In what was his first competition of the outdoor season, the 24-year-old Swede soared over the highest clearance in history to add 1cm to the record he’d set in Eugene last year. This was Duplantis’s first ever visit to China and he made it a memorable one, for himself and the fans, who rose to their feet in celebration as he rewrote the men’s world record for the eighth time.
But had it been on his mind coming into the event?
“For me to jump a world record I need everything to be in the right place; I’d never jumped here and I didn’t know what kind of track it was, but obviously it was okay,” he smiled. “Still winds, great energy from the crowd: pretty much everything added up to what I needed to jump high today.”
Duplantis had the competition won with a six-metre clearance but the Olympic and world champion soon moved the bar up to a world record 6.24m. “I didn’t know how exactly my body would react but it definitely felt like it was within reach after that six-metre bar,” he said.
Duplantis said his indoor season – which included his second world indoor title – was “a little sloppier” than he’d have liked. “So I brought a bit of fire to this outdoor season. I was really excited to get it started.”
And having opened his season with a world record, might he go far higher this summer?
“It’s definitely possible, conditions-willing,” he said. “I’m going to try maximise the most of every day. There’s definitely more to give. There’s still some higher heights in me, for sure, as long as everything is in the right place.”
Sam Kendricks was next best on the night, clearing 5.82m for second, with China’s Huang Bokai third with 5.72m.
Elsewhere, there was a scintillating display of middle-distance running in the women’s 1500m from Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, who moved third on the world all-time list by powering to victory in 3:50.30, having passed 800m in 2:02 behind the pacemakers.
“It’s a surprise for me,” said Tsegay. “I knew I was in good shape in training, my mentality has changed. Competition for me is easy. Training is hard.”
Tsegay, the reigning world 10,000m champion, will have a choice ahead about what events to run at the Paris Olympics. “Which one? I don’t know,” she said. “I’ll see with my coach in training. Maybe three (events), maybe two.”
She was just over a second off Faith Kipyegon’s world record of 3:49.11. Might she take a crack at that later this summer?
“Why not break (it)?” she said. “I am training good, doing hard work, and my mentality has changed. I ran 3:50. I should break it.”
The women’s 200m produced a massive upset as Australian teenager Torrie Lewis claimed the biggest win of her career, the 19-year-old flying home from the outside lane to pass US star Sha’Carri Richardson and win in 22.96 (-0.4m/s) to Richardson’s 22.99. USA’s Tamara Clark was next best with 23.01.
“I felt really good as a season opener,” said Richardson. “I know what I need to work on and I’m excited for the next meet.”
Lewis was shocked by her win. “My goal was to hang on as long as I could,” she said. “I didn’t even notice I’d beaten them until I saw the replay and I was like, ‘holy crap.’”
There was another Ethiopian win in the men’s 5000m where Lamecha Girma, better known as a steeplechaser, utilised his impressive speed to outkick Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir, winning in 12:58.96 to 12:59.78, with Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew third in 13:00.47.
Marileidy Paulino got her season off to a strong start with victory in the women’s 400m, the world champion edging Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, 50.08 to 50.29. USA’s Britton Wilson took third in 51.26.
An all-star line-up in the women’s 100m hurdles did not disappoint, with Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn keeping her cool to clinch a big win, the Puerto Rican coming from behind to clock a meeting record of 12.45 (-0.2m/s) and edge world indoor champion Devynne Charlton (12.49) and France’s Cyréna Samba-Mayela, who set a national record of 12.55 in third. World champion Danielle Williams was just behind with 12.56 ahead of world record holder Tobi Amusan (12.58).
“I didn’t pay attention to the time, it is what it is, but I still got things to improve on,” said Camacho-Quinn. “I don’t think I had the worst start today but I’m known to run down (others) at the end so I wasn’t scared. I’m glad I got this race out of the way. Before I was telling coach, ‘I don’t think I’m ready, but 12.4, knowing it wasn’t even a clean race? I’m ready to go back and fix what I need to do – I got things to do this year.”
Christian Coleman converted his impressive indoor form to the outdoors by claiming victory in the men’s 100m over US compatriot Fred Kerley in a battle of former world champions. Coleman didn’t get his trademark bullet start and had to come from behind to win in 10.13 (-0.6m/s), with Kerley second in 10.17 and Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake third with 10.20.
“Usually I’m out, 15 or 20 metres into the race, but I feel like today I was a step behind so I feel really good about the fact I was able to stay composed, stay in my lane and put together a good race,” said Coleman. “I’ll take some positives from this and keep getting better.”
Pedro Pichardo of Portugal made an impressive return from injury after an 11-month spell on the sidelines to win the men’s triple jump, jumping 17.51m in the final round to extend his earlier advantage over Hugues Fabrice Zango, who jumped 17.12m in second. China’s Su Wen took third with 16.82m.
“It was good, the atmosphere was magnificent,” said Pichardo. “There are many areas I need to improve, lots of technical work to do. Now I’m going to continue my preparation for the Olympics and maintain my health.”
Canada’s Marco Arop got his season off to a flying start in the men’s 800m, holding off the charge of Kenya’s Wycliffe Kinyamal to win in 1:43.61, with Botswana’s Tshepiso Masalela third in a PB of 1:43.88.
“It’s my fastest season opener and I feel pretty good so I’m looking forward to what’s to come,” said Arop. “If we’re able to stay healthy, then the best is yet to come. It’s going to be a great year. The goal is to make the Olympic final, something I’ve yet to do.”
Beatrice Chepkoech made a flying start to the Diamond League season with a facile win in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, clocking a world lead of 8:55.40, coming home well clear of fellow Kenyan Faith Cherotich (9:05.49), with Peruth Chemutai third in 9:12.99.
Daniel Roberts produced a crisp, clean display to win the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.11 (-0.3m/s), with fellow US athlete Cordell Tinch second in 13.16 and Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya third in 13.17. Olympic champion Hansle Parchment was sixth in 13.33.
“To come out here, get a win against great competition in a world lead time, I can’t be mad at that,” said Roberts. “There are a whole lot of things I can improve; it’s early, I wanted to come out here, get a win and represent well. I’m excited I did that.”
USA’s Valarie Allman produced a big throw to claim victory in a thrilling women’s discus, the Olympic champion launching it 69.80m in the fifth round to overtake Cuba’s Yaimé Pérez, who led to that point via her first-round effort of 68.83m. China’s Feng Bin showed promising early-season form in third with 67.07m.
“I’m always grateful to start the season with a win, especially in such a talented field,” said Allman. “I felt such nerves at the start, it took me a minute to connect with my body. There are so many women in this sport pushing the boundary and you really have to be on it every week. I’m all in to try maximise these next few months on the way to the Olympics.
USA’s Shelby McEwen edged Olympic champion Mutaz Essa Barshim to win the men’s high jump on countback, both clearing a best of 2.27m on what was a tricky night for jumping with a damp runway. Hamish Kerr of New Zealand was next best with 2.24m.
China’s Gong Lijiao thrilled the home crowd with a win in the women’s shot put, launching a 19.72m throw in the second round to beat New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche (19.63m) and USA’s Chase Jackson (19.62m).
“I still hope to break through 20 metres as soon as possible, regain my confidence, and perform well at the Paris Olympics,” said Gong. “I am a 35-year-old veteran and training is much harder than before, but I have always hoped that Chinese women’s shot putters can always have a place in such world competitions. No matter how big the injury, I always remind myself that I still have a lot of tasks. The power of dreams inspires me all the time.”
In the women’s javelin, a non-Diamond League event, China’s Dai Qianqian claimed victory with 61.25m ahead of Latvia’s Lina Muze-Sirma (58.91m) and Colombia’s Flor Denis Ruiz Hurtado (58.50m).
