No less than eight world best performances of the year were established this Saturday in Eugene (Oregon, United States), where the Diamond League was staged. But not in the queen events of the 100 meters, the fault of a slightly wet track.
The men’s line-up was nevertheless enticing, despite the withdrawal of Italian Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs. An absence which benefited Trayvon Bromell, who justified his invitation by winning in 9.93 seconds. “I’m happy to have won, but I felt like I screwed up on a lot of technical points,” commented Bromell, who nevertheless set his best time of the year. He finished ahead of his compatriots Fred Kerley (9.98), silver medalist in Tokyo, and reigning world champion Christian Coleman (10.04). Silver medalist in Tokyo, the Canadian Andre de Grasse missed out on the meeting by finishing 9th (10.21).
On the women’s side, double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah won in 10.79, her best time this season. “It shows that I am on the right track. I’m where I need to be,” she commented, also happy “to no longer have a sore shoulder.” Sha’Carri Richardson, also in search of her optimal form, reassured herself with a second place in 10.92, by far her reference time this year.
The 22-year-old sprinter caused a sensation last year at the American Olympic trials, running in 10.64 (with the help of the wind) in the semi-finals before winning the final. But she had been deprived of the Tokyo Games for smoking cannabis.
Among the “MPMs”, is that of Michael Norman, winner of the 400m in 43 sec 60. The American, who had not run so fast since 2019, achieved his second best personal time, fifteen hundredths of his 4th best performance of all time (43.45).
In the absence of Rai Benjamin, the Brazilian Alison dos Santos, bronze medalist in Tokyo won the 400m hurdles in 47 sec 23, improving by a hundredth of a second his MPM achieved in Doha two weeks ago.
The Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi also set the best time of the season over 5,000 meters in 12 min 50 sec 05, Ryan Crouser, double Olympic champion in title and world record holder in the shot put, managed a reference throw at 23 .02m;
In women, “MPM” also for Britain’s Kelly Hodgkinson over 800m (1:57.72), Kenyan Faith Kipyegon over 1,500m (3:52.59) and Kenyan Norah Jeruto over 3,000m steeplechase (8:57.98). Finally, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, eight-time Olympic medalist, won quietly over 200m (22.41), as did Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, reigning Olympic champion, over 100m hurdles (12.45).
