It was a successful evening for several reigning world and Olympic champions across a range of disciplines.
World 800m champion Mary Moraa emerged victorious in the women’s 800m. The Kenyan held off a strong challenge from world indoor silver medallist Jemma Reekie to win in a season’s best of 1:57.91, finishing 0.51 ahead of the Briton. Benin’s Noelie Yarigo was third in 1:58.70.
Moraa’s compatriot Beatrice Chebet was similarly impressive in the women’s 5000m. The high-quality field – which featured the likes of Ejgayehu Taye and her fellow Ethiopians Medina Eisa and Melknat Wudu – was paced through the first 2000m in 5:48, after which Taye took up the running.
The world 10,000m bronze medallist continued to lead through the closing stages, but Chebet unleashed a burst of speed with 200m to go and sprinted away to a clear victory in a world-leading 14:26.98 – a meeting record because the women’s 5000m had previously never been held at this competition.
Freweyni Hailu fades over
World indoor champion Freweyni Hailu looked to be on her way to a decisive victory in the women’s 1500m as she built up a lead of about 20 metres with a lap to go. But the Ethiopian started to fade over the final 200m while Australia’s Jess Hull and Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji battled it out behind.
Hull managed to make up some of the deficit, but Hailu had done just enough to hold on, winning in 4:00.42 from Hull’s 4:00.84.
Less than a week after he and his Bahamian teammates provided one of the highlights of the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24, Olympic champion Steven Gardiner was a comfortable winner of the men’s 400m.
The 28-year-old, who won the world title in this city back in 2019, finished 0.31 ahead of Commonwealth champion Muzala Samukonga of Zambia.
Britain’s Molly Caudery was another reigning global champion who was victorious in the Qatari capital tonight. The world indoor champion won the pole vault on countback from Australia’s world champion Nina Kennedy, both women clearing a best of 4.73m.
Brian Komen gets the better of Timothy Cheruiyot
Elsewhere, rising Kenyan Brian Komen got the better of his highly decorated compatriot Timothy Cheruiyot in the men’s 1500m, winning in 3:32.43. The African Games champion finished 0.24 ahead of 2019 world champion Cheruiyot with Reynold Cheruiyot placing third in 3:32.96.
Serbian teenager Angelina Topic, the youngest in the field by five years, won the women’s high jump with 1.94m, clearing all of her bars up to and including that height on her first attempt.
