The 2022 Doha Wanda Diamond League took place on Friday, May 13, 2022, in Doha, Qatar. The Doha Wanda Diamond League is the first in a series of thirteen meets that will culminates with the two-day Diamond League Final scheduled for September 7 and 8. Several world beaters participated in thirteen events/disciplines at the competition, including Gabrielle Thomas (USA), Noah Lyles (USA), Kendra Harrison (USA) and Anderson Peters (Grenada). All posted impressive victories.
Women’s 200m
The women's 200m, one of the marque events of the Meet, featured American Gabrielle Thomas matching strides with Jamaica's Shericka Jackson and the UK's Dina Asher-Smith. The race was extremely competitive, but it was Thomas who prevailed in a nippy 21.98 to defeat Jackson in the closing stages of the race. Jackson posted 22.07 for second while Asher-Smith stopped the clock in 22.37. The twenty-five-year-old Thomas, who has a lifetime best 21.61 in the 200m that she set back in Eugene in June 2021, is hoping to improve on her third-place finish in the 200m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games at the upcoming World Championship this summer.
Men's 200m
The men's 200m did not disappoint. The American Noah Lyles won in a wind-aided 19.72 (+2.1 mps), to get the better of his compatriot Fred Kerley, who stopped the clock in 19.75. Jereem (“The Dream”) Richards of Trinidad and Tobago was third in 20.15. The twenty-four-year-old Lyles boasts a personal best 19.50 in the 200m, which he established in July 2019. Lyles’s Doha performance also indicates that he is ready to challenge the super-talented teenager Erriyon Knighton, who has a world leading time of 19.49 (+1.4mps).
100m Hurdles Women
The women's 100m Hurdles was a super race and lived up to expectations. It was really a blanket finish for the top three. American Kendra Harrison won the event in 12.43, to marginally get the better of Nigerian Tobi Amusan and Jamaican Britany Anderson, respectively, both of whom stopped the clock in 12.44. Harrison, who set the world record of 12.20 seconds in the 100m hurdles back in 2016, is also hoping to improve on her second-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Despite her world record accomplishment, injury and missteps have prevented Harrison from achieving individual Olympic and World Championship gold in the 100m hurdles.
Javelin Throw Men
Grenada’s Anderson Peters won the men's javelin with a world leading throw of 93.07m while Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic was second with a throw of 90.88m; Julian Webber of Germany was third with a throw of 86.09m. The Doha venue is indeed special to Peters; he won the 2019 World Championship gold medal at the same venue. By virtue of his 93.07m performance, Peters, the former Carifta Javelin champion, has given notice to his fellow competitors that he is indeed ready to defend his Javelin title in Eugene later this summer.
400m Women
The biggest upset of the Meet came in the women’s 400m in which the 400m Olympic silver medalist Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic ran 51.20 to defeat the reigning 400m Olympic Champion, Shaunae Miller-Uibo (51.84) of the Bahamas who finished in third. Stephenie Ann McPherson of Jamaica finished strong to claim the second position, stopping the clock at 51.69 seconds. The times were not particularly fast, but Paulino who is the national record holder in the event (49.20) has now claimed her third win on the Diamond League circuit.
Triple Jump Women
Jamaica's Shanieka Ricketts finished with top honors in the women's triple jump, winning with a leap of 14.82m. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk of Ukraine finished second with a leap of 14.73m while Thea Lafond of Dominica was third in 14.46m.
3000m Women
The Burundian, Francine Niyonsaba, won the women's 3000m race in 8:37.70 to repel the challenge of Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, who stopped the clock in 8:38.05 for second and Jessica Hull of Australia who finished third in 8:40.97.
1500m Men
The men's 1500m produced a Kenyan quinella in Abel Kipsang and Timothy Cheruiyot, who stopped the clock in 3:35.70 and 3:36.16, respectively. Ethiopian, Teddese Lemi, was third in 3:37.06.
3000m Steeplechase Men
Soulfiane El Bakkali won the 3000m Steeplechase in 8:09.66 to deny the Ethiopian, Lamecha Girman (8:09.67) by the slimmest of margin. Kenyan, Abraham Kibiwot, was third in 8:16:40.
800m Men
Noah Kibet of Kenya won the men's 800m race in 1:49.08, while Peter Boi of Australia and Marco Arop of Canada were second and third in 1:49.35 and 1:49.51, respectively.
High Jump Men
South Korea's Woo Sanghyeck won the Men's High Jump in a clearance height of 2.33m to finish ahead of second place rival Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar (2.30m) and Django Lovett of Canada (2.27m).
400m Hurdles Men
Alison Dos Santos of Brazil posted a time of 47.24 to win the men's 400m Hurdles race and in the process defeated American Rai Benjamin and Irishman Thomas Barr; both of whom stopped the clock in 47.49 and 49.67, respectively.
Shot Put Women
It was a clean sweep for the Americans in the women's shot put. Chase Ealey won the event with a decent throw of 19.51m while Maggie Ewen was second with a throw of 19.32m. Jessica Ransey was third with a throw of 18.99m.
Henley Taylor.
Freelance Sportswriter
Edited by Raymond Byfield
Gabby Thomas photo courtesy of www.sourceathletics.com
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