Justin Gatlin equals sixth fastest 100m time at Diamond League

American Justin Gatlin ran the joint-sixth quickest 100m time in history to dominate the field in the Diamond League opener in Doha.

The 33-year-old, who has served two doping bans, sprinted away to win his first race of 2015 in a time of 9.74 seconds - a world best for this year.

It was a bad night for Britain's James Dasaolu, who finished last in the race in a time of 10.14.

And Britain's Mo Farah could only finish second in the men's 3,000m.

The 32-year-old was well-placed going into the final lap but conceded the lead with 300m to go and was unable to chase down eventual winner Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia down the final straight.

Gatlin's was the standout display of the night as he picked up where he left off in 2014, during which he recorded six of the seven fastest 100m times of the year. His time was the fastest since Jamaica's Yohan Blake ran 9.69 in August 2012.

His time of 9.74 has only been bettered by fellow American Tyson Gay, Jamaica's Asafa Powell and his compatriots Blake and Usain Bolt - whose world record 9.58 came in Berlin in August 2009.

It was way too good for his rivals on Friday, with the American finishing well ahead of US relay team-mate Michael Rodgers, who was second in 9.96, and third-placed Keston Bledman of Trinidad and Tobago.

Mo Farah ran a time of 7:38.22 in Doha on Friday

Britain's Shara Proctor only managed second place in the long jump - but equalled the British long jump record of 6.95m in the process.

Last year's 200m Diamond Race winner, American Allyson Felix, made the perfect start to her title defence with a dominant showing, winning in a world lead and Diamond League record-equalling time of 21.98, beating, amongst others, Britain's Bianca Williams, who was sixth.

Another American, Jasmin Stowers, set a new world lead and Diamond League record time of 12.35 to improve on her personal best for the third time in 2015 and dominate a strong women's 100m hurdles race.

Britain's Tiffany Porter took third, ahead of Australia's reigning Olympic champion Sally Pearson (fourth) and 2014 Diamond Race winner Dawn Harper-Nelson (eighth).

Brit Jack Green's time of 49.31 was enough to give him fourth in a men's 400m hurdles race won by American Bershawn Jackson in 48.09. Ireland's Thomas Barr was third.

In total, there were 10 world lead performances on Friday, which also included American Tianna Bartoletta's 6.99m to win the women's long jump, Cuban Pedro Pablo Pichardo's 18.06m in the men's triple jump and a time of 1:43.78 by Djiboutian Ayanleh Souleiman to win a strongly-contested men's 800m.