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≡ ROME DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡
The Diamond League landed in Europe at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome (ITA), with pleasant conditions and some hot competition, including five outdoor world-leading performances and a tie:
● Men/100 m: 9.84, Trayvon Bromell (USA)
● Men/1,500 m: 3:29.72, Azeddine Habz (FRA)
● Men/High Jump: 2./32 m (7-7 1/4), Sang-hyeok Woo (KOR)
● Men/Long Jump: 8.34 m (27-4 1/2) (=), Liam Adcock (AUS)
● Women/5,000 m: 14:03.69, Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
● Women/Triple Jump: 15.64 m (48-0 1/2), Shanieka Ricketts (JAM)
The drama started right away, as Olympic champ Valarie Allman of the U.S. stood only third in the women’s discus after three rounds, at 63.01 m (206-8) and two fouls. But she revved up in round four to take the lead at 66.66 m (218-8) and then sealed the deal at 69.21 m (227-0) in the fifth round, for her 23rd straight win, dating back to September 2023. Cuba’s 2019 World Champion Yaime Perez was second at 66.63 m (218-7); American Lagi Tausaga, the 2023 World Champion, was eighth at 62.68 m (205-8). Said Allman:
“That was such a good competition. It feels good being here. I am trying to hold my technique and I am glad I figured it out over the competition. …
“I simply love Rome and felt empowered by the crowd. Yes, it feels a bit like being a gladiator, I could attack now! Now I need to work on my technique in order to walk in the ring and execute well from the first attempt.”
There was enormous anticipation for the women’s 5,000 m with world-record holder Gudaf Tsegay (14:00.21 in 2023) and Olympic 5,000-10,000 winner Chebet, who ran the second-fastest 3,000 m in history on 25 May. Chebet, Tsegay and World Indoor 3,000 m winner Freweyni Hailu (ETH) took over after the pacesetters stepped off and Chebet passed 3,000 m in 8:32.30.
Chebet then took off and laid waste to the field from 3,200 to 3,600 m with a 66.26 lap, with Ethiopians Birke Haylom, Hailu and Tsegay following, now four seconds behind. At the bell, Chebet was alone and moving strongly, with Hailu a distant second. Chebet crossed in 14:03.69, the no. 2 performance in history, behind only Tsegay’s world record; she now has three of the top nine performances ever. She ran the final 400 m in 61.8!
Hailu finished in 14:19.33, moving to no. 15 all-time, then Italian star Nadia Battocletti, with a national record of 14:23.15, followed by Haylom (14:24.20) and Tsegay (14:24.86). Josette Andrews was the top American in sixth (14:25.37), moving her to no. 3 all-time U.S., with the no. 3 performance. Shelby Houlihan was 10th (14:45.29) and Karissa Schweizer was 16th (14:56.38).
Two-time Worlds bronze medalist Bromell has always been an excellent starter and got off very well in the men’s 100 m, chased by Kenyan star Ferdinand Omanyala. But Bromell stayed strong and broke away, storming to the line in a world-leading 9.84 victory (wind: +1.1 m/s) and Emmanual Eseme (CMR) came on late to edge Omanyala for second, 9.99 to 10.01. Americans Brandon Hicklin (10.04), Fred Kerley (10.06) and Courtney Lindsey (10.19) were 4-5-6.
Still just 29, it’s the oft-injured Bromell’s fastest 100 since 2022 and equals his fifth-fastest ever!
In the men’s 1,500 m, a group was bunched at the bell and then Adrian Ben (ESP) had the lead heading into the back straight. Then Kenya’s 2019 World Champion Timothy Cheruiyot took over, but pursued doggedly by French two-time Olympian Abezzine Habz. The Frenchman got to the front onto the straight and held on to win in 3:29.72 to 3:29.75, as Morocco’s Anass Essayi getting a lifetime best in third in 3:30.74. American Vince Ciattei was 12th in a lifetime best of 3:31.69!
Five men cleared 2.23 m (7-3 3/4) in the men’s high jump, but Ukraine’s European Indoor champ Oleh Doroshchuk sailed into the lead with his first-try clearance at 2.26 m (7-5). But Romaine Beckford (JAM), American 2023 Worlds runner-up JuVaughn Harrison and two-time World Indoor winner Sang-hyeok Woo (KOR) all finally cleared on their third tries. Doroshchuk and Woo both cleared 2.28 m (7-5 3/4) and 2.30 m (7-6 1/2), but only Woo could get over 2.32 m (7-7 1/4) – on his first try – and got the win and the outdoor world lead for 2025.
The entire 2024 Olympic podium was back for the women’s triple jump, with silver winner Shanieka Ricketts (JAM) in control from her opening mark of 14.64 m (48-0 1/2), the outdoor world lead in 2025. Cuba’s Leyanis Perez, the 2025 World Indoor winner, moved into second in the third round at 14.46 m (47-5 1/4), while Olympic winner Thea LaFond (DMA) finished third at 14.30 m (46-11). Olympic bronzer Jasmine Moore of the U.S. was fifth at 14.15 m (46-5 1/4).
Elsewhere in an entertaining meet in the famed Stadio Olimpico:
In the men’s 400 m, South Africa’s world leader, Zakithi Nene, got off well and was in front on the backstraight, but Olympic champ Quincy Hall of the U.S. came on to lead into the turn. But Nene surged into the straight and had the lead when Hall came on with his patented late rush to win by 44.22 to 44.23. Botswana’s Busang Kebinatshipi was a clear third in 44.51, followed by Charles Dobson (GBR: 44.64) and American Vernon Norwood (44.86). Hall moves up to no. 5 in the world for 2025.
World leader Cordell Tinch and Olympic silver winner Daniel Roberts headlined the men’s 110 m hurdles and Tinch was in the lead by mid-race and over the final hurdles, but Swiss record holder Jason Joseph came through on the run-in for an upset win as both were timed in 13.14 (+0.9). Dylan Beard of the U.S. was third (13.28) and Roberts, a factor early, faded to fifth (13.40).
Olympic champ Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) got out to a quick lead in the long jump at 8.10 m (26-7) in the second round. Home favorite and World Indoor winner Mattia Furlani (ITA) got into second place in round five at 8.07 m (26-5 3/4), but in the show-down sixth round, Australia’s Liam Adcock equaled the world outdoor lead and got a lifetime best of 8.34 m (27-4 1/2) to win. Furlani also improved, to 8.13 m (26-8 1/4) for second and Tentoglou had to settle for third. Marquis Dendy of the U.S. was ninth (7.72 m/25-4).
New Zealand’s 2017 World Champion Tom Walsh led the men’s shot from the first round with his toss of 21.89 m (71-10) and held on, as Zane Weir (ITA) got up for second in the fifth round at 21.67 m (71-1 1/4) and Paris bronze winner Rajindra Campbell (JAM) was third at 21.64 m (71-0). Americans Joe Kovacs (21.59 m/70-10), Tripp Piperi (21.58 m/70-9 3/4) and Payton Otterdahl (21.56 m/70-9) finished 4-5-6.
The women’s 200 m had 2017 Worlds runner-up Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (CIV) getting her usual strong start through the turn and onto the straight, but that’s where Tokyo Olympian Anavia Battle of the U.S. took over and charged to a 22.53 win (wind: +0.8 m/s), her third of the Diamond League season. Britain’s Amy Hunt came up to get second at the line over Ta Lou, 22.67-22.75, with McKenzie Long of the U.S. fourth in 22.81.
In the women’s 1,500 m, Kenya’s Susan Ejore – sixth at Paris 2024 – had the lead at the bell, in front of a tight pack. She pulled away slightly around the turn and held the lead over Saron Berhe (ETH) and Ireland’s Sarah Healy into the final straight, but then it was Healy taking over to win in 3:59.17, with Australians Sarah Billings (3:59.24) and Abbey Caldwell (3:59.32) passing Ejore, as did American Heather Maclean (3:59.71) for fourth. Ejore finished fifth in 3:59.73.
Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight took the lead from countrywomen Rushell Clayton near mid-race in the 400 m hurdles and then led around the turn and won in 53.67, a seasonal best and no. 5 in the world for 2025. Clayton was passed around the final turn by Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso, who got second (54.21) with Clayton in third (54.31). American Cassandra Tate was ninth in 56.15.
In the women’s vault, Americans Sandi Morris and Gabriela Leon and Italy’s Roberta Bruni were the only ones to clear 4.65 m (15-3). Morris, the two-time World Indoor Champion, was the only one to clear 4.75 m (15-7) – a seasonal best – and Leon and Bruni tied for second. Morris went on to clear 4.80 m (15-9) and stopped there.
The Diamond League schedule gets thick now, with the Bislett Games in Oslo (NOR) on Thursday (12th), the Bauhaus Galan in Stockholm (SWE) on the 15th and the Meeting de Paris in France on the 20th.
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