The athletics season is in full flight with the Rio Olympics just two months away. The fourth Diamond League event took place in Eugene, USA over the weekend and produced a guideline to the early season form of some of the world’s top athletes.
American, Justin Gatlin took the headlines in the marquee event, which saw him run a world leading time of 9.88 seconds ahead of long time rival, Asafa Powell and compatriot Tyson Gay, who finished second and third respectively.
But it was another team mate in Kendra Harrison who earned the performance of the day running the second fastest time ever in the women’s 100m hurdles, clocking 12.24 seconds. The current record was set by Bulgarian, Yordanka Donkova in 1988, and stands at 12.21 seconds demonstrating the level of performance produced by the American.
Torrie Bowers clocked yet another world leading time of 21.99 seconds in the women’s 200m finishing ahead of Dutch powerhouse, Dafne Schippers who is widely tipped for sprint gold in Brazil.
Other notable performances included a win for Britain’s Mo Farah, who beat a decent field in the 10,000m race. Farah who will defend his 5,000m and 10,000m crown in Rio was in fine form as he ran his 3rd fastest time over the distance, recording a time of 26 minutes 53 seconds and 3 seconds ahead of the rest of the field.
Elsewhere British medal hopeful Katarina Johnson-Thompson booked her place in Rio acheiving the qualifying score of 6304 along the way to a 6th place finish in the heptathlon in Austria.
The next Diamond League stop will be held in Rome on June 2nd, and will include more of the sports big names. It is unlikely when the main man, Usain Bolt will appear but knowing him, it will be just in time for him to take the spot light on the big stage.