RABAT, Morocco (AFP) — Jamaican stars Elaine Thompson and Janieve Russell posted impressive victories as Morocco hosted its first Diamond League meeting yesterday at a windy Rabat.

Thompson ran into a 1.3sec headwind to register a 100m victory in 11.02 seconds ahead of Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare in 11.11, with compatriot Kerron Stewart finishing third in 11.19 seconds. In the 400m hurdles, Russell recovered from a slow start to win comfortably in a personal best 54.16 seconds to finish ahead of American Cassandra Tate, who clocked 54.69 seconds, with third place going to Wenda Theron Nel of South Africa in 54.88 seconds.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana came close to beating Tirunesh Dibaba’s 5000m world record and world best times of the year. Also at the meeting, seven- time world champion American LaShawn Merritt never looked in any danger as he tore round the track in 44.66sec in the 400m.

But in the very last race of the inaugural night, world 5000m champion Ayana blamed the wind after she came over five seconds short of Dibaba’s 2008 record of 14min 11.15sec set in in Oslo with a pace setter.

Despite blazing to victory in 14min 16.31sec ahead of Kenya’s Viola Kibiwot, who was some 13 seconds adrift with another Ethiopian Senbere Teferi in third, Ayana was clearly disappointed.

Other highlights of the night came as Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto, his face twisted in a grimace over the home straight, won the 3000m steeplechase ahead of three compatriots.

He also set a season’s world best time of 8min 02.77sec, beating the previous one he himself had established at Doha. Another Kenyan victory came in the 1500m with Timothy Cheruiyot winning in 3min 33.61sec ahead of compatriot Silas Kiplagat and Australian Ryan Gregson.

Ukrainian Bogdan Bondarenko boosted his Diamond Race hopes in the high jump, beating leader Erik Kynard with a jump of 2.31m to cut the gap to just six points.

Caster Semenya was on flying form, also setting a world best time for 2016 of 1min 56.84sec in the 800m as she eased ahead of Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba and the up-and-coming Frenchwoman Renelle Lamote.

In the men’s 800m, France’s 24-year-old Pierre-Ambroise Bosse booked himself a date at the Rio Games when he clinched victory in 1min 44.51sec, narrowly edging reigning 1500m Olympic champion, Algerian Taoufik Makhloufi (1:44.91).

Bosnia’s Amel Tuka was third. Another South African, Rushwai Samaai, won the men’s long jump with a personal best effort of 8.38 metres, albeit with a favourable wind, beating world indoor champion Australian Fabrice Lapierre into second by 2cm.

Poland were all smiles in the discus after world champion Piotr Malachowski won the event with an effort of 67.45m to fend off compatriot Robert Urbanek, who was second with 65.04.

Elsewhere at the meeting, Panama’s Alonso Edward won the men’s 200m in 20.07sec ahead of Ivory Coast sprinter Wilfried Koffi.