Allyson Felix got her outdoor season off to the perfect start as she raced to victory in the 400m at the opening Diamond League meeting here on Friday. The triple world 200m champion was happy with her outing as she trains towards possibly attempting a 200m-400m double at the August 27-September 4 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Felix held off a spirited comeback from Botswana’s Amantle Montsho down the home stretch to coast to the win in a world lead of 50.33sec.
“It’s a decent time, nothing special,” said the Los Angeles native. “We went out very conservatively in the first 200m because it was windy. “That made us work hard and Montsho is always strong and she pushed all the way to the end.”
Felix, winning in Doha for the 10th time in recent years, added: “It is a very long season so I just want to take things slowly and progress. There’s lots more work to do. “Now I know where I am at and what I have to work towards. I will now focus on my speed and the first part of the race.”
There was no such dream start to the outdoor season, however, for Felix’s team-mate Lolo Jones, for whom a bout of debilitating sciatica put paid to her indoor season. Jones, the two-time world indoor champion, had to be happy with third in the 100m hurdles (12.67sec) behind compatriots Kellie Wells (12.58) and Danielle Carruthers (12.64).
Even worse was to come for Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie, who failed to progress beyond 5.50m in the men’s pole vault, far off the French record of 6.03m he set when winning European indoor gold in Paris in March. The event was eventually won by Germany’s Malte Mohr (5.81m). France’s Teddy Tamgho dominated the triple jump, winning easily with a best leap of 17.49m ahead of Leevan Sands of the Bahamas and Cuban Alexis Copello.
