Kenya's world and Olympic 800m champion, David Rudisha, was one of 11 athletes to register year-best performances as the Diamond League opened in Doha at the start of a world championship season.

Rudisha won in 1 min 43.87 sec with Ethiopia's Mohammed Aman, the only man to have beaten the Kenyan in the past three years, taking second in 1:44.21.

The Kenyan broke his own world record at the London Olympics last summer with a time of 1:40.91.

"It's a season-best, but I can do better in the coming weeks," said Rudisha.

In the men's 100m, America's 2004 Olympic champion, Justin Gatlin, won in Doha for the second successive year.

The 31-year-old, whose career was interrupted by a four-year doping ban, timed 9.97 sec to beat fellow American Michael Rodgers with Jamaica's Nesta Collins in third, both were 0.02 sec behind.

However, the 100m field was missing Olympic champion and world record holder Usain Bolt as well as world champion Yohan Blake.

"I have had a cold these last few days, but I am happy with this time at the start of the season," said Gatlin, who was the bronze medalist at the London Olympics.

Elsewhere, America's Dawn Harper-Nelson, the 2008 Olympic 100m hurdles gold medalist and silver winner in London last year, improved her season's best to 12.60 sec.

Harper-Nelson, who had run 12.62 sec in Jamaica last weekend, finished ahead of compatriots Kellie Wells (12.73) and Queen Harrison (12.74).

Ethiopia's Hagos Grhhiwet, who has only just turned 19, celebrated his birthday in style by winning the 3,000m.

The world junior champion won in 7 min ,30.36 sec to hammer home his status as the natural heir to four-time Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele.

Kenya got one over its historical rival in the 1,500m, with one of the pre-race favorites, Asbel Kiprop, bringing home the win.

"The crowd was fantastic, cheering and shouting all the time - I want to say thank you to these amazing fans," acknowledged the Beijing 2008 winner.

Commenting on his 3 min 31.13 sec win, he also said: "It was a good race - it's great to come out of it with the world lead."

Compatriot Bethwell Birgen was second, ahead of Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman.

Allyson Felix, who collected triple gold - 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m - in London, was defeated in the 400m by world champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana.

"The Doha Diamond League is such a fantastic meeting," Montsho after a winning time of 49.88 sec with Felix timing 50.19 sec.

"The fans helped me run this fast, and it's a great way to start the season. I am confident I can run below 49 seconds and retain my World Championship title in Moscow."

(China Daily 05/12/2013 page7)