Russell 12.14, Yan 71.74
XIAMEN (CHN, May 23): Two extraordinary performances, which represent the Diamond League records, area records, and world leads, highlighted the Xiamen Wanda Diamond League meeting. At the end, 100m hurdles Olympic champion Masai Russell clocked 12.14, and 18-year-old Yan Ziyi at the beginning posted an incredible U20WR of 71.74 in the women’s javelin. Both athletes achieved the second-best marks ever in their disciplines and only narrowly missed the world records. Xiamen DL also delivered 6 more meeting records and 5 more world leads (+1 equaled). Grateful crowds witnessed five back-to-back wins, while four Shanghai winners were defeated. Five premier DL winners were crowned, and only two of the seven competing World champions won. At the same time, Faith Cherotich, Ditaji Kambundji, Cordell Tinch, Mattia Furlani, and Ryan Crouser were defeated. Next Wanda DL meet is scheduled for Rabat on May 31.
Event-by-event reviews
Women
200m: Shericka Jackson improved to 21.87 (0.2), a meeting record and just 0.01 off the world lead. Shaunae Miller-Uibo was second again in 22.04, her fastest time since 2021.
1500m: Big (and debut DL) win for Abbey Caldwell, who ran down Birke Haylom on the last lap, 3:57.26 to 3:57.79, with Emily Mackay third (3:58.18). World medallists Dorcus Ewoi and Jess Hull were fourth (3:58.91) and fifth (3:58.97).
3000m steeplechase: Back-to-back Diamond League wins for Peruth Chemutai, who lowered her world lead to 8:51.06, also a meeting record, ahead of Winfred Yavi (8:52.53). Faith Cherotich and Marwa Bouzayani also broke the 9:00 barrier in third (8:52.53) and fourth (8:59.25), respectively. First km too fast at WR pace.
100 m hurdles: Just 0.02 off the world record! Olympic champion Masai Russell improved to 12.14 (0.5), missing TobinAmusan’s world record. Second-best ever: DLR, WL, MR. Amusan was second in 12.28 with Devynne Charlton improving her Bahamian record to 12.37.
High jump: Yuliia Levchenko cleared 1.99m on her third attempt to beat Ukrainian teammate Iryna Gerashchenko, who had led on countback at 1.97m. This was her first Diamond League win since 2020.
Discus: 68.45m for Valarie Sion for a clear victory over Feng Bin (65.03m) and Jorinde van Klinken (64.27m).
Javelin: Performance of the season so far? Yan Ziyi, who turned 18 yesterday, produced the second-longest throw in history with the current specification javelin with 71.74m behind BarŠpotáková’sová’s world record of 72.28m from 2008. Also, World U20 record, DL record, MR: Norway’s Sigrid Borge (65.00m); Serbia’s Adriana Vilagos (63.64m) were second and third, respectively, season’s bests.
Ziya Yan throws 71.74m,
Marta Gorczynska for Diamond League AG
Men
100m: Ferdinand Omanyala turned the tables on Gift Leotlela, 9.94 (0.2) to 10.00, his fifth sub-10 clocking in 2026. Trayvon Bromell was given third in 10.03.
400m: Meeting record and world lead for world champion Collen Kebinatshipi, posting his debut DL win, ahead of Commonwealth champion Muzala Samukonga, 43.92 to 44.04.
5000m: 2022 World U20 champion Addisu Yihune won what developed into a tactical race in a meeting record and world lead of 12:57.32, winning his premiere DL title in a sprint finish from Mohamed Abdilaahi (12:57.90) and fellow Ethiopian Biniam Mehary (12:58.51). Notable DNFs included Andreas Almgren and Kuma Girma.
110m hurdles: Back-to-back Diamond League wins for Jamal Britt, who clocks 13.07 (0.5) for the fifth time in his career, ahead of Japan’s Rachid Muratake in 13.13. World champion Cordell Tinch was fifth in 13.28
400m hurdles: Race of the meeting? Back-to-back wins for Alison dos Santos over Karsten Warholm, winning in a world lead of 46Warholm’srholm’s 46.82
Long jump: Miltiadis Tentoglou was back to his best with a meeting record of 8.46m (0.0) in round three, the longest jump outdoors this year and his DL best. Tajay Gayle (8.32m/0.2) and Bozhidar Saraboyukov (8.29m/0.1) were second and third, respectively. Mattia Furlani jumped 8.28m (0.1) but left the arena on a stretcher.
Shot put: Jamaican record of 22.34 for Olympic bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell for a clear victory, also a MR (his first in DL) over Americans Jordan Geist (21.52m) and Ryan Crouser (21.41m), the latter making his season debut and for the first time out of the top 2 since the 2019 DL Final.
