Daily Times

LAUSANNE: World champion Noah Lyles notched up another victory in his rivalry with fellow American Michael Norman in the 200m at the Diamond League meet in Lausanne on Friday. Lyles clocked 19.56 seconds, with world 400m champion Norman second in a season’s best of 19.76sec. “I would have taken anything under 19.60, so 19.56 is alright for tonight,” said Lyles. “I am in a good physical and mental space and very capable of producing some good times this year. I feel if I have a 19.30 in me.” Lyles’ teammate Aleia Hobbs made up for the absence of Jamaican duo Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah to win the women’s 100m.

Five-time 100m world champion Fraser-Pryce, with six sub-10.70sec times to her credit this season, was a late withdrawal due to a “muscle sprain” she experienced during her warm-up. And four-time Olympic sprint gold medallist Thompson-Herah was disqualified for a false start in front of a sell-out 12,700-strong Stade olympique de la Pontaise. Hobbs went on to clock 10.87sec for victory in a photo-finish ahead of a third Jamaican, world 200m champion Shericka Jackson.

Fraser-Pryce said she had been feeling “discomfort in my hamstring”. “Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be getting any better,” said the 35-year-old mother-of-one. “As a precaution my coach decided not to risk racing at this point.” Hobbs added: “I had a good start today and I know that if I start well I can get great times. I’m happy with the 10.87, it’s another sub-10.9 for me.”

Double European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen set a world leading time of 3:29.05 as he won the 1500m ahead of Kenya’s Abel Kipsang. The Olympic gold medallist, who had to settle for world silver behind Britain’s Jake Wightman, was happy that he had kicked on after a strong pace was set. “I’ve had a good season,” the Norwegian said. “Obviously I was disappointed in Eugene. There are always things I can do better and it doesn’t always go as expected. “For the end of the season and next year I have to put in a lot of work to get faster and break records.”

Bol banishes blues: Treble European champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands smashed the meeting record in clocking 52.95sec to win the 400m hurdles. Former world record-holder Dalilah Muhammad of the United States finished well off the pace in seventh. “It’s amazing to run a meet record here and run again in 52,” said Bol. “The first 200m felt easy and I wasn’t too close to the hurdles. The second part is my better part this year. I am getting tired. “I was less tired than expected actually. In the last few days I’ve spent 11 hours a day in bed.” A loaded women’s 100m hurdles featured all three medallists from Oregon: Tobi Amusan, Britany Anderson and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.

The latter claimed the win in Lausanne in a meet record of 12.34sec, with Amusan at 0.11sec. And there was another meet record, by more than 5sec, for Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba, who marked her return from injury with victory in the 3,000m in 8:26.80 ahead of American Alicia Monson and Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet. Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan came in fourth while Britain’s Laura Muir finished seventh. Jamaican Rasheed Broadbell pulled off a surprise win in the 100m hurdles, going sub-13sec for the first time in his career as he beat a strong field in 12.99sec. “I will never forget this race, it’s my first time under 13 seconds and I’m very happy for it,” he said. “New training camp, much better results, the proof is there. I am happy with how things are going right now.” Americans Trey Cunningham and Grant Holloway completed the podium. Indian Neeraj Chopra outgunned the Czech Republic’s European champion Jakub Vadlejch in the javelin, managing a best of 89.08m. “I am delighted with my result tonight,” Chopra said. “I had to skip the Commonwealth Games due to injury and I was a bit nervous. “89m is a great performance. I am specially pleased as I am coming back from an injury and tonight was a good indicator that I have recovered well.”