Coleman prevails over Baker in photo finish, Obiri wins deepest 5,000 in history and Semenya elevates to No. 6 all-time performer in 1,000; Kendricks, McNeal also victorious in Morocco

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

From a photo finish in the men’s 100-meter dash to the deepest women’s 5,000-meter race in history to a solo attempt at a world record, the annual Diamond League meeting in Rabat offered plenty of drama Friday in Morocco.

Christian Coleman returned from injury to compete for the first time since May 31 and prevailed over American rivals Ronnie Baker, Noah Lyles and Mike Rodgers in one of the most tightly contested 100 races of the year.

Coleman got the nod in a meet-record 9.972 seconds into a slight headwind, just ahead of Baker in 9.978, with Lyles clocking 9.99 and Rodgers running 10.01. Baker and Lyles entered the race as the wind-legal world leaders this year at 9.88. There were five world leaders and eight meet records set overall.

“It was a perfect night for me: good race and good time. I could not be happier,” said Coleman, who ran a wind-aided 9.84 on May 26 at the Prefontaine Classic, before a wind-legal 10.06 in Rome.

“I am not so surprised to win for my first race, even with such a great field because I was very fast in practice these last days. When I was injured, I managed to maintain a good condition.”

From depth in the sprints to the strongest 5,000 field ever assembled, Kenya’s Hellen Obiri surged ahead of Dutch star Sifan Hassan in the final 75 meters to prevail in a world-leading 14:21.75. Hassan was second in 14:22.34, breaking the 2008 European record of 14:23.75 set by Russia’s Liliya Shobukhova.

For the first time, five female athletes ran under 14:25 in the same race, with Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey (14:23.14) and Senbere Teferi (14:23.33) placing third and fourth, followed by Kenya’s Agnes Jebet Tirop (14:24.24) in fifth, all running personal bests. Eight runners finished in under 15:00.

Only 20 times before Friday had female athletes produced sub-14:25 performances and never more than two in the same race. It was the third time in Obiri’s career she had run under 14:25.

South Africa’s Caster Semenya took aim at the 1996 world record of 2:28.98 in the rarely contested women’s 1,000, but wound up as the No. 6 all-time performer, clocking 2:31.01.

Ce’Aira Brown took second in 2:35.85 and Kaela Edwards placed third in 2:36.13, elevating to the Nos. 6 and 7 all-time American outdoor performers.

Sam Kendricks won the men’s pole vault with a clearance of 19-2.75 (5.86m), before departing to fly to London to compete Sunday for the U.S. in the inaugural Athletics World Cup.

“Sometimes victory is enough and you do not need to jump higher,” Kendricks told the IAAF. “I will arrive in London only 12 hours before the competition. It is tough, but it is the life of an athlete and I enjoy it. I am living my dream.”

Braahim Kaazouzi turned in a dream performance in the men’s 1,500 competing in his home country, running a personal-best 3:33.22 to hold off Norway’s Filip Ingebrigtsen (3:33.40) and Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman (3:33.42).

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who trains with Nike Oregon Project, produced a world-leading effort in the men’s 3,000 by clocking a meet-record 7:32.93. Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew (7:34.26) and Australia’s Stewart McSweyn (7:34.79) both ran personal bests to place second and third, with American Paul Chelimo taking fourth in 7:34.83.

Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen also ran a world leader in the 3,000 steeplechase, enjoying a personal-best 8:06.19 to hold off another personal best from Ethiopia’s Chala Beyo (8:07.27).

Estonia’s Magnus Kirt set meet and national records in the men’s javelin with a sixth-round throw of 294-5 (89.75m) to elevate to the No. 20 all-time performer.

Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen took over the world lead in the women’s triple jump with a meet-record performance in the fifth round, soaring out to a wind-legal 49-1 (14.96m).

American Brianna McNeal secured her second straight 100 hurdles victory, setting a meet record by clocking a wind-legal 12.51.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas won the women’s 200 in a meet-record and wind-legal 22.29.

Former Auburn star and Jamaican pro sprinter Akeem Bloomfield won the men’s 400 in a meet-record 44.33.

Another Jamaican, Tajay Gayle, won the men’s long jump with a sixth-round leap of 26-6.50 (8.09m) to edge American Marquis Dendy at 26-5 (8.05m).

Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba prevailed in the women’s 800 in 1:57.90.

Germany’s Christine Schwanitz secured victory in the women’s shot put with a first-round mark of 63-7 (19.40m).