Athletics
SEMENYA ADAMANT, INSISTS ON RUNNING
BY MIKE ROWBOTTOM
Caster Semenya won what might be her last race for a while in stunning fashion tonight as she set a meeting record of 1min 54.98sec in the women’s 800m at the opening International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League meeting of the season.
Afterwards, however, the tone of her comments was proud and defiant: “I will keep on training and running – to me, impossibility is nothing.”
The South African’s performance in Doha’s cavernous, refurbished Khalifa Stadium was the eighth fastest of all time and only just shy of her personal best of 1:54.25, the fourth best of all time.
In less than five months, Khalifa Stadium is due to host the IAAF World Championships.
But whether Semenya, who lost her appeal this week against the IAAF’s planned eligibility regulations for the female classification for athletes with differences of sex development, will be there remains open to question.
The IAAF has warned that female runners whose testosterone levels have been reduced to the statutory level of 5 nmol/L limit by May 8 will be able to compete in the World Championships, even though they will not have maintained their level for the statutory six months proposed before being eligible for international women’s competition.
At best, for runners in that category, this means a blank season before a late run in Doha – always assuming that levels can be brought to the required limit by next Thursday.
Thus Semenya’s typically powerful effort tonight had a valedictory feel.
In the wake of the landmark judgement by the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s panel, she has tweeted messages hinting that she is considering quitting.
But the commitment of her performance tonight gainsaid that idea.
As did her quotes afterwards.
“I’m excited winning here in Doha,” she said.
“The first race of the season is tough and you may not be able to predict how your body is going to respond to the push but the weather is great and it was wonderful tonight.
“For me, I believe nothing is hard in life because it is up to you how you take life.
“As an athlete, I believe in sportmanship and what sports teaches you is to keep pushing on despite all odds.
“I know life could be difficult at times but I’m a believer and I believe there is always a way to resolve issues.
“One of my firm beliefs is that there is always a way out for everything.
“So if a wall is placed in front of me, I jump it.
“I’m going to keep enjoying my life and live it.
“I will keep on training and running.
“To me, impossibility is nothing.”
Today’s news that the World Medical Association has urged doctors not to administer drugs which lower the level of testosterone in female athletes has added another element of doubt into what is already a situation full of uncertainty.
Semenya was followed home, just as she had been in the Rio 2016 final, by Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba, who confirmed last month that she was subject to the same physiological requirements as Semenya.
Niyonsaba also produced an outstanding run, clocking 1:57.75, with Ajee Wilson of the United States taking third place in 1:58.83.
Much had been expected of the shot put given last month’s huge effort of 22.74 metres by Olympic champion Ryan Crouser of the United States.
Crouser registered another 22m-plus effort, 22.13m, to win from New Zealand’s world champion Tom Walsh, who threw 22.06m.
There was a less expected flourish in another of the mem’s throwing events as Sweden’s European discus silver medallist Daniel Stahl produced one of the finest sequences of throws in history.
The 26-year-old effectively won the competition with a first round effort of 69.63m before following up with throws of 70.49m and 70.56m, his farthest of the night, then 69.54m, 69.50m and 70.32m to become the first man to produce six throws beyond 69.50m in a single competition.
Britain’s European 100 and 200m champion Dinah Asher-Smith won the 200m in 22.26sec before the concluding women’s 3,000m, where Kenya’s 2017 world 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri ran 8:25.60 to finish well clear of Ethiopia’s world 1500m record holder Genzebe Dibaba, second in 8:26.21.
There was another historic moment in the women’s high jump, where – at 17 years and 226 days old – Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh joined steeplechaser Conseslus Kipruto in being the youngest ever winner of a Diamond League event.
The reigning world and European under-18 champion cleared 1.96m to win the high jump in Doha by two clear heights.
Kipruto established the age record with a win in Monaco in 2012.
-insidethegames
BY DAPO SOTUMINU
Nigeria’s Francis James and Blessing Shambaz yesterday emerged winners of the 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Race to go home with the winners prize money of $1,000 in a race that was officially flagged off by the First vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Chief Solomon Ogba, and supported by Mr. Nadin Khan, the president of the World Ultra Running.
James won the men’s race finishing at 30minutes 11seconds to beat all opponents to consolidate on his victory in Abuja when he finished second best in the half marathon held in the Federal Capital Territory middle of the year.
James also emerged the Nigeria’s winner of the World class half marathon.
It will be recalled that James at his last major race in Abuja finished second place in a national half marathon race. He stressed that he used that race to prepare for the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race and he was very happy winning the race.
He stressed that, the victory at Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race has given him the confidence to do better in others races coming up in Nigeria and its an indication, that he’s very close to making history for Nigeria in subsequent marathon races. He added that, Nigerian runners will pull surprise in the others races not minding the attendance of the East Africans.
In second place for the men’s race is Gyang Raymond at a time of 30 minutes 14 seconds. Gyang got $750 for his effort. While the third place winner is Gyang David Boyi at 30 minutes 54 seconds. Boyi got a cash prize of $500.
In the women 10km race, the runners up that placed second was Daylop Patience at a time of 36minutes 98.28seconds to keep her position in last year’s edition. She got $750.
Third place winner is Agofure Charity at 37minutes 88 seconds.She got $500.
The overall 10km also saw the race by special athletes.
The route of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race wore a very active look this morning with the active presence of Febbs table water, a part sponsor of the event.
The volunteers on each points on the route all had Febbs Water on their hands ready to hand them over the runners. The organisers decorated all the runners that crossed the finish line with gold medals, this added to the fanfare and celebrations at the Alake Palace finish line of the race.
The Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers have said.
Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees. Male and female athletes will be paid at the same rate, the Diamond League said in a statement.
“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes’ travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.
Each of the 14 Diamond League meets of the 2025 regular season, scheduled to kick off in April, will award a total prize money of $500,000, with the final in August offering $2.24 million.
“The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at the series meetings and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the final,” the statement added.
The Diamond League’s 2024 season concluded in Brussels last week, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final.
The news comes after World Athletics ended a 128-year tradition by paying Olympic champions at the Paris Games $50,000 each and as rival track events try to muscle in on the circuit long seen as the standard-bearer for professional athletics.
Retired American sprinting great Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 for the winner to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each of four “slams” when the league launches next year.
It will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money in 2025.
“In a league of our own,” Grand Slam Track wrote in a post on X, opens new tab on Wednesday, with a breakdown of their prize money.
-Reuters
A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.
The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.
Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.
Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.
The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.
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