Sada Williams fourth in Qatar

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sada Williams of Barbados finished fourth in the women’s 400 metres as the World Athletics Diamond League tour got underway in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.

Williams was clocked at 52.05 seconds, fading over the last 50 metres.

World silver medallist Marileidy Paulino of Dominican Republic came home in 50.51 seconds, and American Shamier Little cemented second with 50.84.

Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek finished fast in third place with a season’s best 51.64, while the Jamaican duo of Candice McLeod (52.43) and Stephenie McPherson (52.93), took the two respective slots after Williams.

In the men’s javelin, Grenada’s double World Championships gold medallist Anderson Peters was third with 85.88 metres. India’s Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic Champion and World Championships silber medallist, won with 88.67m.

Former Olympic gold medallist, Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago, was sixth with 81.27m.

Meanwhile, Briton Dina Asher-Smith finished third as Sha’Carri Richardson set a new 100m meeting record.

American Richardson, 23, clocked 10.76 seconds, beating the previous mark of 10.80 set by her compatriot Tori Bowie, whose death at the age of 32 was announced on Wednesday.

Britain’s Asher-Smith ran 10.98secs, with Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson second in 10.85.

Later in the programme, Fred Kerley came from behind to win the men’s 200m.

American Kerley, the Olympic silver medallist over 100m, trailed as the field exited the bend but accelerated in the closing stages to cross the line in 19.92 seconds, with compatriot Kenny Bednarek placing second and Canada’s Aaron Brown third in 20.11 and 20.20, respectively. (SAT/BBC)