Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba celebrates her win in the women’s 5,000 metres. (Right) China’s Su Bingtian became the first Asian-born athlete to run a sub-10 second 100 metres.

Agencies/Eugene

Alhough the conditions and pacing didn’t make a world record likely in the women’s 5,000m, Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba made a valiant effort at her older sister Tirunesh’s seven-year-old mark of 14:11.15.
Dibaba backed up her stellar indoor season with a time of 14:19.76, her fastest time outdoors. It moved her up to fourth on the all-time world list outdoors, although only the fourth fastest Ethiopian!
Prior to the race, Dibaba said she was aiming for a personal best even though the afternoon start meant the possibility of warm temperatures and a windy back straight.
She initially took her place behind the pacemaker early on and went through the first kilometre in 2:51, but the pacemaker wasn’t able to hold the quick pace for very long and Dibaba was soon tasked with leading the race herself.
She passed 3,000m in 8:33. As the final laps ticked off, the crowd noise crew as the possibility of a sub-14:20 became possible despite the heat on a warm day in Oregon.
“I’m very happy,” said Dibaba.  “But the last K (1,000m) was very hard.”
Dibaba’s performance adds to what has been a good early season for the event.
Even after the personal best and the meeting record, Dibaba still sits only in second place on the 2015 world list to Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana who ran 14:14.32 two weeks ago in Shanghai.   
After Saturday’s race, Dibaba said she will be attacking the world record again soon.    
Behind Dibaba, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon finished second in 14:31.95 and the 2011 IAAF World Championships gold medallist Vivian Cheruiyot was third in 14:46.69.
China’s Su runs historic sub-10 second 100m in Eugene

China’s Su Bingtian creates history for asia
China’s Su Bingtian became the first Asian-born athlete to run a sub-10 second 100 metres when he finished third in the Diamond League meeting in Eugene on Saturday.
The 25-year-old clocked 9.99 seconds in the race won by American Tyson Gay in 9.88.
“I am so proud for my result. I can write my name into history now and will work harder and run faster,” Su told Xinhua. “This is definitely a huge boost for me.”
Su’s time is not the fastest by an Asian athlete, however, with Qatar’s Femi Ogunode having clocked 9.93 at the Asian Games in South Korea last year on his way to a sprint double.
Ogunode, though, was born in Nigeria but moved to the Gulf state in 2009 and became a naturalised citizen a year later, in time to race at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, where he won the 200m and 400m titles.
Japanese teenager Yoshidie Kiryu ran a wind-assisted 9.87 at a meeting in Texas in March, also indicating his ability and a sign that Su’s milestone may soon be surpassed.
Su’s compatriot Zhang Peimeng had held the previous fastest time for an Asian-born athlete with the 10.00 flat he clocked at the 2013 world championships in Moscow, and Su hoped they would be able to replicate that at this year’s worlds in Beijing.
“In Moscow, Zhang Peimeng was ranked ninth with 10 seconds, which made me feel that we are very close to entering the top eight and beating 10 seconds,” Su added.
“I hope in this year’s world championships, I can work some miracles for my country in 100m and 4x100m relay.”

Gatlin wins
US sprinter Justin Gatlin continued to build his solid start to the season, winning the 200m in a world-leading 19.68sec.
That performance comes after he posted the year’s top 100m time of 9.74 at Doha.
The 33-year-old Gatlin, who has served two doping bans, said it was perfect preparation for the US world championship trials on the same Eugene track in June.
Before then, he’ll race a 100m at Rome, but he’ll skip the 100 at trials because he has a World Championship bye and race the 200m instead—with an eye toward challenging Jamaican great Usain Bolt in both at Beijing.
“I prepare myself for these kind of races in practice on a regular basis, so to be able to come out here and do this shows I’m on course to go out there and do something good at nationals,” Gatlin said.
Jamaica’s World and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce bounced back from a lackluster showing at the Shanghai Diamond League event on May 17 with a thrilling 100m victory over Murielle Ahoure of Ivory Coast, both finishing in 10.81sec.
That eclipsed the 10.92 clocked by Jamaican Elaine Thompson at Kingston on April 11, and was a welcome turnaround for Fraser-Pryce.
“I knew I had it in me. I’ve been training well,” she said.
Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada defeated American world champion LaShawn Merritt in the 400m.
James’s time of 43.95 lowered his own season-leading time of 44.22. Merritt was second in 44.51.
France’s Pascal Martinot-Lagarde won the 110m hurdles in a season-leading 13.06 ahead of US rivals Aries Merritt (13.12) and David Oliver (13.14).
An exciting day indeed.

Eugene Diamond League results
Results on Saturday in the Eugene Diamond League athletics meeting:

Men
100m (wind 1.5 m/sec)
1. Tyson Gay (USA) 9.88
2. Mike Rodgers (USA) 9.90
3. Su Bingtian (CHN) 9.99
 
200m (0.9)
1. Justin Gatlin (USA) 19.68
2. Anaso Jobodwana (RSA) 20.04
3. Nickel Ashmeade (JAM) 20.18
 
400m
1. Kirani James (GRN) 43.95
2. LaShawn Merritt (USA) 44.51
3. Chris Brown 44.54
 
800m
1. Mohammed Aman (ETH) 1:44.92
2. Nijel Amos (BOT) 1:45.06
3. Taoufik Makhloufi (ALG) 1:45.17
 
Mile
A race (Bowerman mile)
1. Ayanleh Souleiman (DJI) 3:51.10
2. Matthew Centrowitz (USA) 3:51.20
3. Asbel Kiprop (KEN) 3:51.25
 
B race
1. Ben Blankenship (USA) 3:55.72
2. Jonathan Kiplimo Sawe (KEN) 3:55.76
3. Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) 3:55.80
 
110m hurdles (1.5)
1. Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (FRA) 13.06
2. Aries Merritt (USA) 13.12
3. David Oliver (USA) 13.14
 
400m hurdles
1. Johnny Dutch (USA) 48.20
2. Bershawn Jackson (USA) 48.22
3. Michael Tinsley (USA) 48.79
 
3000m steeplechase:
1. Ezekiel Kemboi (KEN) 8:01.71
2. Jairus Kipchoge (KEN) 8:01.83
3. Conseslus Kipruto (KEN) 8:05.20
 
High jump
1. Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) 2.41m  
2. Zhang Guowei (CHN) 2.38    
3. Erik Kynard (USA) 2.35
 
Pole vault
1. Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) 6.05m
2. Sam Kendricks (USA) 5.80
3. Raphael Holzdeppe (GER) 5.80
 
Women
100m
A race (1.7)
1. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) 10.81
2. Murielle Ahoure (CIV) 10.81
3. Tori Bowe (USA) 10.82
 
B race
1. English Gardner (USA) 10.84
2. Elaine Thompson (JAM) 10.84
3. Rosangela Santos (BRA) 11.04     

400m:
1. Allyson Felix (USA) 50.05
2. Sanya Richards-Ross (USA) 50.29
3. Stephenie Ann McPherson (JAM) 50.40
 
800m:
1. Eunice Jepkoech (KEN) 1:57.82
2. Ajee Wilson (USA) 1:57.87
3. Brenda Martinez (USA) 1:59.06
 
1500m
1. Jennifer Simpson (USA) 4:00.98
2. Mercy Cherono (KEN) 4:01.26
3. Sifan Hassan (NED) 4:01.65
 
5000m:
1. Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 14:19.76
2. Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon (KEN) 14:31.95
3. Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 14:46.69
 
Triple jump (wind 2.1 m/sec)
1. Caterine Ibarguen (COL) 15.18m
2. Ekaterina Koneva (RUS) 15.04
3. Olga Saladukha (UKR) 14.48
 
Javelin
1. Christina Obergfoll (GER) 63.07m
2. Kara Patterson (USA) 62.85
3. Madara Palameika (LAT) 62.85