[ad_1]
Issued on: Modified:
Doha (AFP)
Swede Armand Duplantis maintained his incredible form to turn world champion Sam Hendricks around for his 16th consecutive victory in the men’s pole vault at Friday’s Diamond League match in Doha.
American Hendricks was the last person to beat the Swede, at Doha’s Khalifa Stadium at last year’s world championships.
But a couple of kilometers away, at the more intimate Qatari Sports Club, Duplantis took the victory with a best vault of 5.82 meters, a far cry from the 6.15m outdoor world record set in Rome by the last week.
Duplantis missed once at 5.92 and also at 6.00m before finishing it.
“It’s been a fantastic season and I enjoyed sharing the moment with the guys tonight,” said Duplantis.
“I enjoyed the jump and the rivalry with Sam. It’s been fun with him as we’ve always paid back.”
Echoing the views of many athletes, Duplantis added: “It’s been a roller coaster year, more or less. I broke the indoor world record earlier in the year and was enjoying the season, but suddenly the pandemic came and everything. it was closed and no one knew what would happen next.
“It’s great (to be) back and I hope things keep getting better.”
Hendricks was second in countdown and France’s Renaud Lavillenie third in hot, humid conditions with a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius (90F).
On the track, Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica followed her 10.85 seconds in Rome with an easy victory in the 100 meters in 10.87 seconds, while Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou was a distant second in 11.21 seconds .
“I’m happy to win, but my biggest goal is to finish the year healthy,” Thompson-Herah said.
“The preparations for the Olympics are next on my agenda and they start in earnest.”
– ‘Disturbing’ year –
Kenya’s 1500m Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon set a world-leading time of 1: 57.61 by winning the women’s 800m, an event won by South African Caster Semenya in the last three meetings in the Qatari capital.
“I’m happy to win here in Doha considering this is my second 800-meter race after about three years off,” Kipyegon said, adding that she was eager to turn the page on the coronavirus pandemic.
“The year has been disturbing for everyone and I am glad that it is coming to an end. We cannot wait long enough for 2021 to come.”
There was not so much luck for Kipyegon’s compatriot Timothy Cheruiyot, the 1500m world champion who was fighting when he, too, retired to run the men’s 800m.
Two-lap specialist Ferguson Rotich won in 1: 44.16, 0.40 seconds ahead of Britain’s Elliot Giles, and Cheruiyot finally finished in eighth, far off the pace.
Another Kenyan who had chosen to change her normal distance had been successful: two-time 5,000m world champion Hellen Obiri won a high-quality 3,000m in 8: 22.54, and seven female runners set personal records.
“The season has not been the best for everyone, but I am happy that it is coming to an end. We are all focusing on next year, an Olympic year,” Obiri said.
Stewart McSweyn, who is in good shape, improved his own Australian record to a new personal best in the men’s 1,500 meters, rushing to victory in an impressive 3: 30.51.
“I wasn’t in the best shape going into this race, but winning tonight is something that I love,” McSweyn said.
“I just wanted to race again considering how this season has been. It was a very competitive race but I executed my plan quite well and kept up the pace.”
© 2020 AFP
