India’s national discus throw record holder and Glasgow CWG medal prospect Vikas Gowda finished eighth in a field of 10 with a throw of 61.49 in the sixth leg of the IAAF Diamond League Meeting here on Saturday.
US-based Gowda had already crossed the AFI qualifying standard of 60.45m for the Glasgow CWG after he recorded a throw of 65.62m in Tucson, Arizona, last month for his season’s best which. Gowda had won a silver in the first leg of Diamond League in Doha on May 10 with a throw of 63.23m.
Ukrainian Bohdan Bondarenko triumphed in a dazzling high jump duel with Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar that saw both clear 2.42m.
The pair became the first high jumpers in two decades to clear 2.42m, grabbing the spotlight at the sixth stop on the elite Diamond League circuit.
It was the first time in history that two high jumpers flew so high in the same competition, and the last man to clear 2.42 was world record-holder Javier Sotomayor in 1994.
“High jump is in golden days right now,” Barshim said. “Everyone is watching high jump and cheering for that and of course that is really positive for us.”
Bondarenko effectively won the competition when he cleared 2.42 on his first attempt.
The results: Men: 100m (wind -1.9 m/sec): 1. Nester Carter (Jam) 10.09, 2. Yohan Blake (Jam) 10.21, 3. Keston Bledman (Tri) 10.23. 200m (-0.2): 1. Warren Weir (Jam) 19.82, 2. Nickel Ashmeade (Jam) 19.95, 3. Alonso Edward (Pan) 20.06. 400m: 1. Lashawn Merritt (USA) 44.19, 2. Wayde van Niekerk (RSA) 44.38, 3. Christopher Brown (Bah) 44.61. 800m: 1. David Rudisha (Ken) 1:44.63, 2. Mark English (Irl) 1:45.03, 3. Duane Solomon (USA) 1:45.13. 400m hurdles: 1. Javier Culson (Pur) 48.03, 2. Micheal Tinsley (USA) 48.56, 3. Cornel Fredericks (RSA) 48.58. High jump: 1. Bohdan Bondarenko (Ukr) 2.42m, 2. Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qat) 2.42, 3. Andriy Protsenko (Ukr) 2.35. Long jump: 1. Jeff Henderson (USA) 8.33m, 2. Christian Taylor (USA) 8.06, 3. Rushwal Samaai (RSA) 8.00. Discus throw: 1. Robert Harting (Ger) 68.24m, 2. Piotr Malachowski (Pol) 65.45, 3. Ehsan Hadadi (Iri) 65.23. Vikas Gowda (Ind) with a throw of 61.49 finished eighth.
Women: 100m (-0.1): 1. Tori Bowie (USA) 11.07, 2. Samantha Henry (Jam) 11.13, 3. Schillonie Calvet (Jam) 11.15. 200m (-0.5): 1. Tianna Madison (USA) 22.68, 2. Natasha Hastings (USA) 23.06, 3. Bianca Knight (USA) 23.17. 400m: 1. Francena McCorory (USA) 50.15, 2. Stephanie McPherson (Jam) 51.20, 3. Anasthasia Leroy (Jam) 51.49. 800m: 1. Natoya Goule (Jam) 2:00.28, 2. Latavia Thomas (USA) 2:01.11, 3. Marilyn Okoro (Gbr) 2:01.57. 1,500m: 1. Abeba Arigawi (Swe) 4:00.13, 2. Dawit Seyaum (Eth) 4:00.66, 3. Jennifer Barringer (USA) 4:02.54. 3,000m: 1. Mercy Cherono (Ken) 8:39.84, 2. Betsy Saina (Ken) 8:40.65, 3. Kalkidan Gezahegne (Eth) 8:42.54.
100m hurdles (-2.1): 1. Queen Harrison (USA) 12.62, 2. Dawn Harper (USA) 12.63, 3. Lolo Jones (USA) 12.77. 3,000m steeple chase: 1. Sofia Assefa (Eth) 9:18.58, 2. Purity Cherotich Kirui (Ken) 9:23.43, 3. Ludia Chepkurui (Ken) 9:27.42. Triple jump: 1. Kimberly Williams (Jam) 14.31m, 2. Anna Pyatykh (Rus) 14.19, 3. Yosiri Urrutia (Col) 14.13. Pole vault: 1. Fabiana Murer (Bra) 4.80m, 2. Jennifer Stuczynski (USA) 4.70, 3. Yarisley Silva (Cub) 4.70. Shot put: 1. Valerie Adams (Nzl) 19.68m, 2. Michelle Carter (USA) 19.51, 3. Cleopatra Borel (Tri) 19.04. Javelin: 1. Linda Stahl (Ger) 67.32m, 2. Kathryn Mitchell (Aus) 66.08, 3. Madara Palameika (Lat) 64.86.