WESTWOOD, CALIFORNIA, May 26–27 — Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji was ready. Still only 21, the 2018 Junior (U20) 800 champion and 4th-placer in the senior event last summer in Eugene already had a sub-4 clocking under her belt this season, running 3:59.34 in Doha. This would be no cake walk by any stretch, as Brit Kate Snowden and American hopeful Josette Andrews would keep her honest.
Pacesetter Anna Camp-Bennett led Welteji, Andrews and Kenyan Susan Ejore through 800 in 2:10 before stepping off at 1000.
At the bell, Welteji had a step on Andrews, Ejore, Canadian Lucia Stafford and Dani Jones and stretched that lead to 3m as they crossed 1200 in 3:14. The lead increased as Welteji pulled away on the backside and continued the trend as she entered the home stretch. She finished in an outdoor world leading 3:57.84, well ahead of a PR by Snowden (4:00.04), whose 60.96 final circuit picked off Andrews (4:00.77, AL), Stafford (4:02.03) and Ejore (4:02.20).
The 100 hurdles had all you could want for a final, with World Record holder Tobi Amusan heading the field in lane 4, Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn next to her in 5 and former record holder Keni Harrison in 6.
Camacho-Quinn was challenged by Harrison for nearly the whole race, but the Puerto Rican didn’t flinch as she crossed in a world-leading 12.31, 0.04 ahead of Harrison in 12.35 (AL), with Tia Jones 3rd in 12.50.
The question that remained was, Where’s Amusan? The Nigerian was second out of the blocks to Camacho-Quinn, but never a factor, finishing in an unaccustomed last in 12.69.
The women literally came out of the blocks ablazing to start Saturday’s program as Sha’Carri Richardson blasted through the field in heat 1 of the 100 in 10.90, well ahead of Morolake Akinosun (11.12), Jamaican high schooler Alana Reid (11.12) and Celera Barnes (11.13).
Heat 2 was next and Marie-Josee Ta Lou upped the ante when the Ivorian clocked 10.88, followed closely by Aleia Hobbs (10.95), with Jamaican Shashalee Forbes (11.20) and Mikiah Brisco rounding out the finals field.
When they lined up for the final American Melissa Jefferson, who’d come in 5th in heat 1 had been added to the field, while the middle two lanes were empty. Richardson and Ta Lou were now listed as DNS, but there was no sign nor mention of Hobbs on the start list. It was later reported…
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