Xiamen Diamond League Highlights

By: Gyang Dakwo

The 2024 Wanda Diamond League will burst out of the blocks in China this Saturday with sports biggest stars competing and it did indeed bring on the adrenaline and excitement as expected.

Abuja Digest brings you some of the happenings at the one day meet.

World champion Marileidy Paulino captured the first track gold of the Diamond League season in the women’s 400m, as the Dominican eased home in 50.08 seconds, ahead of Natalia Kaczmarek (50.29) and Britton Wilson (51.26).

Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn then set the pace in the women’s 100m hurdles, with the Puerto Rican cruising to victory in 12.45 seconds.
Quinn beat reigning world champion Danielle Williams of Jamaica (fourth, 12.56) and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (fifth, 12.58).

Debutante Australian Torrie Lewis won the 200m in 22.96, edging world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson by three hundredths. Richardson, who primarily races the 100m, was followed by three more Americans Tamara Clark, Anavia Battle and TeeTee Terry.

Christian Coleman got the better of fellow former world champion Fred Kerley in the men’s 100m.
World indoor 60m champion Coleman failed to make his customary fast start, with 2022 world champion Kerley leading through the first 30 metres. But the 28-year-old picked up well in the middle of the race and moved past his compatriot to win in 10.13 seconds

Canada’s reigning world champion Marco Arop just held off Kenya’s Wycliffe Kinyamal in the men’s 800m, clocking 1:43.61 for the fastest time in the world this year.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech was in a class of her own in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, winning in a world lead 8:55.40.
Her compatriot Faith Cherotich (9:05.49) was second with Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai (9:12.99) some way back in third.

Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, the world record holder in the 5000m, rounded off the distance track action with an explosive performance. The reigning 10,000m world champion showed her versatility with the third-fastest 1500m in history, stopping the clock in 3:50.30. Tsegay was almost three seconds clear of 18-year-old Birke Haylom with Worknesh Mesele making it an Ethiopian 1-2-3.

Fresh from his World Indoor Athletics championships silver last month, American Shelby McEwen won the high jump with 2.27m. Qatar’s Olympic gold medallist Mutaz Essa Barshim was second, with Hamish Kerr of New Zealand, who beat McEwen to gold in Glasgow, taking third.