Gong retains shot put title in Shanghai Diamond League
World champion Gong Lijiao of China defended her title of shot put in Shanghai Diamond League by hurling a season best of 19.99 meters while Lyu Huihui took the gold medal in women's javelin throw with 66.85m.
29-year-old Gong, the winner of the Diamond League trophy last year, sealed the title in her second round with 19.99m, as a matter of fact, each of her valid results was good enough to win the champion.
"My plan was to break 20m today but unfortunately I was just one centimeter short of the mark," Gong said. "I probably will not join every Diamond League race this season, but I will try to get more points in each race I compete in."
Danniel Thomas-Dodd of Jamaica took the silver at 18.70m and America's Raven Saunders finished third at 18.63m.
Defending world indoor champion Anita Marton failed to present her best and only settled for the sixth place at 18.16m. Four-time world champion Valerie Adams of New Zealand finished eighth at 18.01m.
The medalist of London Championships and Asian record holder Lyu Huihui bettered her season best and broke the meet record to win with 66.85 meters while another Chinese athlete Liu Shiying ranked 10th. Witek Marcelina and Tugsuz Eda were second and third respectively.
Lyu said: "It is a good performance, but I haven't reached my best, I hope that I can have a good condition in the Asian Games."
Another reigning Champion Su Bingtian marked his first Diamond League meet this season with a silver in 10.05 seconds, 0.01 behind Prescod Reece of Britain, another Chinese sprinter Xie Zhenye came third with 10.17 seconds.
Su said he was satisfied with this result: "It is beyond my expectation, I felt a little nervous when it rained, but then felt good in the whole race, just a little tough in the last 30 meters."
"It is just a start, I hope I can be better and better in the future, I have told my coach that I wanted to showcase my best form in Eugene, even just a little progress," he added.
Olympic champion Omar McLeod of Jamaica clinched the 110m hurdles title, holding off the challenge from Spaniard Orlando Ortega, the silver medalist at the Rio Games, at the final sprint to finish home in 13.16. Native Athlete Zeng Jianhang finished eighth in 13.76.
McLeod joked: "Maybe the reason to claim the title is the food, I like the fried rice in Shanghai. Because of Liu Xiang, we are very welcomed in Shanghai. This meet is my first event this season, I didn't expect too much, so I shrugged off the pressure."
World record holder of Pole Vault, Lavillenie Renaud of France beat Lisek Piotr and Chinese athlete Xue Changrui with 5.81 meters.
Xue Changrui disclosed he didn't expect his 5.71m, he said: "To be honest the result came as a little surprise, I had no confidence before the game. The diamond league is important in which I can compete with top athletes in the world."
In other events, Luvo Manyonga of South Africa won the long jump with world leading performance 8.56 meters while local jumpers Shi Yuhao took silver in 8.43, Huang Changzhou finished third with 8.03, Gao Xinglong fourth in 8.00. Miller-Uibo Shaunae from Bahamas stormed to win the women's 200 meters with 22.06 seconds while Brianna Mcneal of United States beat her teammate Sharika Nelvis to win the women's 100m hurdles.
