14 May, 2016

100m Men: Sub-10 for battling Gatlin

A fast start and a battling second half gave last year’s Diamond League winner Justin Gatlin a sub-10 clocking and his first win of the 2016 campaign. The US world silver medallist, who dominated last year’s Race, was in front from the start and opened daylight between himself and Qatar’s world leader Femi Ogunode to cross the line in a wind-legal season’s best of 9.94. Ogunode was the best of the rest in 10.07 as Gatlin’s US compatriot and world finalist Mike Rodgers took third three hundredths back ahead of former world champion Kim Collins.

Justin Gatlin: I came out here to execute and I know being an Olympic year, it is a long season and my coach and I have a plan. He is training me and Mike Tyson to knock out the opposition and keep swinging! The ankle injury over the winter made it a difficult preparation, but Diamond League races are important to win.

Femi Ogunode: "I had a bad start, as always. I have to work on this. The rest of the race was ok, have not to complane about that. I wanted to run every race sub 10 seconds. Competing in China is good for me, great to be here. I'm the asian record holder 100m and 200m and have the world lead, for sure I will improve those this season, for sure!"