RABAT (Reuters) -Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek started the defence of his 200 metres Diamond League title with a snug win in Rabat on Sunday whereas Elaine Thompson-Herah continued her preparation for a primary particular person world title with one other 100m victory.
American Bednarek, who made a disappointing begin to his season by ending eighth in the 100m race in Eugene, Oregon final week, confirmed no indicators of rust in his most popular occasion by crossing the road in 20.21 seconds.
Assisted by the wind, the 23-year-old completed 0.14 forward of South African Luxolo Adams whereas Italian Eseosa Fostine Desalu was third with a time of 20.54.
“I’m pleased with immediately’s victory and my season greatest although I wished to do a greater efficiency and obtain a better timing,” Bednarek stated.
“Now, I’ll return residence and practice tougher to put together for the world championships.”
Olympic champion Thompson-Herah overcame a shoulder damage and Achilles points to win the ladies’s 100m occasion in final week’s dry run for July’s world championships in the United States and the Jamaican regarded unstoppable once more.
She exploded out of the blocks at Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium — which was internet hosting the Diamond League for the primary time since 2019 — and sealed the victory in 10.83 seconds, bettering on her personal assembly document of 10.87 set in 2017.
“I really feel superb in regards to the race,” stated the 29-year-old, who’s hoping to add a person world championships title to her assortment of 5 Olympic gold medals.
“This is my third time in Rabat and I’m tremendous excited in regards to the new assembly document. For the following occasion in Rome I’m following the identical course of and maintaining the identical tempo.”
Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou was second after clocking 11.04 and Thompson-Herah’s compatriot Natasha Morrison took the bronze medal with a time of 11.22.
Norway’s Olympic 400m hurdles champion Karsten Warholm made a disastrous begin to his season by sustaining a proper hamstring damage after leaping one barrier, paving the way in which for American Khallifah Rosser to take the win in 48.25.
“I believe it is a tear,” Warholm stated. “I’ll deal with treating it and are available again stronger.”
Earlier, Ukraine’s world indoor champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh bagged her second Diamond League excessive soar victory of the season with an effort of 1.96m.
The Tokyo Games bronze medallist edged out compatriot Iryna Gerashchenko, who managed 1.93m.
Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou received the lads’s lengthy soar with an outstanding effort of 8.27m.
Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali sealed his first Diamond League 3,000m steeplechase victory at residence in 5 years, the Olympic champion ending with a world main time of seven:58.28.
The Diamond League motion will shift to Italy on Thursday for the fifth assembly of the season in Rome, though Olympic dash champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs won’t function on residence soil having pulled out due to a muscle damage.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
