Adekoya settles for third in Doha Diamond League

TDT | Manama

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Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya finished third in the women’s 400 metres hurdles at the Doha Diamond League meeting on Friday night, clocking 53.67 seconds at the Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium.

The race was won by Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalová in a meeting record 52.30 seconds, with Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton taking second in 53.05. The top three headed a high-quality field that featured multiple athletes who have run sub-53 seconds this season, underlining the level of competition in Doha’s 33°C evening conditions.

Adekoya, 33, arrived with a season best of 53.71 set earlier this month in Texas. She went out strongly and led the Bahraini challenge through the early stages before fading slightly over the final hurdles. Her 53.67 was a marginal improvement on that mark and marked a solid Diamond League season debut.

Zapletalová built her winning margin in the latter stages, pulling away off the final bend and maintaining her rhythm over the closing barriers to secure maximum points. Clayton stayed closest but had to settle for second despite a strong finish.

Panama’s Gianna Woodruff placed fourth in 53.88, followed by Norway’s Amalie Iuel in 54.09. Zimbabwe’s Ashley Miller, Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso, and Germany’s Eileen Demes completed the line-up.

Adekoya now sits seventh in the Diamond League standings on six points after four qualification meetings. Zapletalová leads the rankings on 32 points, ahead of Clayton on 26, with two qualification meetings remaining before the Diamond League Final.

Adekoya, a former world indoor champion and Bahrain medal hopeful, will continue her build-up to the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4.