The Diamond League made its African debut in Rabat, Morocco on Sunday, and African distance runners were the star of the show.

COMPLETE RESULTS

1. Almaz Ayana Goes 14:16 Basically Solo

In her first 5K since winning the world championship last August, Ayana reminded the world that knocking her off her perch will be a tall order. The rabbits (Lydia Wafula and Renata Plis, some permutation of whom seems to rabbit at nearly every single DL meet) dropped out less than 1600 meters into the race, and on a windy day in Rabat, Ayana gamely gunned for the world record. She was running 67-68 second laps through roughly halfway before slowing slightly from 2800m-4600m and then closing in 65. Her 14:16.31 gives her two of the five fastest 5000s ever run--no one else can say that--and is the No. 5 performance of all time. Ethiopian women now have the eight fastest 5Ks ever; only Ayana, Meseret Defar, and Genzebe Dibaba have ever broken 14:20 more than once.

#5 all-time 5K performance by Ayana at #RabatDL

14.11.15 T. Dibaba
14:12.88 Defar
14:14.32 Ayana
14:15.41 G. Dibaba
-14.16.31 Ayana

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) May 22, 2016

2. Conselsus Kipruto is Having Jairus Birech's 2015

Until defending Olympic gold medalist and four-time defending world champion Ezekiel Kemboi loses a major championship, he's the best steepler in the world--despite his propensity to finish outside of the top ten at DL meets.  But the best non-Kemboi steepler in the world is very much an open question. Last year, it seemed throughout the regular season that the answer to that question was Jairus Birech or Evan Jager. But then Conseslus Kipruto took second at worlds and Birech and Jager didn't medal. 

Kipruto is ahead of where he was last year. Before worlds in 2015, he was third in Shanghai, third at Prefontaine, second in Oslo, third in Paris, and first in London. So far in 2016, he's won two Diamond League races over Birech; in both races, he set a new world leader. Today, after a blistering first kilometer, he and Birech were together at the bell before Kipruto blasted away and ended the race with 300m to go. He was so in control coming off the final water barrier that he shut it down and channeled his inner Asbel Kiprop. Kipruto's 8:02.77 is a world leader. French bad boy Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad was a DNF in his first start since 2014.

Kipruto JOGS the last 100, starts waving to the crowd early, wins it in a world-leading 8:02.77. pic.twitter.com/MBDgeofkHm

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) May 22, 2016

3. Caster Semenya's Toughest Challenger Can't Beat Her

If anyone was going to beat Caster Semenya in 2016, it would have been Francine Niyonsaba, the world indoor champion and a new OTC Elite member. Niyonsaba went for it on Sunday--staying stride for stride with Semenya after a hot first quarter in 56--but Semenya put the race away in the last 50 meters, winning in a world-leading 1:56.64. 

That's the fastest time for the South African since 2011, when she ran 1:56.35 to finish second behind since-outed doper Mariya Savinova at the world championship final in Daegu. After the IAAF was denied the power to force athletes to undergo hormonal treatment last year--something Semenya was very publicly made to do--Semenya has clearly recaptured her old form and is the heavy favorite for Olympic gold.

Niyonsaba was second in 1:57.74 while Belarusian and defending world champ Marina Arzamasova was seventh in 2:01.49.

4. Pierre-Ambroise Bosse Wins a Loaded 800m 

In the men's 800, 1:42 man--and 2015 worlds fifth-placer--Pierre-Ambroise Bosse got the first Diamond League win of his career. Bosse ran 1:44.51 to beat a loaded field that included Olympic 1500m gold medalist Taoufik Makhloufi, Olympic 800m silver medalist Nijel Amos, and 2015 world championship bronze medalist Amel Tuka. Makhloufi and Tuka were second and third, respectively.

LIKE A BOSSE! Pierre-Ambroise Bosse wins it in 1:44.52, Makh-daddy second. pic.twitter.com/fu9AmdFzG0

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) May 22, 2016

5. Oliver and Merritt Win, Goodwin Third

Swirling winds mucked up the marks in the sprints and jumps, which were a mixed bag for the Americans.  David Oliver won the men's 110 meter hurdles in 13.13 over Orlando Ortega. That's tied with Ortega for No. 3 in the world this year, and Oliver's first major win of 2016 after finishing second at Drake, fourth at Doha, and fifth at Shanghai.

LaShawn Merritt waited out a fast-starting Isaac Makwala in the men's 400. Makwala, the Botswanan, led through 300m but was overtaken but Merritt and Kevin Borlee in the homestretch. Merritt won by nearly a second in 44.22; he was the only man to go sub-45.

World leader and Bills receiver Marquise Goodwin repped his team halfway across the world, but only managed to jump 8.11m--well off his 8.45 WL--for third place in the men's long jump.

First time an NFL warmup was also a uniform at a Diamond League meet? #RabatDL @flashg88dwin currently 3rd at 8.03m pic.twitter.com/66D3GsX8Uf

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) May 22, 2016

Oh, and Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi shaved his legendary half-beard. 

Looks like he shaved it like, yesterday. The half-beard is gone. #RabatDL pic.twitter.com/yofXaEU0q6

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) May 22, 2016

COMPLETE RESULTS