After a break following the Commonwealth Games, the Diamond League track and field series restarted today in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a unique men’s pole vault “city event.” Armand Duplantis from Sweden, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion, won the event by setting a new meet record with a vault of 6.21 meters. He attempted to break his own world record at 6.32m but was unsuccessful.
The festivities mark the beginning of the final phase of the global track and field season, leading up to the Diamond League Final and the newly introduced World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
The upcoming events include the Diamond League Final in Brussels on Sept. 4 and 5. The excitement continues with the men’s 800m race and the 200m races featuring top athletes from around the world.
The action will shift to Poland’s Silesian Stadium on Saturday for two days of competition. The event will feature notable athletes such as Sarah Mitton from Canada, Jessica Schilder from the Netherlands, and Chase Jackson from the United States in the women’s shot put.
Sunday’s events will showcase Olympic and world champions like Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers from Canada. The men’s 100m race promises intense competition with athletes like Oblique Seville, Kenny Bednarek, and Christian Coleman.
The women’s 100m race is highly anticipated, with top sprinters like Julien Alfred, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and Sha’Carri Richardson competing. The event will be live-streamed on CBC Gem.
The Diamond League Final in Brussels will determine the champions in each event, with significant cash prizes at stake. The top athletes will battle for the Diamond Trophy and cash rewards of up to $60,000.
Following the Diamond League Final, the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship will take place in Budapest, offering a substantial prize pool of $10 million. The championship will feature the world’s best athletes competing for the title of the planet’s top athlete. The event aims to be held every two years, including Olympic years, with a selective entry process based on rankings and performances.