Felix and Gatlin star in Doha

Sports

Felix and Gatlin star in Doha

Close

Americans upstage their more fancied rivals to win the women's and men's 100 metres.

12 May,2012 11:13 am

Americans Allyson Felix and Justin Gatlin handled Dohas steamy heat the best to win the womens and mens 100 metres at the in the season-opening Diamond League meeting on Friday (May 11). Felix, better known as a 200 runner, just pipped Jamaicas former world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown for victory in the womens 100 in 10.92 seconds, while Gatlin overcame a poor start to run down a tiring Asafa Powell of Jamaica in the closing stages of the mens 100 for victory in 9.87.In the mens 400, another American, LeShawn Merritt, powered away to win in the years best time over the distance of 44.19, while Kenyas world record holder David Rudisha eased away from compatriot Job Kinyor over the final 50 metres to win the mens 800 in 1:43.10, also the fastest time of the year.Another Kenya, Pamela Jelimo, had to dig deep to beat Ethiopian Fantu Magiso Manedo to win the womens 800 metres, clocking 1:56.94.The mens and womens 3000 metres steeplechase races were as about contrasting as you could get.While Kenyas Vivian Cheruiyot held off a fast finishing Meseret Defar of Ethiopia to win the womens race by a nose, long distance legend Kenenisa Bekele was nowhere to be seen as Augustine Choge won the mens race by just under a second.