Samba sets Diamond League record in men’s 400-meter hurdles, five Americans victorious on first European stop in Italy

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Maria Lasitskene entered Thursday’s competition at the Golden Gala, the annual Rome Diamond League meeting, unbeaten in the past 23 months in the women’s high jump.

But in an ironic twist, the authorized neutral athlete from Russia didn’t boast the top mark in the world this year, a feat achieved by reigning heptathlon world champion Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium when she produced the best all-time high jump clearance in a multi-event competition May 26 by clearing 6-7 (2.01m) at the IAAF Combined Events Challenge in Gotzis, Austria.

Lasitskene not only emerged with the victory in Rome, her 12th in a row this year and 40th consecutive win overall, but she regained the world lead with a first-attempt clearance at 6-7.50 (2.02m). American Vashti Cunningham was among five jumpers tied at 6-4.50 (1.94m).

It was the 13th career Diamond League win for Lasitskene, including her second this season, along with May 12 in Shanghai. She is scheduled to next jump June 10 in Stockholm.

Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba continued his march toward a potential 46-second effort in the men’s 400-meter hurdles, setting Asian and Diamond League records by clocking a world-leading 47.48 seconds to equal the No. 14 all-time performer.

Karsten Warholm, the reigning world champion, set a Norwegian national record by running 47.82, the second-fastest performance in the world this year, helping him ascend into a tie for the No. 31 performer in history.

Several athletes who excelled at the Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., continued to build their momentum beginning a five-meet stretch in Europe.

American Ronnie Baker lowered his world-leading mark in the men’s 100-meter dash to a wind-legal 9.93 seconds, with Christian Coleman placing fourth in 10.06.

Reigning world outdoor champion Sam Kendricks needed to clear 19-2 (5.84m) to prevail against Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski after both athletes achieved 18-11.50 (5.78m) clearances.

Baker and Kendricks were among five Americans victorious Thursday, along with Georganne Moline in the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 53.97. Jamaica’s Janieve Russell, the Pre Classic winner, took second in 54.08 and American Dalilah Muhammad placed third in 54.65.

Sharika Nelvis won the women’s 100 hurdles in 12.76, holding off Jamaica’s Danielle Williams (12.86) and Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (12.90).

Fred Kerley secured his first Diamond League victory by clocking 44.33 in the men’s 400.

Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot followed his 1,500 victory in Shanghai and Bowerman mile win at Hayward Field by lowering his world lead in the 1,500 to 3:31.22.

Cheruiyot was one of four Kenyan athletes to win Thursday, including Conseslus Kipruto clocking a world-leading 8:08.40 in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Hyvin Kiyeng prevailed in the women’s 3,000 steeplechase in a world-leading 9:04.96, benefiting from a stumble by American Emma Coburn over the final water jump. Coburn, the reigning world champion, was in contention with Kenyans Celliphine Chepteek Chespol and Kiyeng, before losing her balance and falling with less than 200 meters remaining, resulting in a fourth-place finish in 9:08.13.

Jamaica’s Aisha Praught-Leer, the Commonwealth Games gold medalist who trains in Colorado with Coburn, finished eighth in 9:19.33.

Wyclife Kinyamal led a Kenyan sweep of the men’s 800 podium, prevailing in 1:44.65.

South Africa’s Luvo Manyonga soared to a world-leading effort in the long jump with a wind-legal mark of 28-1.75 (8.58m) in the second round, holding off Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarria, who had a leap of 27-11.75 (8.53m).

Ivory Coast sprinter Marie-Josee Ta Lou followed her 100-meter victory at the Pre Classic by winning the 200, running 22.49 into a strong headwind. Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain prevailed in the women’s 400 in 50.51.

Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic set the meet record in the women’s discus with a fifth-round throw of 226-1 (68.93m). Jamaica’s Fedrick Dacres won the men’s discus competition with a second-round effort of 224-9 (68.51m).