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Five Standout Performances at the London Diamond League Meeting

Published by
DyeStatPRO.com   Jul 26th 2015, 6:52pm
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Dendy Shines on International Stage

By Scott Bush

The Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games wrapped up Saturday in London, leaving the Diamond League with one more stop before the IAAF World Outdoor Championships next month. While Usain Bolt and Mo Farah ran their way to impressive victories, there were a handful of other performances that stood out and mean a great deal as the big championship event in Beijing nears.

New Pro Dendy Scores International Victory

Marquis Dendy (USA) is on a mission to medal. The recent University of Florida graduate won Saturday’s long jump competition on his final attempt, soaring to a 8.38m best, well ahead of runner-up Zarck Visser (RSA) and third-place Greg Rutherford (GBR), who lept 8.21m and 8.18m. Dendy nearly matched his personal best of 8.39m, as the 22-year old scored a major international win as he heads into the World Championships.

Dendy’s mark not only was the seventh best mark in the world this season, but gives him three of the top nine marks in the world. Fellow American Jeff Henderson is the only other athlete to have three marks in the top ten. Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to international jump success and Dendy is showing he’s as consistent as they get.

Adams Loses in Shot Put (Again), while Carter Shows a Medal is Possible

Michelle Carter (USA) won the women’s shot put in London with a toss of 19.74m, well ahead of runner-up Valerie Adams’ 18.59m best. Carter threw four throws 19.30m or further with all six of her attempts going 18.90m or better. While Carter was off her seasonal best 20.02m, her series showed she’s in fine form.

Carter ranks third in the world currently, just behind Lijiao Gong (CHN) and gold medal favorite Christina Schwanitz (GER). Of the top 19 best marks in the world this season, Carter, Schwanitz and Gong own all of them – thus the three enter as the medal favorites next month.

This of course leaves Valerie Adams (NZL) on the outside. Arguably the most dominant athlete of the past decade, Adams seeks to find her top-level form in time for the biggest meet of the year. While Adams does seem to be improving, she isn’t close to her dominating performances of years past. Will she gain enough fitness in time to challenge for gold in Beijing? She has one more chance, in Stockholm on July 30, to test her fitness against the world’s best.

Tinsley in Top Form

It wasn’t his fastest time of the year, but Michael Tinsley (USA) bested a very strong international field in the men’s 400m hurdles over the weekend, showing he’s ready to challenge for gold at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships once again. Tinsley beat runner-up LJ Van Zyl (RSA) by a quarter of a second, as he challenged the 49-second barrier with a winning mark of 49.02.

While fellow American Bershawn Jackson and Puerto Rican rival Javier Culson weren’t competing, Tinsley did best medal contenders Johnny Dutch (USA) and held off Michael Stigler (USA). Tinsley took a conservative approach to the beginning of his season while top competition was running fast times domestically and abroad. He’s strategy seems to be paying off as he rounds into top form when it matters most.

Rising Star Alert: Jamaican Elaine Thompson

In 2014, Elaine Thompson (JAM) owned personal 100m and 200m bests of 11.17 and 23.23. So far in 2015, she’s lowered those marks to 10.84 and 22.10. What a difference a year makes.

The 23-year old is one of the bright rising stars in international sprinting and picked up a big win in London, easily defeating Americans Tori Bowie and Candyce McGrone with her winning 22.10 mark. Bowie finished second in 22.32 and McGrone well off her season’s best with a 22.70 time.

Thompson now ranks fourth in the world over 200m and sixth in the world over 100m. Six years a junior to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, it seems only a matter of time before Thompson takes over as queen of the sprints in Jamaica, which translates to being queen of the sprints globally.

Jasmin Stowers is Back on Top

After struggling with up and down performances much of the past two months, Jasmin Stowers founder herself back on top in London, winning the women’s 100m hurdles. Stowers’ winning performance of 12.47 was well ahead of runner-up Dawn Harper-Nelson’s 12.64 and Brianna Rollins’ third place 12.65.

While Stowers won’t be competing for Team USA in Beijing, having failed to qualify at the USA Outdoor Championships, she’s tied with Harper-Nelson and Sharika Nelvis (USA) for the lead in the Diamond League standings and now owns four of the top seven marks in the world this season (Nelvis owns the other three).

Stowers may not be representing the United States just yet, but it’s nice to see the 24-year old back and running where fans know she’s capable of competing.



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