crazy and I couldn’t be happier really. I feel like I had the strength in the last 150m [tonight] and it was a good race!” @keelyhodgkinson reflects on a spectacular 2021. #WDLFinal ?? pic.twitter.com/wnvWUopDK6

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) September 9, 2021

There were no records in the women’s 1500m though the final 300m of 42.92 was one of the fastest ever as the world champion Sifan Hassan again did battle with the Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon.

Chanelle Price did her usual good job of 63.32 at 400m and 2:08.94 at 800m but had to slow down as clearly no one was interested in the advertised 2:06 pace. The pace slowed even more through 1200m in 3:15.41 before Kipyegon picked it up considerably with Hassan looking strong on her shoulder.

As they came into the straight, it seemed like Hassan might get by but Kipyegon showed her usual determined finish and eased away in the final 10 metres to take first in 3:58.33 to the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion’s 3:58.55.

Kipyegon was second to Hassan in Doha in 2019 and lost to her rival in her opening 1500m in Florence this year but just as in Monaco and Tokyo, the Kenyan proved herself the best current or indeed greatest ever 1500m runner with her last 200m of 28.0.

She said: “I knew it would be a tactical race today and we gave the leading girl a big gap. I was controlling the pace in front. I was confident that in the last lap I could do better and it worked. This is my second Diamond League Trophy and my first as a mother. I won almost all my competitions including the Olympic final.”

Hassan said: “Faith is really one of the greatest athletes and I wanted to give everything in my last race. This year I struggled with my training, I could not go to the US. Next year, I will train my speed and I will be amazing.”

Josette Norris who ran the 5000m in the US Olympic Trials where she placed eighth, continued her great post Olympic form by easily being the best of the rest with a third place 4:00.41. Katie Snowden was ninth in 4:06.48.

The women’s 100m hurdles provided another track highlight with three of the top four setting PBs.
Nigerian Tobi Amusan won in an African record 12.42 (0.4) and the Olympic fourth-placer beat the fifth-placer Nadine Visser’s Dutch record 12.51. Megan Tapper was third in 12.55 ahead of Payton Chadwick’s PB 12.62 with Britain’s Cindy Sember a solid fifth in 12.71.

Amusan said: “I was like if I did not get a medal in Tokyo, the least I can do is to get a Diamond League Trophy – and I just did that!”

The women’s 400m started the track final programme and it featured an exciting four-way race for the title. It seems the reward of a guaranteed World Championships place gave American champion Quanera Hayes the added stimulus of winning and her 49.88 – close to her 49.78 season’s best gave the Olympic seventh-placer a narrow win over Toyko silver medallist Marileidy Paulino’s 49.96 with Sada Williams third in 50.24 just edging Stephenie McPherson’s 50.25.

The women’s steeplechase was also competitive with six athletes together at the bell. The first kilometre was run in 3:00.23 though the pace dropped and Norah Jeruto was ahead at 2000m in a slow 6:08.10.

On the last lap Jeruto, who missed the Olympics, but maintained her unbeaten record with a very strong last lap to win by around eight metres in 9:07.33.

Hyvin Kiyeng, the Olympic bronze medallist, looked in contention until the final water jump but landed flat-footed and effectively lost her eventual final margin to Jeruto as she went deep in the water. She did well though over the final barrier to repel the challenge of Tokyo runner-up Courtney Frerichs – 9:08.55 to 9:08.74.

Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai, who of all the Tokyo winners can probably lay claim to the least accomplished pre and post Olympic record and her seventh in 9:20.16, equalled her Diamond League best of the year.

Femke Bol resumed battle with Shamier Little and again it was the Dutch woman who came out on top as she set a meeting record 52.80. Little looked menacing as she hit the straight level but Bol, keeping her form superbly, eased away to win by half a second from the American’s 53.35 with Anna Ryzhykova’s 53.70 beating her compatriot’s Viktoriya Tkachuk’s 53.76 PB.

Bol said: “Before the race I made a plan with my coach to get a good time and win with the meeting record and I got both. On the last 100m I was full of lactic acid, I had to push so hard. I wanted to win so badly, I heard the crowd cheer. It gave me so much energy.

“It is great to run such a time this late in the season. It is amazing – I won all the Diamond League meetings and I won here. My season is really a dream! Everything I could dream about came true this season.”

To read about day one of the Diamond League finals in Zurich, CLICK HERE