Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce rockets to victory in Doha Diamond League

Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce returned to winning ways in the Doha Diamond League athletics meet on Friday (28 May).

After her fourth place behind Dina Asher-Smith in the wind and rain of Gateshead last Sunday, Jamaica's double Olympic gold medallist found conditions more to her liking in the stadium where she claimed her fourth 100m world title in 2019.

She fairly blasted out of the blocks and stayed clear of her rivals to cross the line in a season's best 10.84s, six-hundredths ahead of Nigeria's Blessing Okagbare.

USA's Javianne Oliver was third from Marie-Josee Ta Lou of Cote d'Ivoire.

Fraser-Pryce told reporters afterwards, "I'm happy that I put together a good race and, of course, I'm happy that I won because it's far away from the fourth place last time.

Michael Norman finished strongly to clock a world lead in the 400m.

The American won in 44.27s with Colombia's world silver medallist Anthony Zambrano edging out Fred Kerley and Grenada's London 2012 gold medallist Kirani James for second.

Despite taking off nearly 30cm behind the board in the jump-off, world champion Yulimar Rojas was a comfortable winner of the triple jump.

The world champion set a meeting record of 15.15m in the opening round which saw her through to the sixth and final jump with Jamaican's Shanieka Ricketts and Kimberley Williams.

Williams managed 14.45m before Ricketts overstepped, and then Rojas - while erring on the side of caution - still went out to a distance of 15.11m.

Reigning Olympic champion Caterine Ibarguen was eighth with 13.86m.

Rojas said afterwards, "I'm satisfied and happy with the results, and the hard work. We are on the right path... I feel good physically and I'm happy to leave a footprint here in Doha.

"When it's time for Tokyo, I'll be prepared and I'll try to win the gold medal."

There was a welcome return to form for Andre de Grasse in the 200m as he was just beaten by Kenny Bednarek.

Gateshead victor Bednarek clocked 19.88s to de Grasse's 19.89s with Aaron Brown third in 20.25s as all three recording season's bests.

Justin Gatlin was fifth with Turkey's former world champion Ramil Guliyev down in eighth.

De Grasse told reporters afterwards, "I feel good. It was a good step for me. I'm happy to be back here. I'll try to do better in the next one and I'm happy to go to Tokyo."

Reigning Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon showed her versatility as she cruised to victory over 800m.

With Caster Semenya unable to go for a hat-trick of golds in Tokyo, the Kenyan is a genuine contender for the two-lap crown and kicked clear with 200m to go to win in a season's best 1:58.26.

Natoya Goule of Jamaica came in a distant second from Morocco's Rababe Arafi.

Rai Benjamin showed off his medal credentials in the 400m hurdles with victory in a meeting record 47.38s.

Brazil's Alison Dos Santos was second in a South American record 47.57s from Kyron McMaster with home favourite Abderrahaman Samba fourth.

Two-time high jump world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim was unable to provide a home victory.

The Qatari did equal his season's best of 2.30m, but had to settle for second behind Russian neutral athlete Ilya Ivanyuk whose 2.33m was four centimetres shy of his personal best set earlier this month.

Katie Nageotte took a surprise win in the pole vault, beating fellow American Sandi Morris on countback after both women failed with three attempts at 4.90m.

Nageotte cleared 4.84m - the best height in the world this year - at the first time of asking to take victory with Morris needing two tries.

Britain's Holly Bradshaw was third with 4.74m, the same height as Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi in fourth, with reigning world champion Anzhelika Sidorova only seventh.

World champion Yaime Perez won the discus despite only having the second-best throw of the competition.

American thrower Valarie Allman led after five rounds with 65.57m, but only managed 58.58m in the decider with Cuban Perez posting 61.35m.

Double Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic qualified for the final throw in third place, but then fell forward out of the circle as the discus soared out to well beyond 65m.

Despite that, the Croatian was pleased just to be competing, telling reporters she felt "blessed" not to have contracted Covid.

Perkovic said, "I'm happy to be here, and I was happy to see other girls competing at a high level. I won gold in London and Rio and I expect good results in Tokyo, I'm expecting more in Tokyo which is my next focus."

Armin Sinancevic had a hard-luck story of his own in the men's shot put.

The Serb equalled his own national record of 21.88m to reach the 'Final 3' and then sent the shot out beyond 22m.

But he stepped on the bar at the top of the throwing circle and was red-flagged with New Zealand's Rio bronze medallist Tomas Walsh's mark of 21.63m enough for victory ahead of Croatia's Filip Mihaljevic.

Timothy Cheruiyot showed why he is the man to beat at 1500m in Tokyo with yet another smooth success.

On the track where he suffered his last defeat at the distance two years ago, the Kenyan took the lead with 250m to go, and sprinted clear off the home turn to clock a world-lead time of 3:30.48.

Australia's Stewart McSweyn was second from Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco.

Wycliffe Kinyamal was another Kenyan to clock a world-lead time, sprinting home powerfully to take the 800m in 1:43.91.

The reigning Commonwealth Games champion was clear of world bronze medallist Ferguson Rotich with Britain's Daniel Rowden third.

Norah Jeruto won a dramatic women's 3000m steeplechase when fellow Kenyan Hyvin Kiyeng stumbled and fell on landing in the final water jump.

Jeruto clocked a world lead 9:00.67 ahead of Mekides Abebe's Ethiopian record 9:02.52 with Bahrain's Winfred Yavi third.

Kiyeng recovered to take fourth ahead of 2017 world champion Emma Coburn.

World 5000m champion Hellen Obiri was only fourth in the women's 3000m with three Kenyans finishing in front of her.

Obiri was in trouble before the home turn as Beatrice Chebet came to her shoulder, and the 21-year-old - a former world U-20 cross country champion - sprinted clear to win in 8:27.49, the fastest time in the world this year.