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2016 IAAF Diamond League: Monaco

Caster Semenya Runs 1:55 World Lead at Monaco Diamond League

Caster Semenya Runs 1:55 World Lead at Monaco Diamond League

Led by a blazing-fast 800m world lead from Caster Semenya, the Herculis Monaco Diamond League meeting lived up to its reputation of fast performances. Catch

Jul 15, 2016 by Taylor Dutch
Caster Semenya Runs 1:55 World Lead at Monaco Diamond League
Led by a blazing-fast 800m world lead from Caster Semenya, the Herculis Monaco Diamond League meeting lived up to its reputation of fast performances. Catch up on the notable highlights from Friday's Diamond League meeting in France below. 


Caster Semenya Blasts 1:55.33 800m World Lead
The South African middle distance star blew past the women's 800m field in a new personal best of 1:55.33. After her victory in Monaco, Semenya's coach told FloTrack she will attempt a 400m/800m double at the Olympic Games in Rio. Semenya posted a new 400m personal best of 50.74 to win the South African championships in April. 

Friday's field, which included world indoor champion Francine Niyonsaba, world indoor bronze medalist Margaret Wambui, and 2013 world champion Eunice Sum couldn't bring themselves to challenge Semenya in the final moments of the race. The Olympic silver medalist established a sizable lead heading into the final 100 meters, which extended further by the finish line. 


Semenya's winning time of 1:55.33 stands as a new meet record, a South African national record, and a world lead by nearly a full second. The performance beats her previous personal best of 1:55.45, which she set to win the 2009 World Championships in Berlin at 19 years old. 

American Molly Ludlow took advantage of the fast pace by finishing with a new personal best of 1:57.68. The performance was a bit of redemption after Ludlow finished fourth in the Olympic Trials 800m final last week.




Ronald Kwemoi Upsets Asbel Kiprop, Taoufik Makloufi, and Mo Farah
The perennially fast Monaco men's 1500m saw a surprise victor emerge in Ronald Kwemoi, who stole the show when he out-kicked the lead pack of Olympic champions Asbel Kiprop, Taoufik Makloufi, and Mo Farah. 


The pace was set for a standout performance from the gun as the pace-setter took the field out in 53 seconds for 400m and 1:49 for 800m. All the while, three-time world champion Kiprop stalked close behind. 

Olympic bronze medalist Abdelaati Iguider followed Kiprop's heels and eventually made his move past the Kenyan just before 400 meters to go. The pack followed, and formed a wide finish with 10 men battling for the win in the final 100 meters. 

After leading the majority of the race, Kiprop faded to sixth in 3:32.03, and made way for Kwemoi to emerge with a 3:30.49 victory. Kwemoi, 20, earned a bronze medal at the 2014 African Championships and previously set a personal best of 3:28 at the 2014 Monaco race. 

Kwemoi broke away from Elijah Motonei Manangoi (3:31.19), Makloufi (3:31.35), Iguider (3:31.35), and Olympic 10K/5K champion Farah (3:31.74). 

Farah's performance is his first 1500m of the 2016 season and is four seconds slower than his 2015 Monaco performance, where he ran 3:28.93. 


Dafne Schippers Clocks 10.94 Into Headwind
The heptathlete-turned world champion sprinter clocked a dominant 10.94 100m victory over two-time Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (11.12). 

Americans Morolake Akinosun and Tianna Bartoletta finished fourth and fifth, respectively, just a few days after competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Akinosun finished fourth in the 100m, and Bartoletta finished second in the long jump and second in the 100m at the Trials. 


Wayde Van Nierkerk Dominates the Field on His Birthday
Defending world champion Wayde Van Niekerk beat the Diamond League competition on his 24th birthday by outlasting Machel Cedenio in the final 100m with a winning time of 44.12. Cedenio followed in 44.34 and was followed by Bralon Taplin for third in 44.38. 

Van Niekerk's performance in Monaco gave him a total of 20 points in the Diamond League rankings, which ties him with U.S. Olympic Trials champion and world leader LaShawn Merritt. 




Hellen Obiri Runs Away From Mercy Cherono
2012 world indoor champion Hellen Obiri threw down in the final portion of the women's 3000m race with a dominant kick over world silver medalist Mercy Cherono. 

Obiri finished with a winning time of 8:24.27, followed by Cherono in 8:27.25. 

After a sixth-place result in the Olympic Trials 5K, Brooks Beasts' Katie Mackey finished with a personal best of 8:46.58. 

Former Arkansas NCAA champion-turned adidas pro Dominique Scott also posted a personal best with an eighth-place finish in 8:46.65.


Conseslus Kipruto Out-Kicks Paul Koech, Andy Bayer Runs Post-Trials PR
The top three finishers engaged in a national battle as Kenyan steeplechase standouts Conseslus Kipruto, Paul Koech and Barnabas Kipyego went 1-2-3 in 8:08.11, 8:08.32 and 8:09.13, respectively. Kipruto, who currently owns the world lead of 8:00.12 from the Birmingham meeting, continued his Diamond League winning streak after finishing second at the Kenyan Olympic Trials in Eldoret two weeks ago.

Bowerman Track Club's Andy Bayer took advantage of the fast pace by finishing sixth in a new personal best of 8:17. Bayer's performance follows a disappointing Olympic Trials race, where he finished fourth and barely missed making the Olympic team headed to Rio.




Valerie Adams Posts Best Throw of 2016
Two-time Olympic champion Valerie Adams emerged with a massive shot put throw of 20.05 to claim the victory over Chrisina Schwanitz (19.81) and Michelle Carter (19.58). 

After making a slow and steady comeback last year following injury, Adams is continuing her winning streak as the Diamond League leader with three DL victories so far this season.