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≡ PARIS DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡
Stop no. eight on the 2025 Diamond League circuit was the annual Meeting de Paris, at the Stade Charlety, with some fabulous racing and world leads in three events:
● Men/1,500 m: 3:27.49, Azeddine Habz (FRA)
● Women/1,500 m: 3:57.02, Nelly Chepchirchir (KEN)
● Women/Steeple: 8:53.37, Faith Cherotich (KEN)
France’s 2025 European Indoor 1,500 m silver star Habz – also the world leader in the 1,500 m outdoors off his win in Rome two weeks ago – was the fan favorite in the men’s 1,500 m. He took over from the pacesetters and took the bell in front, chased by George Mills (GBR).
But Habz was too strong and pulled away to win in a brilliant 3:27.49, a national record and world leader, ahead of Phanuel Koech (KEN) who got a world junior (U-20) record of 3:27.72 in second. Mills got a lifetime best of 3:28.36 and Festus Lagat (KEN: 3:29.03) was fifth.
Twelve of the top 13 got lifetime bests in the race; Belgian Pieter Sisk ran 3:31.85 and was ELEVENTH! Habz moved to no. 6 all-time and Koech is no. 9.
The women’s 1,500 m saw Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom and Kenyan Chepchirchir in front after the pacesetters stepped off and they led at the bell. But then Chepchirchir took off and raced away to an outdoor world-leading 3:57.02 win.
Behind her, Haylom, Kenya’s Susan Ejore and Australian Linden Hall were jockeying for second into the straight, but Ireland’s Sarah Healy moved best and passed all three, finishing in a lifetime best of 3:57.15, no. 2 outdoors this year. Haylom (3:57.50), Hall (3:57.63) and Worknesh Mesele (ETH: 3:57.95) were 3-4-5; the top five are the fastest outdoors in 2025.
Olympic women’s Steeple bronze winner Cherotich (KEN) was coming off an impressive win at the Bislett Games in Oslo, and she and Tokyo Olympic champ Peruth Chemutai (UGA) were at the front by 1,200 m. They ran together, unchallenged, to the bell, and the race was still in doubt into the straight. But Cherotich was the stronger and won in a world-leading and lifetime best of 8:53.37 with Chemutai at 8:54.41 and Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew third in 9:01.22.
Americans Gabi Jennings and Courtney Wayment got seasonal bests of 9:08.05 and 9:08.08 in 4-5 and Angelina Napoleon scored a lifetime best of 9:10.72 in seventh. Cherotich moves to no. 6 all-time with the no. 9 performance in history; Chemutai’s performance is no. 13 ever. Wow.
The U.S. had lots of success, starting with a come-from-behind win for discus star Valarie Allman!
Olympic champ Allman was looking for a 24th straight win and got out to the early lead at 64.88 m (212-10) in round one. But she was soon third, after Jorinde van Klinken (NED) reached 65.78 m (215-10) in round two, with 2019 World Champion Yaime Perez (CUB) out to 65.03 m (213-4). Van Klinken improved to 66.42 m (217-11) in round four, but Allman had one more throw in her and stole the victory in round six with a clutch toss of 67.56 m (221-8)! No. 24.
Japan’s Rachid Muratake (13.08: +1.4) out-leaned Dylan Beard of the U.S. (PR 13.08) to win the first heat of the men’s 110 m hurdles and Swiss star Jason Joseph won heat two (13.08: +1.1), passing Olympic champ Grant Holloway on the run-in (13.16). It was Holloway’s first race since finishing 10th at the Xiamen Diamond League on 26 April.
In the final, Holloway got his usual bullet start, but was in a battle with countrymen Trey Cunningham and Beard right through the 10th hurdle. On the run-in, Cunningham got the advantage and won in 13.00 (+1.1) – equaling his lifetime best – with Beard getting a lifetime best of 13.02. Holloway faded to fifth, however (13.11) as Joseph moved up to third (13.07) and Muratake was fourth (13.08). American Jamal Britt was sixth in 13.15.
Olympic champ Rai Benjamin had to avoid a let-down from his dominant, world-leading men’s 400 m hurdles win in Stockholm, and he trailed 2019 Worlds bronze winner Abderrahmane Samba (QAT) through five hurdles. But into the straight, Benjamin had the lead and ran away to win in 46.93. Samba was a clear second in 47.09, a seasonal best and American Trevor Bassitt, the 2022 Worlds bronze winner, out-dueled Matheus Lima (BRA) on the run-in for third, 48.14 to 48.26.
Dina Asher-Smith (GBR), the 2019 World Champion, got off best in the women’s 200 m, but American Anavia Battle, who has been excellent on the circuit, got to the lead on the straight and won again in 22.27 (+0.9). Britain’s Amy Hunt passed Asher-Smith on the straight and was second in 22.45, and McKenzie Long of the U.S. got third in 22.49. Americans Deajeah Stevens and Paris bronzer Brittany Brown were 4-5 in 22.66 and 22.77, with Asher-Smith at 22.88 in sixth. It was Battle’s fourth Diamond League win this year.
Current world-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) and former world-record holder Keni Harrison of the U.S. were in the women’s 100 m hurdles, but Paris fifth-placer Grace Stark has been a big story this season, winning in Shanghai and Stockholm and she dominated the race in Paris.
Out well, she got to the lead early and held it, finishing with a brilliant lifetime best of 12.21 (+0.7), no. 3 in the world for 2025 and now equal-fifth all-time (and the equal-fifth performance in history)! Amusan was a close second in 12.24, followed by Ackera Nugent (JAM: 12.30) and then Harrison at 12.48. American Alaysha Johnson was seventh in 12.66. Count Stark among the medal contenders for the Tokyo Worlds …. if you didn’t have her there already!
Five were still in contention at 4.73 m (15-6 1/4) in the women’s vault, with Tokyo Olympic co-champ Katie Moon of the U.S. the first to clear (second try) and two-time World Indoor winner Sandi Morris (USA) cleared on her third. Morris missed once at 4.78 m (15-8 1/4) trying to take the lead, then passed and then missed twice at 4.83 m (15-10), with Moon also missing her three tries, but taking the win. Emily Grove of the U.S. was third at 4.63 m (15-2 1/4).
And there was a lot more, under sunny Paris skies to start:
Six of the eight Paris 2024 finalists were in the men’s 800 m – placers 3-8 – but World Indoor 800 m winner Joey Hoey of the U.S. took the lead after the bell and was in front with Tshepiso Masalela (BOT) and Andreas Kramer (SWE) chasing. Around the turn, Hoey, Kramer and fellow American Bryce Hoppel were in the lead, but Spain’s 2024 European silver star Mohamed Attaoui – fifth in Paris – sprinted along the curb and passed everyone to win in 1:42.73, with Hoey (1:43.00), Hoppel (1:43.11) and Max Burgin (GBR: 1:43.61) following.
All of the questions in the men’s Steeplechase were about world-record holder Lamecha Girma (ETH), who failed to finish in the Paris Olympic final and hadn’t raced since. When the pacers finished, Girma was right at the front, with Tokyo Olympic fourth-place Getnet Wale (ETH).
Those two were well in front with 600 m to go, with Girma firmly in control at the bell and he rolled to a decisive 8:07.01 victory, no. 4 in the world for 2025. Behind him, Wale was passed coming off the final water jump by Salaheddine Ben Yazide (MAR), second in 8:1168, with Wale third in 8:12.58, a seasonal best.
The men’s 5,000 had Ethiopia’s two-time World Indoor 3,000 m champ Yomif Kejelcha looking for another stunning time, chased by Paris Olympian Graham Blanks of the U.S. and three-time Olympian Birhanu Balew (BRN) at the 3,000 m mark. But Kejelcha was all alone, and rolled to the line in 12:47.84, a seasonal best and no. 8 on the 2025 world list.
Balew passed Blanks at the bell for second and held on, 12:48.67 to 12:49.51. Nico Young of the U.S., so brilliant in his Bislett Games win, finished seventh in 12:55.71, right behind Morocco’s Steeplechase star, Soufiane El Bakkali (12:55.49 lifetime best).
Paris Olympian Jordan Scott (JAM) overwhelmed the field in the men’s triple jump in Oslo, jumping 17.34 m (56-10 3/4) on his first try, and was hot again in the opening round in Paris at 17.11 m (56-1 3/4). This time, he had company, as home favorite Jonathan Seremes (FRA) reached 17.08 m (56-0 1/2) in round two and 2024 World Indoor runner-up Yasser Triki (ALG) measured 17.02 mw (55-10 1/4w) in round three.
Things changed in round four as 2023 World Champion Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) bounded into the lead at 17.21 m (56-5 3/4), followed by France’s Thomas Gogois at 17.11 m and with a better second jump than Scott. But the Jamaican star rebounded in round six and took the win at 17.27 m (56-8) to get his third Diamond League win of the season! Donald Scott of the U.S. reached 16.84 m (55-3) and finished seventh.
The men’s javelin was essentially over in the first round, as Tokyo Olympic champ Neeraj Chopra (IND) took the lead at 88.16 m (289-3) and Germany’s 2022 European champ Julian Weber got close at 87.88 m (288-4) and neither improved and no one else got close. Brazil’s Mauricio da Silva got a national record of 86.62 m (284-2) in the third round for third.
Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM) and 2019 World Champion Salwa Eid Naser (BAH) were matched up once again in the women’s 400 m, but Lynna Irby-Jackson of the U.S. and Dutch star Lieke Klaver were the early leaders. Coming out of the final turn, Irby-Jackson was holding on, but Naser got to the lead with 50 m to go, only to be finally passed by Paulino, who won in a meet record of 48.81. Naser was close at 48.85, then Chile’s Martina Weil surprised in third with a national record of 49.83, followed by Irby-Jackson (49.87). Fellow American Bella Whittaker was sixth at 50.18.
The usual star suspects were in the women’s high jump, with the event coming down to Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR), two-time Olympic silver winner Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) and 2022 World Champion Eleanor Patterson (AUS). They dispensed with the rest of the field by 1.97 m (6-5 1/2), with Mahuchikh clearing on her first try to take the lead. At 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), Olyslagers took the lead with a second-try clearance, and that was enough to win her second straight Diamond League gold.
Americans Vashti Cunningham (1.94 m/6-4 1/4) and Charity Nufnagel (1.91 m/6-3 1/4) finished fourth and sixth.
Another terrific meet. Next up is the sole U.S. Diamond League meet, the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, on 5 July.
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