Oslo Diamond League Recap: Coleman Goes 9.85, Lewandowski Shocks Mile

Oslo Diamond League Recap: Coleman Goes 9.85, Lewandowski Shocks Mile

Some unexpected distance results and a fast time from Christian Coleman went down in the Norwegian capital.

Jun 13, 2019 by Lincoln Shryack
Oslo Diamond League Recap: Coleman Goes 9.85, Lewandowski Shocks Mile
The Diamond League was in Norway on Thursday for its annual stop at the Bislett Games in Oslo. Upsets were aplenty in the distance races, while speedy U.S. stars Christian Coleman and Sydney McLaughlin picked up impressive victories.

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The Diamond League was in Norway on Thursday for its annual stop at the Bislett Games in Oslo. Upsets were aplenty in the distance races, while speedy U.S. stars Christian Coleman and Sydney McLaughlin picked up impressive victories.

Here were the highlights from Oslo:

Men’s 100m - Coleman Blitzes 9.85 World Lead

Compared to the frosty feud last month in Shanghai between Christian Coleman and Noah Lyles, where both men ran 9.86 and then engaged in some online antics afterwards, the drama was comparatively low as just Coleman was in Oslo on Thursday. But the 23-year-old still made a statement with his dominant 9.85 world lead, a solid time for the American considering no other man broke 10 seconds and the temperature was under 60 degrees.

Runner-up Xie Zhenye of China was well back in 10.01. Great Britain’s Reece Prescod pulled up ahead of the finish line and was last in 10.76.

Men’s Dream Mile - Lewandowski Shocks Field With Huge Kick

In eighth place at the bell with stars like Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Ayanleh Souleiman and Clayton Murphy ahead of him in the Oslo men’s mile, Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski scored a bounty of scalps with a powerful kick en route to his 3:52.34 win. Lewandowski had moved up to fifth with 200 meters to run, but still had hometown favorite Ingebrigtsen ahead of him, as well as Bethwell Birgen, Souleiman and Vincent Kibet— the slowest of the bunch being the Norwegian teen and his 3:52.28 PB.

But the 32-year-old Lewandowski, who upset Ingebrigtsen earlier in the year in the European Indoor 1,500m, swung wide and blew past the quartet of fading stars. Kibet was the last to be passed just before the line, and he was second in 3:52.38. Lewandowski’s last lap was approximately 57 seconds.

Americans Johnny Gregorek and Murphy were fourth and fifth in 3:52.94 and 3:52.97, respectively. The 3:49 miler Gregorek kicked down the 800m specialist Murphy and nipped him just before the line.

Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase - Jeruto Upsets Chepkoech

A loaded women’s steeple that featured the last two world champions— Emma Coburn and Hyvin Kiyeng— and world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech went to none of the three as Kenyan Norah Jeruto handed Chepkoech her first steeplechase loss in over a year with a 9:03.71 victory.

The 23-year-old Jeruto, one of three sub-9:00 women in the field, stormed past Chepkoech and her 8:44 speed in the final 100 meters. The world record holder was second in 9:04.30.

Kiyeng and Coburn were third and fourth, respectively, in 9:07.56 and 9:08.42.

400m Hurdles - Sydney Beats Loaded U.S. Field In 400mH Diamond Debut

Youth prevailed in the much-anticipated 400m hurdles duel between reigning Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad and world junior record holder Sydney McLaughlin, as the 19-year-old McLaughlin reeled in the veteran over the final 50 meters to win in 54.16.

The current world leader, Muhammad, had to settle for second in 54.35, a victim of her own quick start and McLaughlin’s powerful finish.

McLaughlin was victorious in her Diamond League 400m hurdles debut, as she stalked an aggressive Muhammad through 300m before flipping the switch in the last straight. The teen found herself well behind through the first half of the race after popping the initial hurdle.

Muhammad wasn’t the only prominent American rival of McLaughlin’s in the field, either, as world medalist Shamier Little was third in 54.92 and 2017 world champion Kori Carter fourth in 55.67.

McLaughlin’s time was slightly slower than her 54.14 season’s best from May 11.

Men’s 3,000m - Barega Storms Past Cheptegei In Final Lap

Riding a 56.05 final lap, Ethiopian Selemon Barega, he of 12:43 5k fame, flew past World XC champion Joshua Cheptegei in the final 250m of the Oslo 3k to win in 7:32.17. Cheptegei, who did much of the leading once the pacer stepped off shortly past 1700m, was second in a personal best of his own of 7:33.26.

Local favorite Henrik Ingebrigtsen broke an 18-year-old Norwegian record with his 7:36.85 fourth place finish. The previous mark of 7:40.77 had been held by Marius Bakken since 2001.

Drew Hunter notched top American honors over Ben True with a 7:39.85 PB in seventh. True was a spot behind in 7:40.49.

Men's 400m Hurdles - Warholm Breaks 24-Year-Old European Record In 47.33

What a special night it was for Norwegian hurdle hero Karsten Warholm, who broke a 47.37 400m hurdles European record that had stood since 1995 with his 47.33 victory in his country's capital. The performance marked a .31-second improvement on the 2017 world champion's personal best.

Women’s 100m Hurdles - Clemons Tops Nelvis, McNeal False-Starts

29-year-old American Christina Clemons (neé Manning) won her first Diamond League race in a smooth 12.69 over U.S. counterpart Sharika Nelvis, who was second in 12.74. The field lost its primary protagonist early, as reigning Olympic champion Brianna McNeal blatantly false-started and was disqualified.