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Sweden’s undisputed pole vault king Armand Duplantis ended an undefeated season with another fantastic victory at the Diamond League final in Brussels on Friday.
It was his 15th and final victory in a year in which he improved his own world record three times, by up to 6.26 meters.
The Swede of American origin was once again at odds with the competition at the King Baudouin Stadium in cold conditions.
He only jumped three times, at 5.62, 5.92 and 6.11m, the latter being a new meet record. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis finished second with 5.82m on countback ahead of local favorite Ben Broeders.
“My legs felt horrible tonight and I’m really tired,” admitted Duplantis, who had to face hurdler Karsten Warholm in a 100m exhibition race in Zurich last week.
“It asked a lot more of my body than I expected. With 6.11 meters I got a good result, but the world record was not supposed to happen tonight.”
Duplantis added: “Now it’s time to celebrate my great season: I’ll drink some good Belgian beers tonight, that’s for sure!”
The opening session of the two-day finals of the elite athletics circuit was a high-octane affair, with a high percentage of some of the 82 Paris Olympics medalists in attendance.
Olympic champion Julien Alfred took victory in the 100m while his American rival Sha’Carri Richardson finished in a good position.
It was Richardson who triumphed in Zurich last week, edging Alfred over the line.
But the Saint Lucia sprinter turned the tables when it counted, clocking 10.88 seconds for victory. Richardson slowed down well before the line, knowing she had been well beaten, eventually finishing eighth among the nine women in 11.23 seconds.
“I’m so happy, it’s amazing to end my season on a good note and get the win,” Alfred said.
– Well done cameo –
American star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone starred in her cameo on a T-shirt.
The 25-year-old, who improved her own world record by winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 400m hurdles in Paris, had not competed in a Diamond League event this season and was therefore not not eligible for the final.
But organizers managed to lure McLaughlin-Levrone, who won a second Olympic gold medal in Paris with the U.S. 4x400m relay team, to Belgium to compete in invitational 200m and 400m flat races to to “honor” his Olympic achievements.
She won her 400m heat in 49.11 seconds, which was better than world and Olympic champion Marileidy’s winning time of 49.45 seconds in the 400m final itself.
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen held off a strong field to take victory in the always competitive men’s 1500m in 3 min 30.37 sec.
The Tokyo Olympic champion missed the podium in the French capital, but was keen to make up for it, once again pushing back Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot and Paris Games winner Cole Hocker.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, world champion, Olympic champion and world record holder, notched her eighth consecutive Diamond League victory with a best of 1.97m, winning on countback against Australian Nicola Olyslagers.
But there was a rare defeat for Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali, a double Olympic gold medalist and double world champion, in the men’s 3000m steeplechase.
Kenyan Amos Serem took victory in 8:06.90, while the Moroccan finished second in 8:08.60.
Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake came home in the men’s 100m, winning in 9.93 seconds ahead of Americans Christian Coleman (10.00) and Fred Kerley (10.01), Olympic bronze medalist and 2022 world champion.
Blake’s teammate Tajay Gayle, a world bronze medalist, won the long jump with a season best of 8.28m, with Olympic champion Militadis Tentoglou coming in third, 1cm behind Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer (8.28m). .16 m).
And there was a surprise victory for Briton Charles Dobson in the men’s 400m, winning in 44.49 seconds.
American Valarie Allman won the women’s discus with a record 68.47m and echoed the sentiments of many athletes after a long year of athletics.
“Now it’s off season! I can’t wait to get your fries, waffles and chocolate!”
lp/dmc
