In the Diamond League final the athletes who managed to qualify from the previous twelve meetings started from scratch. The winner in Brussels would automatically take the overall victory as well, which comes with a prize of 50,000 American dollars or over 43,000 euro.
Croatia’s world discus champion Sandra Perkovic took a dominant win in Brussels. With a throw of 68.82m Perkovic beat Australian Dani Stevens (65.85m) and Cuba's Denia Caballero (64.61m).
The women’s long jump trophy went to Ivana Spanovic with 6.70m. The Serbian trumped Britain's Lorraine Ugen (6.65m) and American Shakeela Saunders (6.64m) after an extremely close competition.
Kenya’s world champion Hellen Obiri is the Diamond League champion on the 5000m. Obiri ran to victory in 14:25.88, seven seconds shy of her season's best. With Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui (14:27.55) Kenya also claimed second. Ethiopian Senbere Teferi (14:32.03) was third.
US athlete Dalilah Muhammad won the Diamond League final of the 400m hurdles. Muhammad clocked a 53.89, narrowly beating Czech Zuzana Hejnova (53.93) and fellow American Ashley Spencer (54.92).
SPEEDY MILLER
Shaunae Miller-Uibo delivered one of the night’s most commanding performances by winning the 400m in 49.46, this season's world leading time. Miller-Uibo beat the 49.65 run in July by Allyson Felix in London. The 23-year-old Bahamian held off Naser (49.88) and American Courtney Okolo (50.91).
KIPRUTO SPRINTS TO VICTORY
Kenyan Conseslus Kipruto won the 3000 metre steeplechase thanks to a scorching sprint. The 22-year-old world champion caught and passed Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali (8:04.83) in the final metres to win the Diamond League with a time of 8:04.73. American Evan Jager was third (8:11.71).
LYLES STUNS WEBB AND GULIYEV
American youngster Noah Lyles was victorious on the 200m. The 20-year-old ran a 20.00 flat (wind: +0,9 m/s) ahead of fellow American Ameer Webb, who fell 0.01 short. Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev, who last month claimed a shock world title in London, was third in 20.02 in a three-way battle for the win.
Sergey Shubenkov is the overall Diamond League winner on the 110m hurdles after a 13.14 win, beating Spaniard Orlando Ortega (13.17) and US sprinter Aries Merritt (13.20). Merritt still holds the world record with 12.80, which he ran at the 2012 edition of the AG Memorial Van Damme.
LASITSKENE DOMINATES, THIAM 4TH
Russia’s world champion Maria Lasitskene dominated the high jump competition by clearing 2.02m, winning the Diamond League final and the 50,000 dollar cheque in the process. Ukraine's Yuliya Levchenko, the silver medallist at the London world championships, was second with a best jump of 1.94m. Czech Michaela Hruba finished third (1.88m).
Belgian heptathlon sensation Nafi Thiam received a wild card by the organisers of the AG Memorial Van Damme to take part in the high jump competition. The world and Olympic champion enjoyed competing in front of her home crowd and took fourth, clearing 1.88m but failing to surpass 1.91m.
THOMPSON FASTEST AGAIN
Jamaica's Elaine Thompson won the women’s 100m. The 25-year-old ran a 10.92 (wind: +0,4 m/s). Ivorian Marie-Josée Ta Lou had to settle for second in 10.93. Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor was third in 11.07. Thompson is a repeat winner in Brussels, having established a 10.72 meeting record last year.
400M FOR SANTOS, NO PODIUM FOR BORLEE BROTHERS
Dominican Luguelin Santos won the 400 metre-race, which was not a Diamond League final. Santos crossed the line in 45.67 ahead of the British duo Rabah Yousif (46.10) and Martyn Rooney (46.29). Dylan Borlée was the fastest of the Borlée brothers in 46.42, followed by Jonathan (46.44) and Kevin (46.96).
The 800m went to Botswana’s Nijel Amos in 1:44.53. He won the Diamond League final ahead of the Polish pair Marcin Lewandowski (1:44.77) and Adam Kszczot (1:44.84).
TAYLOR WINS 6TH DIAMOND LEAGUE
Christian Taylor took a sixth Diamond League win in the triple jump competition. The American world and Olympic champion jumped to 17.49m. Taylor held off his compatriot Will Claye (17.35m) and Cuba’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo (17.32m).
Andrius Gudzius reigned supreme in the discus event with a throw of 68.16m. The 26-year-old Lithuanian beat Jamaican Fedrick Dacres (66.31m) and Poland's Piotr Malachowski (65.73m) in Brussels. Belgian Philip Milanov was fourth on home soil with a best throw of 64.76m.
STEFANIDI FLYING HIGH
Pre-event favourite Ekaterini Stefanidi didn’t disappoint. The 27-year-old from Greece won the pole vault by being the only woman to clear 4.85m. She took the Diamond League win ahead of American Sandi Morris (4.75m) and Canada’s Alysha Newman (4.75m).
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