American Aleia Hobbs seemingly did the unthinkable at the Diamond League meet in Lausanne by ending Jamaica’s dominance of the sprint tracks this year.
Hobbs won the 100m sprint over Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson in a photo finish. The American finished with a time of 10.87 seconds slightly ahead of Jackson’s 10.88 while Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou placed third with a time of 10.89.
She was also aided by the fact that Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, who had won in Eugene and Rabat, was disqualified for a false start while compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, a three-time winner this year, did not participate in the final due to a hamstring injury.
It is still a major accomplishment for Aleia Hobbs who becomes the only second woman not from Jamaica to win the 100m title in the Diamond League this year after Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith who won it in Birmingham.
In the men’s 200m, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Noah Lyles won his third Diamond League title of the season with a time of 19.56 seconds beating compatriot Michael Norman by two-tenths of a second in an American one-two while Jereem Richards of Trinidad & Tobago finished third.
Femke Bol also returned to the track following her treble win of the 400m hurdles, 400m and 4x400m at the European Championships.
The Dutchwoman was impressive once again finishing 400m hurdles with a meeting record of52.95 to win by almost a second.
Jamaica’s two-time Commonwealth champion Janieve Russell finished second in 53.92 and Andrenette Knight third in 54.33.
Norway’s European Champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen easily strode to the 1500m win over Kenya’s Abel Kipsang and Australia’s Stewart McSweyn.
USA’s Noah Lyles ran a 19.56 to remain unbeaten in the 200m this season ahead of Michael Norman (19.76) and Jereem Richards (19.95).
