Shanghai

Rio’s golden stars to shine at Shanghai Diamond League

No fewer than 13 Rio Olympic champions are among the galaxy of international track and field stars announced today for the 2017 Shanghai Diamond League on 13 May, the second stop on the International Association of Athletics Federations’ global circuit of premier one-day meetings.

Shanghai

$3.2 million prize money for Finals of 2017 IAAF Diamond League

In a major restructure, the IAAF Diamond League has adopted a championship style model with the finalists competing for a prize pool of $3.2 million.

Shanghai

China’s jumpers lead the way as relay boys power to victory

It was Huang Changzhou who claimed China is now “a powerhouse in men’s long jumping” last Thursday, but it was his young friend and rival Gao Xinglong who overcame an ankle injury to claim the hosts’ only individual victory of the 2016 Shanghai Diamond League.

Shanghai

4x100m Men: Zhang brings baton home for China

Zhang Peimeng brought the 2016 Shanghai Diamond League meeting to a rousing climax as he held off Ronald Levy down the finishing straight to hand China’s world silver medallists a sprint relay victory over a quality Jamaican quartet. The 2009 Asian 100m champion took the baton from Su Bingtian after Xie Zhenye and Chen Shiwei had put the hosts in the lead over the first two legs. Zhang was half a stride ahead of Levy and rode a wave of noise as the screams of the crowd brought him home in 38.71, the quickest 4x100m relay time ever at this meeting. The Jamaican MVP team were second in 38.85 with a mixed international team third in 38.85.

Shanghai

Javelin Men: Röhler beats Czech pair as Abdelrahman comes up short

World silver medallist Ihab Abdelrahman couldn’t match his 2014 heroics on his return to Shanghai this evening as Thomas Röhler took the first javelin points of the year ahead of Czech pair Jakub Vadlejch and Vítězslav Veselý. The German’s opening throw of 85.71 was enough to seal the win with Vadlejch second on 84.77, two metres short of his world lead, and 2013 world champion Veselý third at 83.81. Abdelrahman’s African record of 89.21 two years ago was way out of reach tonight as the Egyptian world silver medallist had to settle for fourth with 83.16.

Shanghai

High Jump Men: Bondarenko beats showman Zhang on countback

Bohdan Bondarenko defied the roars to beat China’s maverick high jump hero Zhang Guowei and his countryman Wang Yu as the first four all finished with a best of 2.28. Bondarenko took the victory thanks to first time clearances at 2.20 and 2.28 while Zhang’s two fails at 2.25 meant he had to settle for second, despite his crowd-pleasing preying mantis pose. Wang had one fail at 2.28, while Syria’s Majed Aldin Ghazal was fourth. No one else rose above 2.20.

Shanghai

Long Jump Men: Gao wins China’s cheers with narrow win

Gao Xinglong took only three jumps in the much-anticipated men’s long jump tonight but his second round effort of 8.14 was enough to take victory by the narrowest of margins from Rushwal Samaai. No-one threatened the South African’s world lead of 8.34, but Gao delighted the crowd by holding on for victory thanks to his second best effort of 8.09, just 2cm better than Samaai’s. Australia’s world silver medallist Fabrice Lapierre was third with 8.09 as Gao’s young compatriots Wang Jianan, Zhang Yaoguang and Huang Changzhou filled places five to seven behind last year’s world number one, Jeff Henderson.

Shanghai

Pole Vault Men: Lavillenie beaten as Kendricks claims lifetime best

Sam Kendricks produced the highest vault of his life to beat world record holder Renaud Lavillenie and world champion Shawn Barber and move to second on this year’s world list with an unexpected victory. The world indoor silver medallist added 6cm to his lifetime best with a third time clearance at 5.88. Lavillenie could go no higher than 5.83, where Kendricks had only just survived, as the Frenchman’s Diamond Race defence got off to a losing start. The Olympic champion then failed twice at 5.88 before making one effort at 5.93. Barber was third, but the Canadian was well below his best with 5.70.

Shanghai

110m Hurdles Men: Jamaicans dominate as McLeod goes sub-13

Omar McLeod produced the year’s first sub-13 second performance to take a commanding victory over countryman Hansle Parchment and move clear at the top of the sprint hurdles Diamond League standings. Unfazed by two false starts, the world indoor champion was out like a bullet alongside his elder compatriot and controlled his race perfectly to move clear of the world silver medallist over the last two barriers. He thrust his bright yeloow headband across the line in 12.98, just one hundredth outside his personal best as Parchment clocked 13.12 in second with China’s Xie Wenjun delighting the home crowd by placing third in 13.34. Former world champion and last year’s winner David Oliver was fifth while fellow American Aries Merritt was the second to false start after Spaniard Orlando Ortega had already moved too soon.

Shanghai

5000m Men: World lead as unexpected Edris explodes to victory

A storming last 200m brought victory for the unfancied Muktar Edris who won a five-man bust-up over the last lap to claim the winner’s 10 Diamond League points in a world leading time. The former world junior champion exploded off the final bend to pull clear of two fellow Ethiopians plus Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei and Kenyan Olympic medallist Thomas Longosiwa. He crossed the line in 12:59.96 to claim the Shanghai meeting’s first ever sub-13 minute clocking, as Cheptegei took second in 13:00.60, a huge personal best for the world junior 10,000m champion. Longosiwa was third as last year’s Diamond Race winner, Yomif Kejelcha, finished fifth behind fellow Ethiopian Abadi Embaye with world silver medallist Hagos Gebrhiwet sixth.