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≡ SHANGHAI DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡
Shanghai was the second stop for the 2025 Wanda Diamond League, in an exciting meet that included world-leading (outdoor) marks in five events:
● Men/5,000 m: 12:50.45, Berihu Aregawi (ETH)
● Men/110 m hurdles: 12.87, Cordell Tinch (USA)
● Men/400 m hurdles: 47.28, Karsten Warholm (NOR)
● Men/Vault: 6.11 m (20-0 1/2), Mondo Duplantis (SWE)
● Women/800 m: 1:56.64, Tsige Duguma (ETH)
Tinch, who had a disappointing 2024 after making the American team for the 2023 World Championships, already had a windy sub-13 this season at 12.97 (+3.4) in April and won in Xiamen. This time he was in front by the second hurdle and poured it on to finish in 12.87, not only improving his world-leading mark from 13.06, but moving him all the way up to equal-fourth all-time! The wind was only +0.6 m/s. The all-time list:
● 12.80, Aries Merritt (USA), 2012
● 12.81, Grant Holloway (USA), 2021
● 12.84, Devon Allen (USA), 2022
● 12.87, Dayton Robles (CUB), 2008
● 12.87, Cordell Tinch (USA), 2025
The race wasn’t close, with Japan’s Rachid Muratake second in 13.10 and Olympic bronze winner Rasheed Broadbell third in 13.24. Eric Edwards of the U.S. was ninth in 13.90. Wow.
In the men’s 5,000 m, the Ethiopian trio of Paris Olympic silver winner Berihu Aregawi and 19-year-olds Kuma Girma and Mezgebu Sime broke away with 500 m to go and ran away to a fast 1-2-3 finish, with Aregawi getting an outdoor world leader at 12:50.45, with Girma second (12:50.69) and Sime third (12:51.86). Kenyan Nicholas Kipkorir was fourth in 12:56.81.
Warholm, fresh off of his 300 m hurdles world best in Xiamen, scored an easy win in Shanghai, rocketing out of the blocks from his preferred lane seven and running a world-leading 47.28, ahead of Matheus Lima (BRA: 48.08). American CJ Allen finished sixth at 49.24.
After some difficult wind conditions in Xiamen kept his winning height down, vault superstar Duplantis increased his world outdoor lead to 6.11 m (20-0 1/2), clearing 5.62 m (18-5 1/4), then 5.92 m (19-5) and 6.01 m (19-8 1/2) on his first tries. But Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis also cleared 6.01, but failed three times at 6.11, while Duplantis sailed over on his first attempt. He did not try a higher height. Two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. was sixth, clearing 5.72 m (18-9 1/4).
Olympic silver winner and 2024 World Indoor champ Tsige Duguma was only fifth at the bell in the women’s 800 m, but was a close third heading into the final turn and then blasted past countrywoman Nigist Getachew and Addy Wiley of the U.S. into the straight to win in a world-leading 1:56.64, also a lifetime best and national record! Australian Sarah Billings came up for second (1:57.83), while Wiley faded to fifth (1:58.59). Fellow American Sage Hurta-Klecker was seventh (1:59.11).
There was a lot more:
South Africa’s Akani Simbine won his third men’s 100 m this season without a loss, edging Olympic silver winner Kishane Thompson (JAM), 9.98 to 9.99 (+0.5), with Olympic 200 m champ Letsile Tebogo (BOT) in third (10.03). Thompson had the lead for most of the race, but was caught in the final steps. American Christian Coleman, the 2019 World Champion, started poorly and finished fifth in 10.13.
American Chris Bailey, the World Indoor 400 m champion, was only sixth at 200 m, then moved hard around the turn for second behind Bayapo Ndori (BOT) coming into the straight, and then moved away for a lifetime best of 44.17, now no. 2 for 2025. Ndori, passed only in the final 40 m, was second in 44.32; Olympic relay gold medalist Vernon Norwood of the U.S. was fourth in 44.93 and Olympic champion Quincy Hall, coming off of an injury, opened his season at 45.99, finishing eighth.
Ethiopia’s Abrham Sime had the lead by 2,000 m in the 3,000 m Steeple and would not let go, winning in 8:07.92, now no. 4 for 2025, ahead of Kenyans Edmund Serem (8:08.68) and Simon Koech (8:09.05).
In the non-Diamond League long jump, China went 1-2 with 2023 Asian Games bronzer Yuhao Shi and Heng Shu, at 8.21 m (26-11 1/4) and 8.18 m (26-10), with Olympic silver winner Wayne Pinnock (JAM: 8.10 m/26-7) in third. Americans Marquis Dendy and Jeremiah Davis were 8-9 at 7.79 m (25-6 3/4) and 7.49 m (24-7).
Tokyo Olympic champ Pedro Pichardo (POR) got out to 17.03 m (55-10 1/2) in the first round of the men’s triple jump and no one could catch him. Jamaica’s Jordan Scott got closest at 17.00 m (55-9 1/4) in the third round; Americans Donald Scott (16.88 m/55-4 3/4) and Salif Mane (16.42 m/53-10 1/2) finished fourth and eighth.
American Anavia Battle, a Tokyo Olympian, got a second straight Diamond League win with a runaway 22.38 victory in the women’s 200 m (+0.5), over Rhasidat Adeleke (IRL: 22.72). U.S. Olympic relay gold medalist Jenna Prandini was fifth at 22.88 and fellow relay star TeeTee Terry finished ninth (23.49).
Paris Olympic fifth-placer Grace Stark of the U.S. continued her busy 2025 with a win in the women’s 100 m hurdles in 12.42 (+0.3), ahead of two-time World Champion Danielle Williams (12.55). Fellow American Tonea Marshall was fifth (12.70) and 2019 World Champion Nia Ali was ninth (13.01).
Ukraine’s Olympic champ Yaroslava Mahuchikh scored another win over her Australian challengers, Olympic runner-up Nicola Olyslagers and 2022 World Champion Eleanor Patterson. Mahuchikh cleared 2.00 m (6-6 3/4), while Olyslagers managed 1.98 m (6-6) and Patterson cleared 1.95 m (6-4 3/4).
Two-time World Champion Chase Jackson of the U.S. dominated the women’s shot, getting a seasonal best of 20.54 m (67-4 3/4) and moving to no. 2 on the 2025 world list. She had four throws that would have won, all ahead of world leader Jessica Schilder (NED) at 19.77 m (64-10 1/2). Americans Maggie Ewen and Jaida Ross finished fifth and sixth at 19.28 m (63-3 1/4) and 18.80 m (61-8 3/4).
Olympic champ and world leader Valarie Allman of the U.S. won her 20th straight final in the non-Diamond League women’s discus, reaching 70.08 m (229-11) in the fifth round, well ahead of Jorinde van Klinken (NED: 66.22 m/217-3). American Lagi Tausaga-Collins, the 2023 World Champion, was sixth at 61.34 m (201-3).
Greece’s Elina Tzenggo, the Xiamen meet winner, scored again, sending the javelin out to 64.90 m (212-11) on her fourth throw, good enough for the victory. China’s Qianqian Dai got close in the sixth at 64.38 m (211-3), a lifetime best. American Maggie Malone-Hardin finished eighth at 58.38 m (191-6).
Next up on the Diamond League slate is the Jetour Doha meet on 16 May; there is one more important meet in China as the World Athletics Relays are in Guangzhou on 10-11 May.
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