ATHLETICS: Ceh’s 233-10 discus win among six world leads at Birmingham Diamond League

Slovenia's Kristjan Ceh on the way to history at the Diamond League meet in Birmingham (Photo: Diamond League SA)

/Updated/The second Diamond League meet of the season was in Birmingham (GBR) and under cloudy skies, it was Slovenian discus star Kristjan Ceh who shone brightest among six world-leading performances:

Men/110 m Hurdles: 13.09, Hansle Parchment (JAM)
Men/Discus: 71.27 m (233-10), Kristjan Ceh (SLO)

Women/5,000 m: 14:47.55, Dawit Seyaum (ETH)
Women/4×100 m: 42.29, Great Britain
Women/Vault: 4.73 m (15-6 1/4), Sandi Morris (USA)
Women/Long Jump: 7.09 m (23-3 1/4), Malaika Mihambo (GER)

Ceh, 23, was fifth in Tokyo and a rising star, startled the field that included Tokyo Olympic champ Daniel Stahl (SWE) and 2017 World Champion Andrius Gudzius (LTU) with his second-round throw of 69.10 m (226-8), just a millimeter off the world lead.

He then exploded in round three to a sensational 71.27 m (233-10), a national record, the Diamond League record, the world leader in 2022 and now no. 10 on the all-time world list.

No one had a response and Gudzius ended up second at 66.40 m (217-10) and Stahl was third at 65.97 m (216-5).

There was more strong action in the field, as American Valarie Allman – the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist – got off a strong second-round throw to win at 67.85 m (222-7). Only two-time Olympic champ Sandra Perkovic (CRO) could get close, reaching 67.26 m (220-8) in the sixth round. American Laulauga Tausaga was third at 60.80 m (199-6).

In the women’s vault, Olympic winner Katie Nageotte (USA) was out early at 4.30 m (14-1 1/4) and finished second. But World Indoor Champion Sandi Morris of the U.S. cleared an outdoor world-leading 4.73 m (15-6 1/4) on her third try and ended up the winner over Greece’s Katerina Stefanidi – the Rio gold medalist – and Tina Sutej (SLO) at 4.65 m (15-3).

Germany’s Olympic champ Malaika Mihambo got the first outdoor 7 m jump of the year, winning the women’s long jump with her fourth-round jump of 7.09 m (23-3 1/4) with no wind at all (0.0) Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk was second at 6.66 m (21-10 1/4).

On the track, Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment – also the Tokyo gold medalist – came from behind to win a match-up with Rio Olympic winner and fellow Jamaican Omar McLeod, 13.09-13.17 (wind: +0.2) to take the world lead in the 110 m hurdles.

The women’s 5,000 was an Ethiopian sweep, with Dawit Seyaum leading a group of six runners into the final lap and then sprinting away down the final straight for a world-leading 14:47.55, ahead of the fast-closing Hawi Feysa (14:48.94) and Fantu Worku (14:49.64).

The British fans cheered lustily for multiple home winners, starting with Laura Muir in the women’s 1,500 m (4:02.81), then Dina Asher-Smith in the women’s 100 m (11.11; -0.1), Matthew Hudson-Smith in the men’s 400 m (45.32) and Olympic women’s 800 m silver winner Keely Hodgkinson (1:58.63, no. 4 in the world for 2022). The British women’s 4×100 team won in 42.29, a world leading-mark, with Canada second (43.03).

The U.S.’s Dalilah Muhammad won the women’s 400 m hurdles, pulling away on the home straight to win in 54.54. Americans Bryce Deadmon, Kahmari Montgomery and Vernon Norwood were 2-3-4 in the men’s 400 m in 45.51-45.52-45.53. Sprint star Gabby Thomas was busy, winning the 100 m B race in 11.27 (+0.3) and then finishing fifth in the Diamond League race in 11.31, behind countrywoman Mikiah Brisco (11.25).

Canada had a good meet, with Aaron Brown winning the men’s 100 m in 10.13 (-0.2), after U.S. star Trayvon Bromell false-started out; Marco Arop surged on the final turn to run away with the men’s 800 m in 1:45.41, with Bryce Hoppel of the U.S. third in 1:46.33. Django Lovett won the men’s high jump at 2.28 m (7-5 3/4), with Italy’s Tokyo co-winner Gianmarco Tamberi tying for second at 2.25 m (7-4 1/2).

Kenya’s Abel Kipsang, already the world leader, ran away from the field over the final 200 m to take the men’s 1,500 m in 3:35.15, ahead of Mohamed Katir (ESP: 3:35.62).

The Diamond League heads to the U.S. next week for the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.

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