TOP 10 Athletes at Brussels Diamond League
The four-month long 2019 Diamond League meet came to end on the 6th of September 2019 at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium. The 14th and the last meet saw some scintillating performances from renowned athletes from all across the world. In total 16 disciplines were competed on the 5th and 6th of September 2019 in front of amazing packed crowds.
The Brussels meet was hallmark, because it was expected to be a prelude to the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, starting 27th of September. In the men’s competition, Noah Lyles dominated the 2019 Diamond League by becoming the fastest man in Zurich and winning the 200m in Brussels in great style and comfortable ease. In the women’s competition, ace Dutch distance runner Sifan Hassan dominated the Diamond League by claiming first the 1500m in Zurich and in Brussels defeated Helen Obiri in the 5000m.
Sifan Hassan and Noah Lyles collected $100,000 each along with two glittering Diamond League Trophies for their two wins in Zurich and Brussels. These two outstanding athletes have outclassed fellow competitors with their brilliant performances time and again. Hassan and Lyles are one of the greatest athletes in recent times. Johnny D picks the ‘Top 10 Athletes at Brussels Diamond League’.
NOAH LYLES: 200m
The world has never seen any athlete enjoying racing so much as Noah Lyles. Unlike Usain Bolt’s striking pose, Lyles enjoys breakdancing to enthrall the audience after the win. His confidence lies in his hard work and training to perfection. Noah Lyles became the first athlete to win the ‘Sprint Double’ in the same season in Diamond League meets.
He powered his way ahead of Guliyev and De Grasse to win the 200m clocking an amazing time of 19.74s. The Turkish sprinter Guliyev clocked his Season’s Best 19.86s followed with De Grasse in 19.87s. It will be interesting to Noah Lyles repeated the ‘Sprint Double’ in Doha World Athletics Championships.
DINA ASHER-SMITH: 100m
The race for the fastest woman of the Diamond League season was power-packed with names like Ta Lou, Daphne Schippers, Okagbare, Dina Asher-Smith, Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce and others. The race was touted to be a duel between Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and American Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. The British sprinter has been consistent throughout the 2019 Season by running all her races under 11-second.
As the gun fired, Fraser-Pryce exploded ahead of the field. Till the 50m-mark, it was Pryce, but Dina changed her gears to triumph over her American rival clocking her Season’s Best of 10.88s. Fraser-Pryce clocked 10.95s followed by Ta Lou in 11.09s.
MICHAEL NORMAN: 400m
The 400m race saw magnificent performance by American Michael Norman. He ran a well-judged race to race past ahead of fellow American Kerley to win the $50,000 prize money and the Diamond League Trophy. Kerley led the field from the start till almost 330m. However, Norman’s final kick saw him leaving behind the field like a true champion. Norman clocked 44.26s to pip Kerley’s 44.46s. Norman had expressed his intention to run a fast pace race and he did that in great confidence.
Norman also won hearts of the crowd, when he handed his bouquet to a physically challenged woman after the race. The kind gesture displayed by Mchael Norman also indicates his heart is in the right place to be a true great champion.
SIFAN HASSAN: 5000m
The 5000m is Kenyan Helen Obiri’s favourite event. She has dominated the distance in recent times. Interestingly, there has been an amazing rivalry going on between Dutch distance runner Sifan Hassan, who has never beaten Obiri over this distance in the last four attempts. Sifan Hassan has had a splendid season this year winning the 1500m in Zurich beating Dibaba in a splendid fashion. The race started with a good pace. However, it slowed down after the first kilometer.
Sifan Hassan ran a perfect tactical race from behind till the last three laps. She gained grounds, when Gidey picked up the pace from Obiri. Hassan immediately responded to place self in the first pack. Gidey was followed by Obiri, Klosterhalfen and Hassan. Obiri was fading gradually to match Gidey’s pace. As the bell rang, Gidey injected the pace to push Obiri in the third place behind Klosterhalfen. With 300m to go, Hassan outpaced everyone to lead the way to win in 14:26.26.
Gidey maintained her speed for the second spot clocking her Season’s Best 14:29.54. She was very happy and content with her performance. Klosterhalfen was third in 14:29.89. Hassan and Klosterhalfen has become an amazing winning pair from Alberto Salazar’s Oregon Project. Obiri could only manage the fourth place in 14:33.90.
TIMOTHY CHERUIYOT: 1500m
Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot has been in superb form since the last year. In the year 2018, Cheruiyot won 6 out of 6 Diamond League 1500m races. This year, he has won 4 out of 5 Diamond League races with his splendid form. From the word go, Cheruiyot led the race behind the pacers. Not even for a moment he looked to relinquish his position to anyone from the field. In fact, no one could even match his stride to give Cheruiyot any challenge whatsoever.
In the final lap, he increased his gap from the rest of the field in great style. The Ingerbrigtsen brothers chased him hard but could manage only the second and third spot. Cheruiyot clocked an impressive 3:30.22 followed by Jakob Ingerbrigtsen in 3:31.62. The elder brother clocked 3:33.33 for the third spot.
KATERINA STEFANIDI: Pole Vault
Greek pole vaulter Katerina Stefanidi has dominated the women’s field with great panache. The three-time Diamond League Champion has shown great talent in this discipline over the past few years. She vaulted to clear 4.83m to clinch the title in Brussels winning $50,000 and the trophy for the third consecutive year.
The height was also Stefanidi’s Season’s Best. Sidorova was second with the same height followed by Canadian Alysha Newman clearing 4.77m.
GETNET WALE: 3000m Steeple Chase
The 3000m Steeple Chase is the toughest race in the world of athletics. It is also one of the most scintillating races to watch with high drama. The endurance the athletes possess is indeed superlative in every respect. The pacers were asked for a fast time. Ethiopian Getnet Wale placed himself well behind the two pacers right from the word go. Once the pacers had done their job, Wale led the field like a true champion. Not once, he allowed another athlete to race past ahead of him.
Moroccan El Bakkali ran a tactical race, but just couldn’t beat the Ethiopian to win the 2019 Diamond League trophy. Wale clocked 8:06.92 to Bakkali’s 8:07.08. Girma clocked his Personal Best of 8:07.66.
MARIYA LASITSKENE: High Jump
Mariya Lasitskene has dominated the women’s High Jump this season with 17 consecutive wins. While competing, she shows no emotions whatsoever. Her concentration is impeccable and her will to win every time is flawless. She cleared 1.99m to win the glittering Diamond League trophy and the prize money of $50,000. Ukrainian Yuliya Levchenko was second with 1.97m followed by Belgium Nafissatou Thiam clearing 1.95m.
Mariya Lasitskene has been winning her pet event with great dedication at the Diamond League since 2014. She is currently the No. 1 in women’s High Jump.
CHRISTIAN TAYLOR: Triple Jump
American track and field athlete Christian Taylor won his 7th Diamond League trophy in Brussels with an amazing jump of 17.85m with a Meet Record.
Compatriot Will Claye was second with a 17.22m jump followed by Omar Craddock with a jump of 17.17m to make it 1-2-3 for America.
AJEE WILSON: 800m
Ajee Wilson became the first American woman athlete to win the 800m at the Diamond League meet. She placed self behind the pacer right from the word go and never relinquished her lead throughout the race.
Ajee Wilson loves to dominate the race at her own terms and there was no one really challenging her. She clocked 2:00.24 to win the $50,000 with the Diamond League glittering trophy. Teammate Rodgers clocked 2:00.67 for the second spot followed by Nanyondo in 2:00.69.
