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≡ RABAT DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡
Another quality Diamond League Meeting Int’l Mohammed VI in Rabat (MAR), with an exceptionally brilliant performance by Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, among four world-leading performances:
● Men/800 m: 1:42.70, Tshepiso Masalela (BOT)
● Men/Steeple: 8:00.70, Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:58.04, Nelly Chepchirchir (KEN)
● Women/3,000 m: 8:11.56, Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
Chebet’s performance, although not a surprise from the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 m gold medalist, was the most impressive. She simply took off and soloed to a brilliant 8:11.56, not just the world leader, but the no. 2 performance in history, behind only the doping-questionable (very questionable) 8:06.11 by China’s Junxia Wang from 1993.
How brilliant was Chebet? Beyond Wang and two other Chinese in the same national meet in 1993, no one had ever run faster than Dutch star Sifan Hassan’s 8:18.49 in 2019. Amazing and stunning; Chebet said afterwards:
“I am so so happy. I was not preparing a world record attempt. I just came to run my personal best and that´s what I did. I just have to believe in myself and then maybe after some months or years, that world record will come. It is just a matter of time and I don´t want to rush things.
“After a few laps I realized I was on my own, but I kept pushing myself to show everyone what I can do. I really like this distance. It´s nothing like a 5,000 or 10,000 m, it´s something completely different and I am also good at it.”
Italy’s Nadia Battocletti was a distant second in 8:26.27, a national record.
The men’s Steeple is usually the final event in Rabat, a salute to Morocco’s two-time Olympic champion El Bakkali, and he delivered. After a close second in the Xiamen Diamond League, El Bakkali took no chances and stayed at or near the front, running away late to a convincing and world-leading win in 8:00.70. Chasing were Frederik Ruppert (GER: 8:01.49 national record) and Edmund Serem (KEN: 8:07.47 lifetime best) in second and third. American Matthew Wilkinson was seventh in a lifetime best of 8:11.11.
Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela, the Olympic seventh-placer in Paris, is on a tear, winning the Doha Diamond League in a world-leading 1:43.11 and roaring away from the field in the final straight to win in another world lead of 1:42.70. Britain’s Max Burgin was a distant second in 1:43.34, followed by Olympic winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN: 1:43.37), ahead of Brandon Miller of the U.S., who got a lifetime best of 1:43.52.
Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir, fifth at the 2023 Worlds, had the lead with 300 m to go in the women’s 1,500 and held on to win in a world-leading 3:58.04, with Worknesh Mesele (ETH: 3:58.44) and Dorcus Ewoi (KEN: 3:59.25) in pursuit. Mesele is now third on the year list, with Ewoi getting a lifetime best and now no. 5 in 2025.
The U.S. scored five impressive wins, and saw a new star emerge in the men’s 1,500 m:
Courtney Lindsey, an underrated U.S. Paris relay Olympian, won the men’s 200 m from the start in 20.04 (wind +0.4 m/s), cleanly ahead of Liberia’s fast-closing Joseph Fahnbulleh (20.12) and U.S. 2022 World 100 m champ Fred Kerley (20.16). Fellow American Robert Gregory was fourth (20.26) and Kyree King was sixth (20.28).
Men’s 400 m world leader Jacory Patterson of the U.S. flew down the home straight to pass Zakithi Nene (BOT), 44.37 to 44.46, for the win, his third in a row outdoors, after winning the World Indoor bronze. Olympic champ Quincy Hall was third in 44.90 in his second race of the year; Johnnie Blockburger of the U.S. was sixth in 45.55.
American Jonah Koech, better known as an 800 m runner and fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2024, poured on the speed on the home straight of the men’s 1,500 m and improved his lifetime best from 3:37.27 in 2024 to 3:31.43 to win over Reynold Cheruiyot (KEN: 3:31.78) and Festus Lagat (KEN: 3:32.06, lifetime best). Fellow American Vincent Ciattei finished fifth at 3:32.94. Wow!
The men’s shot saw Olympic fourth-placer Payton Otterdahl of the U.S. take the lead right way with a seasonal best of 21.83 m (71-7 1/2), quickly pursued by two-time World Champion Joe Kovacs at 21.52 m (70-7 1/4) and Tripp Piperi at 21.47 m (70-5 1/4). But Olympic bronzer Rajinda Campbell (JAM) exploded in round five to take the lead at 21.95 m (72-0 1/4), only to be passed by Otterdahl’s 21.97 m (72-1) response in the sixth round to win! Kovacs and Piperi did not improve and ended up 3-4. Roger Steen of the U.S. finished ninth at 20.83 m (68-4 1/4).
Seven were jumping at 4.63 m (15-2 1/4) in the women’s vault, with World Indoor runner-up Tina Sutej (SLO) the first to clear, and Americans Katie Moon (Tokyo Olympic co-champ) and Gabriela Leon finally joined her. At 4.73 m (15-6 1/4), Moon was the only one to clear, on her third attempt for the win, with Sutej second and Leon third. Moon tried 4.80 m (15-9) but could not clear; Emily Grove of the U.S. was seventh at 4.50 m (14-9).
Lots of excitement elsewhere:
South Africa’s Akani Simbine, the world men’s 100 m leader, won his fifth outdoor meet in 2025 without a loss, moving away in the second half to win in 9.95 (wind +0.6 m/s) to easily dust Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN: 10.05) and Kerley (10.05), who came on late to get third. Fellow American Brandon Hicklin was fifth (10.11) and King was eighth (10.28). Olympic 200 m champ Letsile Tebogo (BOT) was ninth and last at 10.43 and skipped the 200 m.
Only four could clear 2.25 m (7-4 1/2) in the men’s high jump, and none cleared 2.28 m (7-5 3/4), so Olympic champ Hamish Kerr (NZL) took the win with no misses on the earlier heights. Italy’s Marco Fassinotti and Yual Heath (AUS) tied for second and JuVaughn Harrison of the U.S. was fourth. Olympic silver winner Shelby McEwen of the U.S. finished fifth at 2.21 m (7-3) and Vernon Turner was 11th at 2.16 m (7-1).
Still not in top form, two-time World 200 m champ Shericka Jackson (JAM) won an encouraging women’s 100 m after a poor start in 11.04 (+0.3), ahead of Maia McCoy (LBR: 11.08) and Americans Jacious Sears (11.11) and Celera Barnes (11.16). Fellow U.S. entries Cambrea Sturgis was sixth (11.27) and Deajah Stevens was eighth (11.31).
Ethiopia’s world lead in the women’s 800 m, Tsige Duguma, confirmed her status with a 1:57.42 win, a time no one else has run this year. She won a hard final dash to the line over Prudence Sekgodiso (RSA: 1:57.52), American Addy Wiley (1:57.55) and France’s Anais Bourgoin (1:57.81).
World-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) got back into the world picture by winning the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.45 (+1.2), well ahead of Dutch star Nadine Visser (12.67). American Destiny Huven was seventh (12.93); Amusan moved to no. 6 on the 2025 world list.
There was great interest in the seasonal debut of Dutch star Femke Bol in the women’s 400 m hurdles and she was a decisive winner in 52.46, moving to no. 2 on the world list for 2025. Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight was second in 53.90; American Cassandra Tate was eighth in 56.06.
Greece’s Elina Tzengko, the 2022 European javelin champ, won her third Diamond League meet of the season at 64.60 m (211-11) in the third round, well ahead of Adriana Vilagos (SRB: 63.25 m/207-6) and Anete Sietina (LAT: 60.19 m/197-5).
The Diamond League circuit heads next to Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on 6 June for the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea.
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