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≡ ZURICH DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡
It was warm but wet at the start of Wednesday’s events in a massive temporary arena in downtown Zurich at the Diamond League Final for six events in the Weltklasse Zurich meet.
Temperatures were about 80 F when the events started, dropping down as the evening came on, but the rain also stopped, which helped everyone.
As it turned out five of the six winners – Mondo Duplantis, Simon Ehammer, Joe Kovacs, Katie Moon and Sarah Mitton were prior champions!
● Men/Vault: Could Swedish star Duplantis be beaten? No, but it was close.
The damp conditions didn’t help, but only three were left by 5.80 m (19-0 1/4), with Duplantis having cleared on his first attempt and two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks in his third.
Greek star Emmanouil Karalis cleared 5.65 m (18-6 1/2) and passed to 5.90 m (19-4 1/4). At that height, Duplantis sailed over, Kendricks missed once and passed to 6.00 m and Karalis cleared cleanly.
So the decisions came at 6.00 m (19-8 1/4), with Duplantis making his fourth straight bar without a miss to stay in the lead. Kendricks missed once and then decided not to go higher, finishing third.
Karalis finally got over on his third try and the bar went to 6.10 m, but neither he or Duplantis could clear, leaving the Swede with the Diamond trophy, his fourth in a row.
● Men/Long Jump: This was the last event on Wednesday, held under dry skies, but still overcast. Swiss home favorite Simon Ehammer, the sometimes decathletes and full-time long jumper, exploded in round three and zoomed into the lead at 8.32 m (27-3 3/4) and that was it.
Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock had the first-round lead at 8.15 m (26-9), but was equaled by Liam Adcock (AUS) in round two, before Ehammer took over in round three. Adcock improved to 8.16 m (26-9 1/4) for second, but in round five it was Italy’s World Indoor champ Matteo Furlani who got out to 8.30 m (27-2 3/4) to get into second place.
Adcock, sitting third now, improved to 8.22 m (26-11 3/4) in round five and then 8.24 m (27-0 1/2) in round six to secure the bronze. Pinnock did not improve and was fourth.
● Men/Shot: Even though he didn’t make the U.S. team for the World Championships, Joe Kovacs, a three-time Diamond League winner, might be able to squeeze in if reigning World Champion Ryan Crouser – injured so far this year – decides not to compete in Tokyo … and Kovacs won on Wednesday.
So Kovacs was tied for the lead after round one, took the lead at 22.10 m (72-6 1/4) in round two and then exploded in round four at 22.46 m (73-8 1/4) and that was the winning throw and a fourth Diamond League trophy.
Fellow American Payton Otterdahl was second after round two and confirmed that position in round four at 22.07 m (72-5). Olympic bronze winner Rajinda Campbell (JAM) was third with his second-round throw of 21.87 m (71-9) and Tripp Piperi of the U.S. was fourth at 21.84 m (71-8), also in round two.
● Women/High Jump: This is a high-class showdown – once again – between Olympic champ and three-time Diamond League winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) and runner-up Nicola Olyslagers of Australia, with each having won three against the other this year.
Despite the overcast conditions, four cleared 2.00 m (6-6 3/4): Mahuchikh and Olyslagers on their first tries, Morgan Lake (GBR: first try) and fellow Ukrainian Yulia Levchenko (third try).
At 2.02 m (6-7 1/2), Olyslagers was perfect on her first try and got a seasonal best to take the lead, with Mahuchikh making on her second attempt. Lake and Levchenko both failed and Lake took third on earlier misses. Now the bar went to 2.04 m (6-8 1/4), with Olyslagers sailing over for the 2025 world lead and a new lifetime best! She’s now equal-16th all-time.
Unable to win at 2.04, Mahuchikh passed to 2.06 m (6-9), and got close, but was unable to clear and had to settle for second. Olyslagers had one very good try, but also failed, but had a great day with a win, the world lead and the Diamond League Trophy.
● Women/Vault: Two-time World Indoor champ Sandi Morris of the U.S. grabbed the lead with a first-time clearance at 4.75 m (15-7), but that as high as she could go. World and Olympic champ Katie Moon missed once at 4.75 and then passed to 4.82 m (15-9 3/4), making it on her first try.
Morris missed once at 4.82 and then passed, trying for the win at 4.89 m (16-0 1/2), but she missed both of her attempts, leaving Moon as the winner. Moon missed once at 4.89 and then tried 4.90 m (16-0 3/4), but missed twice and settled for the win. Fellow American Emily Grove was third with her third-try clearance at 4.75 m.
It’s Moon’s second Diamond League win, also in 2023.
● Women/Shot: The women and men rotated rounds in the shot, which was both entertaining and confusing. But there was very little doubt about the winner: Canada’s defending champion, Sarah Mitton.
She got to the lead in round one at 19.86 m (65-2), then boomed her second throw out to 20.67 m (67-9 3/4) and that held up to win. European champ Jessica Schilder (NED) reached 20.26 m (66-5 3/4) in round four and got second and world leader Chase Jackson of the U.S. couldn’t get her footing right and had a best of 20.08 m (65-10 1/2) in round two; she had four fouls.
Fellow American Jaida Ross was fourth at 19.26 m (63-2 1/3) in the second round and Maggie Ewen was sixth at 18.45 m (60-6 1/2).
The rest of the meet comes on Thursday, with rain in the forecast.
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