There was a buzz about this year’s Bislett Games, in front of a sold-out crowd at Oslo’s famed Bislett Stadium … and it was American teen Sydney McLaughlin whizzing down the final straightaway in the 400 m hurdles.
This was the much-anticipated showdown between the 19-year-old McLaughlin, the world leader from 2018, and Rio Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad, who had dominated the event this season and had the world lead at 53.61.
Muhammad looked great from the start, running away from the gun and well ahead by halfway. She had the lead after the 10th hurdle as well, but McLaughlin was closing like a rocket and ran Muhammad down in the final 5 m, winning in 54.16 to 54.35 for Muhammad.
Said McLaughlin afterwards, “I didn’t get out well, I hit the first hurdle with my knee but recovered well by fighting back. I’ve got to work on my first half of the race, the second half is always my strongest.
“It was a really great field and exciting to be a part of. It wasn’t the cleanest race for me but I came back strong and that shows me where I am fitness-wise. It was a sloppy race but I pulled through.”
Muhammad was disappointed. “It was not my day, I lost and did not run under 54 seconds. I was not surprised by Sydney, I felt her for the whole race. In my previous races I did not run well the first half of the race, today I tried, but it did not work like I wanted.”
A few minutes later, co-world 100 m leader Christian Coleman raced against a field he should beat easily … and did. He got out well, then accelerated away from the pack and won going away in a new world-leading time of 9.85, 0.01 faster than he and Noah Lyles ran in Shanghai.
“I’m pretty excited about it, it was a good run and a pretty good time,” said Coleman. “Now I’ll look back at the video and critique it. It wasn’t ideal conditions but the crowd made it exciting and I came out for the victory. I executed better than in the last race. I’m just focusing on myself and to peak at the right time.”
Those were only some of the highlights on a great day of track & field:
● Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski ran down the field in the final 80 m to take the Oslo “Deam Mile” in 3:52.34, a world-leading time. The U.S. finished 4-5 with Johnny Gregorek (3:52.94) and Clayton Murphy (3:52.97) both running well.
● Norway’s Karsten Warholm got the home crowd into a frenzy with a brilliant 47.33 national record victory in the 400 m hurdles, moving him to no. 2 on the world list for 2019.
● American Sam Kendricks was the only one to clear 5.91 m (19-4 3/4) in the pole vault, finishing ahead of Poland’s Piotr Lisek, American Cole Walsh and Swede Mondo Duplantis, all at 5.81 (19-0 3/4). For Walsh, that was a lifetime best!
● In the women’s Steeple, world-record holder Beatrice Chepkoech held the lead and looked like a winner until her shadow, fellow Kenyan Norah Jeruto exploded off the final hurdle and took an upset win, 9:03.71-9:04.30. American Emma Coburn ran well in her season debut in the event, finishing fourth in 9:08.42, the no. 10 performance in U.S. history.
● The women’s 100 m hurdles started badly when Rio Olympic champ Brianna McNeal was disqualified for a false start. Off the gun, Christina Clemons of the U.S. got stronger and stronger as the race progressed and won by 1.69-12.74 over fellow American Sharika Nelvis.
● American Keturah Orji was on her first European trip and it looked for a while that the 2016 Olympic fourth-placer was going to pull a big upset in Oslo. But Olympic gold medalist Caterine Ibarguen (COL) took the lead in the fifth round at 14.79 m (48-6 1/4), and Orji had to settle for a very good second at 14.53 m (47-8).
The meet had six world-leading marks:
● Men/100 m: 9.85, Christian Coleman (USA)
● Men/Mile: 3:52.34, Marcin Lewandowski (POL)
● Men/3000 m: 7:32.17, Selemon Barega (ETH)
● Women/3,000 m Steeple: 9:03.71, Norah Jeruto (KEN)
● Women/High Jump: 2.01 m (6-7), Mariya Lasitskene (RUS)
● Women/Triple Jump: 14.79 m (48-6 1/4), Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
The Diamond League continues this weekend, with the Meeting Mohammad VI in Rabat (MAR) on Sunday (16th). Summaries from Oslo:
IAAF Diamond League/Bislett Games
Oslo (NOR) ~ 13 June 2019
(Full results here)
Men
100 m (wind: +0.9 m/s): 1. Christian Coleman (USA), 9.85; 2. Zhenye Xie (CHN), 10.01; 3. Michael Rodgers (USA), 10.04.
800 m (non-Diamond League): 1. Ryan Sanchez (PUR), 1:46.34; 2. Cornelius Tuwei (KEN), 1:46.52; 3. Michal Rozmys (POL), 1:46.71.
Mile: 1. Marcin Lewandowski (POL), 3:52.34; 2. Vincent Kibet (KEN), 3:52.38; 3. Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI), 3:52.66. Also: 4. John Gregorek (USA), 3:52. 94; 5. Clayton Murphy (USA), 3:52.97.
3,000 m: 1. Selemon Barega (ETH), 7:32.17; 2. Joshua Cheptegei (UGA), 7:33.26; 3. Nicholas Kemeli (KEN), 7:34.85. Also: 7. Drew Hunter (USA), 7:39.85; 8. Ben True (USA), 7:40.49.
400 m hurdles: 1. Karsten Warholm (NOR), 47.33; 2. Thomas Barr (IRL), 49.11; 3. Kyron McMaster (IVB), 49.12. Also: 4. David Kendziera (USA), 49.27; … 7. T.J. Holmes (USA), 50.60.
Pole Vault: 1. Sam Kendricks (USA), 5.91 m (19-4 3/4); 2. Piotr Lisek (POL), 5.81 m (19-0 3/4); 3. Cole Walsh (USA), 5.81 m (19-0 3/4). Also: 4. Mondo Duplantis (SWE), 5.81 m (19-03/4).
Javelin: 1. Johannes Vetter (GER), 85.27 m (279-9); 2. Magnus Kirt (EST), 84.74 m (278-0); 3. Chao-Tsun Cheng (TPE), 84.30 m (276-7).
Women
200 m (-0.7 m/s): 1. Dafne Schippers (NED), 22.56; 2. Crystal Emanuel (CAN), 22.89; 3. Jenna Prandini (USA), 23.10. Also: 4. Gabby Thomas (USA), 23.11; … 6. Kyra Jefferson (USA), 23.23.
800 m (non-Diamond League): 1. Halimah Nakaayi (UGA), 2:01.93; 2. Selina Buchel (SUI), 2:02.32; 3. Diribe Welteji (ETH), 2:02.85.
3,000 m Steeple: 1. Norah Jeruto (KEN), 9:03.71; 2. Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN), 9:04.30; 3. Hyvin Kiyeng (KEN), 9:07.56;. Also: 4. Emma Coburn (USA), 9:08.42; … 13. Mel Lawrence (USA), 9:29.81.
100 m hurdles (+1.1): 1. Christina Clemons (USA), 12.69; 2. Sharika Nelvis (USA), 12.74; 3. Elvira Herman (BLR), 12.84.
400 m hurdles: 1. Sydney McLaughlin (USA), 54.16; 2. Dalilah Muhammad (USA), 54.35; 3. Shamier Little (USA), 54.92. Also: 4. Kori Carter (USA), 54.67.
High Jump: 1. Mariya Lasitskene (RUS), 2.01 m (6-7); 2. Erika Kinsey (SWE), 1.96 m (6-5); 3. Mirela Demireva (BUL), 1.94 m (6-4 1/4).
Triple Jump: 1. Caterine Ibarguen (COL), 14.79 m (48-6 1/4); 2. Keturah Orji (USA), 14.53 m (47-8); 3. Shanieka Ricketts (JAM), 14.41 m (47-3 1/2). Also: 9. Tori Franklin (USA), 13.68 m (44-10 3/4).
Shot Put: 1. Lijiao Gong (CHN), 19.51 m (64-0 1/4); 2. Chase Ealey (USA), 19.20 m (63-0); 3. Fanny Roos (SWE), 18.75 m (61-6 1/4); Also: 7. Jessica Ramsey (USA), 18.39 m (60-4); 8. Michelle Carter (USA), 18.28 m (59-11 3/4); … 10. Maggie Ewen (USA), 17.30 m (56-9 1/4).
Javelin (non-Diamond League): 1. Kathryn Mitchell (AUS), 56.07 m (183-11); 2. Ane Dahlen (NOR), 52.79 m (173-2); 3. Maria Jensen (NOR), 51.27 m (168-2).