SUZHOU, China, (April 27) – Britain’s Daryll Neita handed Sha’Carri Richardson back-to-back defeats over 200m to start the season, clocking 22.62 seconds for victory at the 2024 Suzhou Diamond League meeting on Saturday.
Daryll Neita Runs Away From Strong Field
Richardson entered the event as the pre-race favorite to bounce back from her shocking defeat last weekend in the Diamond League opener in Xiamen, but the American had no answers for Neita, who impressively ran away from the field to seal a dominant win.
“I feel amazing,” Neita told reporters after the win. “It was such a strong field and to run that time at this stage of the season is amazing.”
“My main focus for the rest of the season is to stay healthy and in one piece,” added Neita. “I hope to win a medal at the Olympics.”
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Richardson, the world 100m champion and 200m bronze medalist at the same championships last summer, faded into third place in 23.11 seconds, with fellow American Anavia Battle coming home second in 22.99 seconds.
Akani Simbine Spoils Fred Kerley vs Christian Coleman
In the men’s 100m, South Africa’s Akani Simbine clocked 10.01 (-0.1m/s) to get the better of USA’s Fred Kerley and Christian Coleman, the pre-race favorites.
Coleman, who won at the Xiamen Diamond League meeting, was ahead of the field for most of the contest, but the American was pipped on the line by Simbine.
“I knew the field here would be strong but I just had to replicate what I did last week at the South African Championships,” said Simbine. “This has built a lot of confidence leading into the Olympic year.”
Elsewhere, Olympic champions Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Valarie Allman, as well as world champion Marileidy Paulino all secured victory. Camacho-Quinn won a closely contested women’s 100m hurdles after Tobi Amusan, who finished level with the Puerto Rican in 12.63 seconds, was disqualified for a false start.
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World indoor 60m hurdles champion Devynne Charlton was credited second with 12.64 secs, while two-time world champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica took third in 12.74.
Marileidy Paulino Makes It Look Easy
Paulino won the women’s 400m comfortably in 50.89 seconds, securing back-to-back Diamond League wins to start the season. USA’s Talitha Diggs was second in 51.77 and Sada Williams of Barbados finished third in 52.00.
Olympic champion Allman also recorded successive Diamond League wins this season after the American followed up her victory in Xiamen with another triumph in Suzhou –throwing 69.86m for the title in the discus throw.
In the men’s pole vault, Sweden’s Olympic and world champion Mondo Duplantis easily won the event with a clearance of 6.00 meters, after failing to clear a new world record of 6.25m.
“I felt great today, really good,” Duplantis said. “To jump six meters today and complete a very successful tour, I have a lot of good takeaways.
“I felt a little bit flat today, but still really good.”
