From the AW archive: beginning of the Diamond League

It’s 15 years since Asafa Powell led the way in which on the first ever Diamond League assembly

This month marks 15 years since “a brand new period in international athletics” was ushered in with the staging of the inaugural IAAF Diamond League Assembly in Qatar.

The venture, which changed the six-meeting Golden League, didn’t obtain a lot fanfare in AW on the time, with a comparatively small article previewing the motion. There was a lot to give attention to on British shores on the time, nonetheless, on condition that lots of the world’s greatest names had been about to descend on Manchester for the now a lot missed CityGames.

When it got here to that first Diamond League, staged on Might 14, it was Asafa Powell who created the headlines. As Steven Mills reported within the following subject of AW, the Jamaican “boldly predicted he can problem Usain Bolt’s world 100m document of 9.58”, having powered to victory within the Qatari capital.

Having eased by his warmth in a wind-assisted 9.75 (2.6), even a gradual begin within the ultimate couldn’t cease Powell as he got here by within the closing 30m to win in one other wind-aided mark of 9.81 (+2.3).

“The gun was too fast for me within the ultimate,” he mentioned, explaining that poor begin. “However it’s a excellent time for the primary race of the season.”

One other star identify to prevail was Allyson Felix, who beat a world-class subject that included then Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu, within the girls’s 400m.

“Eliud Kipchoge’s world-leading run within the 5000m was arguably essentially the most spectacular distance efficiency,” wrote Mills. “Seemingly untroubled by the 31C temperature and bold pacemaking within the opening levels, the previous world 5000m champion outsprinted fellow Kenyan Vincent Chepkok within the ultimate 120m to say victory in 12:51.21.”

On the observe, there have been additionally wins for then world junior champion David Rudisha (males’s 800m), Olympic champion Nancy Langat (girls’s 1500m), world and Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi (males’s 3000m steeplechase), Kerron Stewart (girls’s 200m), Lolo Jones (100m hurdles), and Bershawn Jackson (400m hurdles).

In an echo of the present local weather, there was some consternation across the staging of subject occasions, nonetheless. The shot put was received by world champion in Christian Cantwell with 21.82m however he was not overly happy with the four-series format.

He mentioned: “It’s good to win the primary one and get a world lead, however I want we had six throws as a result of I had extra within the tank.”

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