Doha, Qatar, on Friday was the first stop on the 2011 Diamond League circuit. Allyson Felix, overall Diamond League winner in

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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