Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Saturday 5 May 2018
Semenya wins 1500 in Diamond League opener in Doha

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Cast- fense of her 800 Diamond Kenya then had a 1-2-3
er Semenya's quest for a League title in Eugene, Or- in the men's 800, led by
title double in the Diamond egon, on May 26. Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir
League started well when After setting her personal (1:45.21).
she won the 1,500 meters in best and a national record The women's 100, expect-
a South African record time in the 1,500, she said: "It's ed to be a showdown
on Friday. always a dream to set the between Olympic cham-
The loudest cheers at Qa- national record and I want pion Elaine Thompson
tar Sports Club, however, to continue to push beyond and world 200 champion
were reserved for local my personal best. We defi- Dafne Schippers, was won
high jumper Mutaz Essa nitely achieved that here. by Marie-Josee Ta Lou of
Barshim, the world champi- "I wanted to go faster, but Ivory Coast. She stopped
on and 2017 IAAF athlete of had to slow down a little. I the clock at 10.85 seconds.
the year. He won with 2.36 will go back and watch the Blessing Okagbare-Igho-
meters, then cleared 2.40 race and see where we teguonor of Nigeria was
at his first attempt. can improve." second at 11.9, Thompson
Barshim, who was unde- Also winning in front of his third at 10.93, and Schip-
feated in 11 competitions home crowd was Abder- pers sixth at 11.03.
last year, finally failed at rahman Samba, who took Other winners were Ameri-
2.42, three centimeters off the 400 hurdles ahead of can Sandi Morris (women's
the world record. Bershawn Jackson of the pole vault, 4.84m); Croa-
"2.40 is my best season- South Africa's Caster Semenya runs to win the woman's 1500 United States. Samba's tia's Sandra Perkovic in
opener ever, and it comes meter during the Qatar Diamond League in Doha, Qatar, Friday, 47.57 seconds was more women's discus with a Dia-
in front of my mother and May 4, 2018. than a second better than mond League record of
my home crowd. I feel re- Associated Press Jackson, and a Diamond 71.38m; Cuban Pedro Pab-
ally blessed," Barshim said. League record. lo Pichardo (men's triple
"I really was not fit for so very ambitious for the rest Kenya's Nelly Jepkosgei Germany earned 1, 2, 3 in jump, 17.95m); Bahrain's
many jumps today. I was of the season." was second, and Ethiopia's the men's javelin. Olympic Steven Gardiner (men's
feeling a bit tired after my Semenya, the two-time Habitam Alemu third. champion Thomas Rohler 400m, 43.87s); and Ameri-
fourth, but I just carried on Olympic and three-time Semenya came to Doha successfully defended his can Noah Lyles (men's
because of the support of world champion in the 800, after her 800-1,500 double Doha title with 91.78 me- 200m, 19.83m).
everyone here. I wanted to won the 1,500 comfortably at the Commonwealth ters. Johannes Vetter was The next Diamond League
break a record today. That by more than a second in Games in Australia last second, and Andreas Hof- meet is on May 12 in
did not happen, but still 3:59.92. month, and begins the de- mann third. Shanghai.q

Dumoulin wins opening stage of Giro d'Italia, Froome 21st

Dutchman, who rides for The historic opening of the The Giro is still very long. It's
Team Sunweb. "You just race concluded just as the nice to have it today but
have to be careful and previous one ended, with it's hard to keep it for the
take some good corners Dumoulin grabbing the whole three weeks," the
and be cautious when you overall lead in an individual Dutchman said. "We are
have to be." time trial. Last year, he en- not planning on defend-
Froome, a British cyclist tered the final stage in Mi- ing it whatever the cost. It is
who won both the Tour de lan in fourth but surged to going to be a pretty hectic,
France and Spanish Vuelta victory. difficult and hard weeks."
last year, is looking to be- On Friday, he chased down Jerusalem's opening leg
come only the third person Dennis, who is the team was named in honor of
ever to win the three Grand leader of BMC Racing, to Gino Bartali, a three-time
Tour titles in a row. win the opening stage. Vic- former Giro champion who
Dumoulin was the last of the tor Campenaerts of Lotto in 2013 was posthumously
175 riders to start the stage Soudal finished third with bestowed Israel's highest
Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin in action during time trials at the
start of 2018 Giro d'Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race in Tel Aviv- and finished the 9.7-kilome- the same time as Dennis. honor given to non-Jews
Yafo, Friday, May 4, 2018. ter (6-mile) time trial in 12 "This is all I wished, the win who risked their lives to save
Associated Press minutes, 2 seconds to claim and quite a lot of time on Jews during World War II.
the pink jersey. Australian the other GC riders," Du- The second leg of the race
By ARON HELLER 37 seconds behind Dumou- rider Rohan Dennis was two moulin said. "I knew I was stretches 167 kilometers
Associated Press lin in 21st place. seconds behind in second ready for the Giro but I (104 miles) down the Medi-
JERUSALEM (AP) — With Dumoulin said he heard place. wasn't sure I'd win today. terranean coast from Haifa
Chris Froome likely feeling about Froome's crash be- Thousands of spectators The course was hard but to Tel Aviv. Stage 3 will fol-
the ill effects of a training fore the race and was lined Jerusalem's streets absolutely perfect for me." low a 229-kilometer (143-
crash, defending champi- aware of the tricky route to watch the first time a Although the 27-year-old mile) route from Beersheba
on Tom Dumoulin won the that snaked through Jeru- Grand Tour cycling race Dumoulin is likely to hold in the Negev desert down
opening stage of the 101st salem. has ever been held out- onto the lead during the to Israel's southern tip of Ei-
Giro d'Italia on Friday. "The roads were OK. They side Europe. The cyclists early stages in Israel, he lat along the Red Sea.
Froome, who bloodied were a little bit bumpy. ... passed Israel's parliament, said it would be difficult to The race will then transfer
his right knee and ripped it was very technical and Supreme Court, the Israel maintain his advantage for to Italy, and the island of
his shorts and jersey in the very demanding and very Museum and the Hebrew the entire race. Sicily, for an early rest day
crash shortly before the challenging course, but University on their route "We are not planning on on Monday. The Giro will
time trial started, finished for me it was OK," said the through the city. defending it every day. end in Rome on May 27.q