Diamond League

Diamond League Xiamen Opener Features World Record From Mondo Duplantis

Diamond League Xiamen Opener Features World Record From Mondo Duplantis

The Wanda Diamond League opened on Saturday with a meet in Xiamen and it featured the likes of Sha'Carri Richardson, Mondo Duplantis And others.

Apr 20, 2024 by Cory Mull
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Mondo Duplantis raised his world record in the pole vault by a centimeter on Saturday at the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen, going a perfect 4-for-4 en route to his 6.24 meter leap inside Egret Stadium. 

It was swift work from the world superstar and Red Bull athlete, as the jumper came in at 5.62m before carefully crafting his attempts en route to the record during the Diamond League's first event across its 15-meet series. 

This marked Duplantis' fifth meet of the season and his official outdoor opener, while it represented a stiff progression from his last performance at the World Indoor Championships in March when he cleared 6.05 meters to win a world indoor title. 

Duplantis, a high school graduate of Lafayette in Louisiana, last set the world record at the Diamond League final in 2023 in Eugene when he cleared 6.23m. 

"For me to jump a world record, I need everything to be in the right place, as far as some things that are kind of out of my control as far as the conditions," he said. "I've never jumped here. I didn't know what kind of track it was ...pretty much everything added up to what I needed for me to jump high today. It was up to me to go do it. I was able to do it." 

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American Sam Kendricks finished second behind Duplantis in 5.82m, while Austin Miller was fourth and Chris Nilsen and Jacob Wooten were tied for sixth.

The Swedish jumper's performance highlighted a litany of solid efforts from international stars, including the likes of Sha'Carri Richardson, Christian Coleman, Marco Arop, Valarie Allman and Gudaf Tsegay. 

Here's a breakdown of the top moments: 

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Richardson Opens In The Women's 200m

All eyes are on Sha'Carri Richardson this season as the American vies to win Olympic gold in Paris. 

On Saturday, after finishing second in the 200m final to Australian Torrie Lewis, she confirmed her a ambitions to qualify for the U.S. team in both the 100m and 200m as she focuses on the lead-up to the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. 

Richardson ran 22.99 seconds in Xiamen, a result that needs improvement, though the Texan did open her season a week earlier than 2023. 

"I definitely want to make the team in both," she said afterward. "I'm not one of those athletes that just do one event." 

Lewis, a 19-year-old from the Golden Coast, won the Diamond League opener in 22.96. 

Americans Tamara Clark, Anavia Battle and Twanisha Terry finished third, fourth and fifth. 

Arop Sets New World Lead In 800m

Returning 800 meter World champion Marco Arop claimed a new world lead with his outdoor opener in 1:43.61. 

The Canadian was brilliant over the final stretches of the 2023 season, claiming a world title in Budapest and finishing with a career best 1:42.85 at the Prefontaine Classic in September, which gave him a runner-up finish in the Diamond League final. 

So far, Arop remains the man to beat in 2024 as he held off Kenyan Wyclife Kinyamal in 1:43.66 and Botswana's Masalela Tshepiso in 1:43.88. 

American Clayton Murphy finished seventh in 1:45.38.

Americans Dominate The High Hurdles

Daniel Roberts led four Americans through the first five places on Saturday, with the Nike athlete winning in 13.11 seconds. 

Cordell Finch followed in 13.16 seconds while Freddie Crittenden was fourth in 13.30 and Eric Edwards was fifth in 13.31.


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Other Notable Additions

  • Valarie Allman, the World runner-up in 2023 and reigning Olympic champion, claimed a win in the discus with a mark of 69.80 meters. Her series included throws of 6.470, 65.76, 69.73 and 66.40. "I'm always grateful to start the season with a win," Allman said. "...this was the most stacked field I've ever been in." 
  • Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay, the reigning World champion at 10,000 meters and a Diamond League winner at 5,000m, led five of her compatriots through the line in the 1,500m, winning in 3:50.30. That performance represented a nearly three-second improvement from her career best of 3:53.09.
  • Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley went 1-2 in the men's 100m, clocking wind-legal times of 10.13 and 10.17, respectively. 
  • Jasmine Camacho-Quinn clocked a winning time of 12.45 seconds in the 100mH, while American Masai Russell was sixth in 12.67. 
  • Marileidy Paulino won the 400m in 50.08. Americans Britton Wilson and Kaylin Whitney were third and sixth.

Results For The Diamond League Xiamen 2024

Results for the Diamond League event in Xiamen, China, will be available here.

Diamond League Streaming On FloTrack In 2025

In a major announcement on April 10, FloTrack revealed it will add to its five-star live content schedule by streaming the Wanda Diamond League for U.S. audiences and territories beginning in 2025. 

FloSports, the global sports media company and operator of FloTrack, signed a multi-year media rights agreement with the Wanda Diamond League to distribute the world's very best track and field meets, including events held in London, Monaco, Stockholm and Rome, among others. 

"As a former track athlete, I founded FloSports to cover the sport I love so much," said Mark Floreani, the Chief Executive Officer of FloSports. "To now be the home for the world's preeminent track and field events -- outside of the Olympics -- with Diamond League is near and dear to me.

FloTrack Is The Streaming Home For Many Track And Field Meets Each Year

Don’t miss all the track and field season action streaming on FloTrack. Check out the FloTrack schedule for more events.

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