Barshim, Drouin and Grabarz for Doha high jump - global update
Mutaz Essa Barshim and Abdalelah Haroun will be competing on home soil at the first leg of the IAAF Diamond League series in Doha on May 6.
Barshim will face the likes of world champion Derek Drouin, world silver medallist Zhang Guowei, Olympic medallists Erik Kynard and Robbie Grabarz and former world champion Donald Thomas in the high jump, while Haroun takes on former Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt, Isaac Makwala, Youssef Al-Masrahi and world junior champion Machel Cedenio in the 400m.
Kenyans Asbel Kiprop, Silas Kiplagat and Elijah Manangoi have been confirmed in the 1500m along with Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman and Ethiopia’s Aman Wote.
Asian indoor champion Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla starts among the favourites in the non-Diamond League 800m.
“I believe that all these early announcements show that we will not let down the athletics fans and that the meeting will be once more of a very high calibre with top athletes competing,” said Qatar Athletics Federation president Major General Dahlan Al Hamad.
The 45th Carifta Games ended with success for Jamaica with 86 medals. They were 42 gold, 28 silver and 16 bronze. Second was Bahamas (6-15-13) and third Barbados (6-6-8).
During the last day of competition in the under-20 category there were meeting records in the javelin by Candesha Scott of Grenada with 51.13m and Jamaican Warren Barrett in the shot put with 19.97m (6 kg).
Another meet record was not allowed because of the wind reading (+2.4), as Sada Williams of Barbados dominated the 200m in 22.72 and so won her second gold after her 400m victory. Another wind-aided mark was 13.36 (+2.8) in the 100m hurdles by Jamaican Rushelle Burton.
O'Brien Wasome finally won gold for Jamaica. He was the best in triple jump with 16.09m (-0.9) as the favourite Miguel Van Assen of Surinam did not had a valid jump. Akanni Hislop of Trinidad and Tobago was the 200m winner in 20.89 (+4.5).
In the under-18 category there were meet records by Barbados' Jonathon Jones in the 800m with 1:49.88 and Jamaican Philippe Barrett in the discus with 60.44m (1.5 kg). Jamaica's Damion Thomas topped the 110m hurdles in 13.32 (+3.7, 91.4) and Shaneil English the 200m in 23.65 (0.0).
A brilliant domestic field has been assembled for the 800m at the Drake Relays in Des Moines from April 27-30. The line-up includes recently-crowned world indoor 800m and 1500m champions Boris Berian and Matt Centrowitz, plus world indoor 800m bronze medalist Erik Sowinski and Olympic finalist and 2013 world silver medallist Nick Symmonds.
World half-marathon silver medallist Bedan Karoki has said he might retire from the track after the Rio Olympics, informs the IAAF.
“I think it will be my last ever track race as I’m looking forward to the marathon in the winter season,” he said.
An Ethiopian marathon runner has died and four others have serious injuries after their training group was hit by a truck whilst out running in Sululuta, north of Addis Ababa, on Saturday.
Since the accident, a 'YouCaring' page has been set up to help those currently in hospital. Yonas Mekonnon is the agent for the group, including Ashagre Girma who lost his life.
Former world discus record-holder Edmund Piatkowski passed away on Monday at the age of 80, informs PZLA.
Piatkowski won the European title in 1958 and set a world record of 59.91m in Warsaw the following year.
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