CABALLERO DEFEATS PERKOVIC

Cuba’s Denia Caballero sprang a surprise in the women’s discus, an event where two-time Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic could only finish fifth.

Denia Caballero spins to victory at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm (Hasse Sjogren) © Copyright

Perkovic indicated yesterday that she wasn’t expecting much on her season debut, given it was still four months out from the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, but even still she was below-par. She registered two valid attempts – her best effort of 63.71m leaving her fifth. Caballero took victory via her second-round effort of 65.10m, with fellow Cuban Yaime Perez just behind with 65.09m and China’s Yang Chen third with 64.25m.

Sam Kendricks continued his fine start to the season with his second Diamond League victory in the men’s pole vault, the American the only athlete in the field able to clear 5.72m in the breezy conditions, which he did at the first attempt.

With that he decided to call it a night, the world champion in prime position at the head of the standings with his maximum tally of 16 points from his first two meetings. Poland’s Piotr Lisek finished second with 5.60m, while Japan’s Seito Yamamoto was third with a best of 5.48m.

Mariya Lasitskene had a few nervous moments in the women’s high jump, but the reigning world champion opened her season with a win. She had two failures at 1.90m but sailed clear on the third effort and then cleared 1.92m at the first attempt, something no other jumper could manage. Ukraine’s Yuliya Levchenko took second on countback from Sweden’s Erika Kinsey, both clearing a best of 1.90m.

“Today it was super hard for me, my body was not listening at all,” said Lasitskene. “I tried not to get injured during the competition and therefore I´m happy. That really was my only and big goal for today.”

In the women’s 1500m, a non-Diamond League event, Britain’s Laura Muir displayed her vast supremacy with a solo run to victory, the 26-year-old coasting away from the pack after the pacemaker stepped aside after 800m and cruising home in 4:05.37 – an ideal tune-up for Rome next Thursday where she will target a much faster time.

“Today was about the win rather than the time with the conditions as they are,” she said.

MONTLER NOTCHES BIG LONG JUMP UPSET

There was a huge upset in the men’s long jump, Sweden’s Thobias Montler the sole athlete in the field able to thrive in the difficult conditions. He soared to a personal best of 8.22m in the second round, a mark which no one could match.

Big win for Thobias Montler in Stockholm (Hasse Sjogren) © Copyright

Juan Miguel Echevarria came closest, the Cuban unable to match his heroics here last year and having to make do with second via his sixth-round effort of 8.12m. USA’s Jeff Henderson was third with 8.09m while world champion Luvo Manyonga was fourth with 8.07m.

“I did my 8.43 jump a week ago but it was in the wind so it gave me confidence for today,” said Montler. “Of course I am surprised to come out on top with the big names – I know Luvo and Echevarria can jump really far but maybe I ‘m more used to the cold.”