Athletics: 47th win in a row for Adams

Valerie Adams in action in the Diamond League event in Doha. Photo / Getty Images.

Valerie Adams makes it 47 on the trot at Diamond League opener

Valerie Adams started her 2014 outdoor European season with a comfortable win at the opening round of the IAAF Diamond League in Doha, Qatar this morning.

It was Adams' 47th consecutive victory and she shows no signs of letting up in her total dominance of women's shot putting.

An opening toss of 20.20 was all Adams needed over a field which did not contain any of her major rivals. Adams followed with an uncharacteristic four fouls and a fifth round throw of 19.51.

Yuliya Leantsiuk from Belarus was second with a best of 18.78 with Anita Martin from Hungary third on 18.32.

The four times world champion and defending Diamond shot put champion takes a maximum four points for the win and heads to Rome for her next Diamond League competition on 5 June.

The meeting was highlighted by the top middle distance performances by Kenyan athletes. Helen Obiri and Mercy Cherono finished first and second the 3000 in 8:20.68 and 8:21.14, the fifth and sixth fastest times ever behind 4 Chinese athletes in 1993.

Asbel Kiprop, the world champion won the 1500m in 3:29.18 in a high quality race which saw nine athletes run 3:32.30 or faster.

The next Diamond League meeting will be in Shanghai on 18 May, followed by Eugene, USA on 31 May, then Rome.