Doha, Qatar, on Friday was the first stop on the 2011 Diamond League circuit. Allyson Felix, overall Diamond League winner in
the 200 and 400 in 2010, won the 400 in Doha in 50.33, the year's best time in the world, as she fended off a challenge from Amantle Montsho of Botswana, who was clocked in 50.41. "It is a decent time, nothing special," surmised Felix. "It is a very long season so I just want to take things slowly." Walter Dix's 20.06 in the men's 200 in Doha was a 2011 world-leading time, too, until that Nickel Ashmeade fellow's 19.96, which you read about in our lead item. Kellie Wells smoothly and crisped cleared the 100-meter hurdles barriers en route to a 12.58 victory, another world best for 2011, as Danielle Carruthers took second in 12.64. A competitive men's 3000 went to Ethiopia’s Yenew Alamirew in 7:27.26, another 2011 "world leader."(photo of Kellie Wells by Jiro Mochizuki/Photo Run) More