Faith Kipyegon, Emmanuel Wanyonyi Stay On Top With Diamond League Titles
Faith Kipyegon, Emmanuel Wanyonyi Stay On Top With Diamond League Titles
After a superb first day of the Diamond League Final in Brussels, Belgium, the second day kept the good times rolling with meet and national records.
Just like that, the 2024 Wanda Diamond League season has come to an end.
The King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium saw 16 more Diamond League Champions crowned, wrapping up seasons for the bulk of athletes who competed.
After a thrilling opening day, Saturday's slate of competition was just as exciting as Olympic champions solidified their golds from Paris, while others were upset by world-class contenders.
Here are four of the many big performers from the second and final day of the Diamond League Final.
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Faith Kipyegon Wins Fifth 1500m DL Title, This Time Breaks Meeting Record
Over the last few years, the women's 1500m has been completely dominated by one woman and one woman only, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon. The 30-year-old three-time Olympic champion stayed patient while Ethiopia's Diribe Welteji pushed the pace over the first three laps, but her finishing speed put the nail in the coffin.
Kipyegon pulled away to take down Diribe in a new meeting record of 3:54.75, winning her fifth 1500m Diamond League title. The 22-year-old Ethiopian clocked 3:55.25, while Aussie Jessica Hull capped off her incredible season with a third place finish in 3:56.99.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi Follows Up Olympic Gold With Diamond League Title
At just 20-years-old, Wanyonyi has already accomplished more in the last two months than many of the sport's veterans have come close to. The Kenyan half-miler had as good of a finish as anyone could ask for, chasing down both Olympic silver and bronze medalists Djamel Sedjati and Marco Arop, recreating the trio's finish from Paris.
Wanyonyi, didn't really look to be in an ideal position around the final turn, but found one final gear as he surged past two of the men who did much of the work.
Wanyonyi crossed just ahead of Sedjati in 1:42.70 to the Algerian's 1:42.86, while Canada's Arop was back finished in 1:43.25.
After coming close this season, the world's 800m runners will have to wait another year to chase David Rudisha's world record.
Beatrice Chebet Dominates 5000m, Shatters Meet Record
If there was ever any doubt that Beatrice Chebet was not the greatest distance runner in the world right now, she erased most of it after dominating for a Diamond League title.
The 24-year-old didn't waste time in Brussels, finding herself in the lead at 2000m and never looking back. Racing the lights for a bit, Chebet eventually left them in her dust as she obliterated Almaz Ayana's previous meeting record of 14:18.89, which was set back in 2016.
The 2024 10,000m and 5000m Olympic champion won comfortably by 12 seconds, while an Ethiopian trio went 2-3-4 as world U20 champion Medina Eisa led the way in a new U20 world record.
Eisa and third place finisher Fotyen Tesfay clocked 14:21.89 and 14:28.53, respectively.
Leonardo Fabbri Takes Down Ryan Crouser, Breaks National And Meeting Record
Even the greatest to ever do it get beat sometimes, and unfortunately for three-time Olympic champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser, Italy's Leonardo Fabbri had an incredible showing.
Fabbri took the lead on his first throw of the competition, erupting for a 22.98 meters launch, coming even closer to becoming the fifth man to throw over 23 meters. The Italian went on to foul on his next three throws, and came within a meter of his first throw just once.
After fouling on his first throw, Crouser threw north of 22 meters five consecutive times, with his best mark of 22.79 meters coming on his fourth attempt.
After winning bronze in Paris, Jamaica's Rajindra Campbell was third again, this time with a best mark of 21.95.
Fabbri ends the year on top of the Diamond League with a meeting and national record.