Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred and double world U20 champion Bayanda Walaza dominated their sprint races.

Saint Lucia’s Alfred cruised to 200m triumph in 22.15 (-0.8m/s) and was followed by Spain’s Jael Bestue in 22.92, while South Africa’s Walaza continued to impress in the 100m, improving his PB to 9.94 – also into a headwind of -0.3m/s – to win ahead of Germany’s Owen Ansah in 10.20.

“I was hoping to run a bit faster, to be honest,” said Alfred. “But it is not about time, it is a long season and we are still in May. It was like a fight against the wind. I tried to finish strong but to finish healthy is all that matters right now.”

Walaza was understandably delighted with his own time. “It was something my coach and I were planning, to come here and show up and show that South Africa is one of the strongest countries,” said the 19-year-old. “But we were not expecting this result – maybe 9.98, but it was 9.94.

“To be one of the fastest juniors feels like an honour and makes me want to work more, be strong and win. If I could put myself together, I could be one of the fastest in the world.”

Ethiopia’s world 10,000m champion Gudaf Tsegay was racing her first 1500m since taking the world indoor title over the distance in Nanjing in March and she made a winning season debut. Responding to a final lap surge by her 19-year-old compatriot Birke Haylom, Tsegay kicked around her off the final bend and couldn’t be caught, winning in a meeting record of 3:58.14 to Haylom’s 3:59.19.

Kenya’s 18-year-old Denis Kipkoech surprised his fellow teenage rivals to win the 5000m. Seemingly out of the equation with 100 metres to go, he chased down his compatriot Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi and Ethiopia’s Biniam Mehary – who were locked in battle ahead of him – and pipped them both at the finish line, which the world U20 3000m silver medallist crossed in a big PB of 13:03.17.

Alamisi also set a PB, the 17-year-old securing the runner-up spot in 13:03.30 ahead of 18-year-old multiple world U20 record-holder Mehary in 13:03.57. World 1500m bronze medallist Narve Gilje Nordas was fourth, finishing 10 seconds back.

USA’s Alaysha Johnson powered to 100m hurdles victory, passing her rivals in the closing stages to win in 12.82 (1.1m/s). Denisha Cartwright of The Bahamas got a strong start but hit a couple of barriers and was put under pressure from Johnson, while Luca Kozak and Nika Glojnaric also finished well to respectively secure second and third, with Cartwright finishing fourth.

USA’s Dylan Beard also knocked multiple barriers but managed to maintain his form to win the 110m hurdles memorial race in 13.20 (0.3m/s), holding off a fast-finishing 2016 Olympic champion Omar McLeod in 13.40.

Norway’s Amalie Iuel opened her 400m hurdles season with a win, pipping Germany’s Elena Kelety to triumph by a tenth of a second in 55.06.

Paula Sevilla, who helped Spain to a 4x400m win and 4x100m second place at the World Relays earlier this month, won her first outdoor 400m of the year. The 27-year-old clocked 51.00 ahead of runner-up Sharlene Mawdsley of Ireland (51.14).

Great Britain’s Justin Davies won the men’s 800m in 1:44.87 ahead of Algeria’s Slimane Moula in 1:45.05. Slovenia’s Anita Horvat strode away from Great Britain’s Isabelle Boffey to win the women’s race – 2:01.29 to 2:02.09.

Source: World Athletics