Caster Semenya broke another national record in Rabat, Morocco on Friday evening, surging to a comfortable victory in the women’s 1000m race at the ninth leg of the 2018 IAAF Diamond League series.
Opening a gap on the rest of the field from the start, Semenya covered the 1000m distance in 2:31.01, slicing a chunk off her own South African record of 2:35.43.
She finished nearly five seconds ahead of her nearest opponent, clocking the ninth fastest time in history over two-and-a-half laps.
In other events, Zarck Visser took sixth position in the men’s Long jump after producing a best leap of 7.79m, though he was well behind Jamaican winner Tajay Gayle, who landed at 8.09m.
Dominique Scott-Efurd produced the second fastest 5000m performance of her career in a quick race, finishing ninth in 15:11.65.
World champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya won the race in 14:21.75. The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan hung on when Obiri hit the front just after the bell and was rewarded with a European record of 14:22.34, and a personal best by almost 20 secs in second place.
Another Kenyan to produce a world-leading mark at the Rabat Diamond League on Friday was 3000m steeplechaser Benjamin Kigen.
Unheralded until recently and only in his second year on the international circuit, the 25-year-old soldier won at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene in a personal best of 8:09.07 and then improved by almost three seconds in Rabat with his victory in a time of 8:06.19.
The next leg of the IAAF Diamond League series will be held in Monaco on Friday, July 20.
“We are once again happy with the performance of Caster at the Diamond League and praise the work of her coach and support staff,” said Aleck Skhosana, the President of Athletics South Africa. “Her dominance continues to be exemplary and inspiring to others.
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