Gatlin opens Diamond season with win at Shanghai

Last year's Diamond League winner Justin Gatlin stormed to a winning start of the season in Shanghai on Saturday.

The Beijing World Championships 100m and 200m silver medalist returned to China to lift the 100m title in 9.94 seconds. Asian record holder Femi Ogunode came second in 10.07. The Qatari equalled the his own Asian record of 9.91 last month to lead the world standings. Michael Rodgers was third in 10.10.

Last year's world finalist Su Bingtian and his Chinese teammate Zhang Peimeng did not show up in the race while Xie Zhenye finished 8th and Mo Youxue, who missed the starting signal, came last.

Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic opened her Diamond League campaign with a league record as the Croatian nailed the women's discus title in her fourth throw in 70.88 meters while Australian Dani Samuels finished second in 67.77.

Beijing World Championships winner Denia Caballero, who beat Perkovic in Beijing last year with more than two meters, had to settle for the bronze in 66.14. China's Su Xinyue posted a personal best of 64.45 to rank fourth.

The night's second world lead result came from the women's 1,500m where Kenya's world silver medalist Faith Kipyegon clocked three minutes 56.82 seconds to beat compatriot Hellen Obiri in 3:59.34. Dawit Seyaum of Ethiopia bagged a bronze in 3:59.87

The women's high jump saw Beijing World Championship finalist Levern Spencer of St. Lucia clear 1.94 meters to edge Nadezhda Dusanova of Uzbekistan who jumped over the same height but with more attempts. European bronze medallist Ana Simic from Croatia was third in 1.92.

Kurt Roberts emerged the surprise winner in the men's shot put in 21.40 meters instead of his title favorite U.S. compatriots Joe Kovacs and Ryan Whiting.

World outdoor champion, Joe Kovacs, last year's Diamond Race winner walked away with a bronze in 20.82. New Zealand's recently crowned world indoor champion, Tom Walsh, took silver in 21.20. Two-time world indoor champion Whiting finished a disappointing 8th.

In the men's 800m, world and Olympic champion David Rudisha fell out of the podium with a fifth finish in 1:46.24, just three months ahead of his Olympic title defence in Rio.

However, Kenya still managed to make a podium sweep as Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich pulled off the victory in 1:45.68 ahead of Robert Biwott (1:45.84) and Alfred Kipketer (1:45.93).

Michael Tinsley of the United States clocked 48.90 to win the men's 400m hurdles and Bahamas' Shaunae Miller triumphed in women's 400m in 50.45. Enditem