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≡ PARIS DIAMOND LEAGUE ≡
The summer heat wave in Europe impacted the eighth stage of the 2026 Diamond League at the Stade Charlety in Paris (FRA), with all of the events other than those for “professional” athletes canceled – essentially the youth and club events – but the meet went on.
The conditions weren’t too bad, with 83 F temperatures when the main part of the meet started, and a nice crowd on hand to see four world-leading performances:
● Men/800 m: 1:41.84, Marco Arop (CAN)
● Men/1,500 m: 3:28.00, Cam Myers (AUS)
● Women/400 m: 48.48, Marileidy Paulino (DOM)
● Women/800 m: 1:53.80, Audrey Werro (SUI)
The women’s 800 m was a run at the world record of 1:53.28 by Czech Jarmila Kratochvilova (1983) with Swiss Diamond League Final winner Audrey Werro being challenged by Femke Broeders-Bol (NED) and they were 1-2 after the pacer left. Coming into the final turn, Bol was passed by France’s Anais Bourgoin, but Werro blasted away in the straight and ran to the finish in 1:53.80, the no. 2 performance in history!
Bol came back on Bourgoin and got second at the line, in a stunning 1:55.60, no. 3 in the world for 2026 and Bougoin got a national record at 1:55.65 (no. 4). Five broke 1:57! American Roisin Willis finished ninth in 1:58.66.
The men’s 800 m was all about Canada’s 2023 World Champion Marco Arop. He followed the pacer through 400 m, was in front by 500 m and ran away. He had a 20 m lead into the turn and more into the straight and won all alone in a world-leading 1:41.84! He’s now no. 11 all-time. Behind him were Niels Laros (NED: 1:43.60) and Tobias Gronstad (NOR: 1:43.63).
The women’s 400 m was a clear win for Olympic champ Paulino, who came into the lead on the final turn and blew away the field down the straight. She finished in a world-leading 48.48, her third-fastest time ever. Czech Lurdes Manuel came on over the straight to get second in a lifetime best of 49.37 with Jamaica’s Stacey Ann Williams third in 49.51.
The 2022 World Champion, Jake Wightman (GBR), was in the men’s 1,500 m, and the field crossed 800 m in 1:52.12. But that was the take-off point for Australia’s Cam Myers and he moved away from France’s Azeddine Habz … and the lead kept growing. He rolled down the straight and won easily in a lifetime best of 3:28.00, a world lead and now no.12 all-time. He’s 20, by the way.
Habz was second in 3:29.80 and Wightman got third (3:29.95). American Vince Ciattei was 14th in 3:36.47.
The men’s 100 m had Olympic champ Noah Lyles and World Indoor champ Jordan Anthony, but two-time Worlds medalist Trayvon Bromell – in lane eight – who had the best start and maintained the lead. Lyles was coming on, as usual, in the second half, but ran out of room and finished second, 9.91 to 9.92 (+0.1 m/s). Tokyo Olympic champ Lamont Marcell Jacobs (ITA) surprised in third in 9.96 and Anthony, who did not get the start he wanted, was fifth in 9.99.
Americans Kendrick Smallwood and Trey Cunningham led the 110 hurdles heats, and Cunningham was out best in the final. He was challenged by emerging U.S. star Jamal Britt, who moved strongly in the middle and took over and was clear to the finish in a lifetime best of 12.89 (+0.8)! Cunningham hit two of the last three hurdles and was passed on the run-in by Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya for second, 13.01 to 13.07. Smallwood started poorly and was eighth in 13.46.
The men’s 5,000 m was about France’s 10,000 m World Champion Jimmy Gressier, but it was Etienne Daguinos (FRA) who was all alone by 3,000 m. He was caught by 3,600 m and Egide Ntakarutimana (BDI) had the lead at the bell. He continued until 200 m to go, then Sweden’s Andreas Almgren took the lead into the straight. He got passed by Kenya’s Jacob Krop and then Krop was passed by Grant Fisher of the U.S., who won in 12:54.80 to 12:55.22. Almgren was third in 12:55.38 and Ntakarutimana for fourth (12:56.06); Graham Blanks of the U.S. was sixth in 12:57.12. The last lap was in 54.62 for Fisher’s first Diamond League win.
In the men’s 400 m, Britain’s Olympic runner-up Matthew Hudson-Smith led the race around the turn, but 2025 World Champion Collen Kebinatshipi (BOT) pulled up on the straight and won easily in 43.54, with Zakithi Nene (RSA) second in 43.89 and American Chris Bailey with a lifetime best of 44.06 moving on the straight for third, Hudson-Smith had to settle for fourth in 44.09. Kebinatshipi remains no. 2 in the world in 2026, but with a seasonal best. Nene is now no. 3 this year.
There were 22 men in the Steeple, with Gemechu Godana (ETH) leading at 2,000 m and four were in contact at the bell. Godana was still in front with 200 to go and then German Karl Bebendorf came up on Godana and won at the line in a lifetime best of 8:05.55, with Godana at 8:05.86. Kenya’s Edmund Serem was third in 8:08.54; American Matt Wilkinson was sixth in 8:11.35, and Carson Williams was 15th in 8:20.67.
Six cleared 5.83 m (19-1 1/2) in the men’s vault, plus world-record holder Mondo Duplantis (SWE), who cleared 5.63 m (18-5 1/2) and kept passing. Eight jumped at 5.93 m (19-5 1/2) and Duplantis took the lead with a first-time clearance. France’s Baptiste Thiery also cleared on his first try, and they went on to 6.03 m (19-9 1/4), but only Duplantis cleared for the win, with Thiery second. Duplantis cleared 6.13 m (20-1 1/4) to win and moved up to a world record 6.32 m (20-8 3/4), but missed all three tries.
American Chris Nilsen was fourth at 5.83 m; two-time World Champion Sam Kendricks of the U.S. was eighth at 5.73 m (18-9 1/2) and KC Lightfoot cleared 5.63 m and was ninth.
World-record holder Tobi Amusan (NGR) was away well in the women’s 100 m hurdles, as was Dutch star Nadine Visser. But as Amusan stayed in front, American Grace Stark came up to second and chased Amusan to the line, 12.28 to 12.38 (+0.7). Fellow American Alaysha Johnson also passed Visser on the run-in, 12.39 to 12.41. American Rayniah Jones finished sixth in 12.60.
Australian Paris 1,500 m silver winner Jessica Hull had the lead in the women’s 1,500 m at 800 m, but was being tracked by 2024 World Indoor champ Freweyni Hailu (ETH) and 2026 World Indoor winner Georgia Hunter-Bell (GBR) at the bell. Hailu surged into the lead with 240 m to go, followed by Hunter-Bell, who jetted to the lead in the straight. Hailu came back on her and they finished 1-2 at 3:55.63 to 3:55.92. France’s Agathe Guillemot got a national record in third (3:56.24) with Hull at 3:57.22.
Three cleared 4.70 m (15-5) in the women’s vault, and Swiss Angelica Moser was the only one to clear 4.77 m (15-7 3/4) as the winner. New Zealand’s Rio Olympic bronze winner Eliza McCartney and Olympic champ Nina Kennedy were 2-3, both at 4.70. American Emily Grove was fourth at 4.60 m (15-1), Gabriela Leon was sixth (also 4.60 m) and Brynn King was 10th at 4.45 m (14-7 1/4).
Canadian star Sarah Mitton got out to 19.99 m (65-7) in round three and that was good enough to win the women’s shot, just ahead of Olympic champ Yemisi Mabry (GER: 19.93 m/65-4 3/4). The U.S. entries were 7-8-9: Abria Smith (18.46 m/60-6 3/4), Jaida Ross (18.18 m/59-7 3/4) and Adelaide Aquilla (18.09 m/59-4 1/4)
China’s world leader, Ziyi Yan, bombed the women’s javelin field with a monster 67.44 m (221-3) throw in the first round. Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos was second with her second-round throw of 63.83 m (209-5) and Japan’s Olympic champ Haruka Kitaguchi took third at 63.01 m (206-8).
The single Diamond League meet in the U.S. comes next week at the Pre Classic in Eugene.
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