Americans Show Early Fitness in Doha

By Scott Bush

The IAAF Diamond League season got underway on Friday, as many of the world's best track and field athletes took to the track and field in Doha. Exceptional performances were in abundance, as numerous world-leading marks were put up, some surprise upsets occurred and Team USA showed well from start to finish. 

Top Five Performers in Doha

1. Tori Bowie (USA) - The 25 year old American sprinter won the 100m in a world-leading 10.80, just beating reigning world 200m champion Dafne Schippers (NED), who placed second in 10.83, both ahead of two-time Olympian champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM), who finished third in 10.91. All three ran faster than Allyson Felix's meet record of 10.92.

2. Caterine Ibarguen (COL) - No woman has ever lept over 15 meters in the triple jump in May...that is until now. Ibarguen bested rival and reigning indoor champion Yulimar Rojas (VEN), soaring to a 15.04m victory, slightly ahead of Rojas' 14.92m runner-up PR. These two are in for some serious battles this season and should be one of the better rivalries in the sport, especially with Columbia and Venezuela neighboring countries.

3. Sandi Morris (USA) - 4.83m. That was Morris' winning mark Friday, good enough to set a new outdoor personal best (she vaulted 4.95m indoors) and a Diamond League record. Morris easily won the contest, giving her another performance over the 5.80m mark this season. That gives her five performances of 5.80m in 2016 and it's worth noting Friday's win was her first Diamond League victory.

4. Omar McLeod (JAM) - Well, the men's 110m hurdles has a new gold medal favorite. A week after running 13.08 to win at the Drake Relays, McLeod came back in Doha to win in 13.05, bettering the world lead and once again decimating the field. McLeod is running with a level of confidence that's clearly giving him an edge of his rivals and the 22 year old should continue to challenge the 13-second barrier moving forward.

5. Ameer Webb (USA) - With all of the amazing performances that went down on Friday, Webb's is one fans need not overlook. Webb, 25, ran the second fastest time in the world with his new personal best of 19.85, just behind LaShawn Merritt's shocking 19.78 run last month. What was even more impressive is that Webb dominated runner-up Alonso Edward (PAN), who finished fourth at the World Championships last summer, and his new PR would have ranked him fourth in 2015. Not a bad early May performance for Webb.

Tori Bowie is Ready for 2016

Bowie has shown for the past two years that she's the current and future star of American sprinting, ranking as one of the world's best in both the 100m and 200m. On Friday, she ran a world-leading 10.80 to win the 100m event over some serious competition, while equalling her personal best in the event.

Her Doha race came off a 11.00 100m performance last week in Florida and Bowie showed that she's ready for the Olympic year ahead.

Get to know Bowie a little bit more by watching this fun adidas spot and follow her on Twitter.

Ameer Webb is a Name You Need to Know

Few sprinters are running stronger than Ameer Webb right now. The Phoenix-based training partner of Andre De Grasse (among others) is having his best season of his career. His 19.85 200m victory in Doha was a personal best, his first Diamond League win, he beat some serious competition and gives him his second sub-20 second 200m effort of the year. 

Not confined to the 200m, Webb also threw down another personal best in the 100m in Tempe, AZ in early April with a 10.03 performance. 

Webb has dropped nearly two-tenths of a second off his 200m PR and now ranks as one of the favorites to earn an Olympic team spot as the season carries on. 

Get to know Mr. Webb a bit better and follow him on Twitter.

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