Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Armand Duplantis and Jakob Ingebrigtsen at the Weltklasse Zurich 2022 (© Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
The Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich brought some amazing races and fantastic performances. In Swiss biggest city, winners were declared in 32 events, and each of them won the iconic trophy and a $30,000 prize, plus a wild card to the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
The world's best athletes were competing at the season finale of the most prestigious international competition. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce set a meeting record of 10.65 seconds in the women's 100 metres: no one could keep up with the Jamaican, who was in great shape. Her compatriot Shericka Jackson who was second behind her in the race won the 200m an hour and a half later with a time of 21.80.
Armand Duplantis finished again above six metres in the pole vault in a strong session where four of the competitors finished above 5.81 metres. The Swedish-American star easily improved his own meeting record to 6.07 metres. It was the 22-year-old's 18th victory in his 19 appearance this season.
In the men's 200m, Noah Lyles not only claimed a commanding victory, but also put one of Usain Bolt's records behind him in Zurich with a new meeting record of 19.52. In the 100m, Trayvon Bromell made a dizzying start that left his rivals with no chance of catching him (9.94).
In the men's 1500m final, Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s performance was recognized even by his biggest rival Timothy Cheruiyot after the Norwegian won with 3:29.02, the fastest time in the world this year. In the women's race, the reigning women's champion Faith Kipyegon also won easily in 4:00.44.
The 23 year-old Kristjan Ceh, who won both the World and European Championships in discus throwing this year, became the first male athlete to go undefeated in a Diamond League season in the series' history since 2010. The young Slovenian thrower's 67.10 metres was enough for success this time. In the women's event, Valarie Allman beat Sandra Perkovic with 67.77m to claim the World Championships wild card in this event.
Even in the absence of Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the women's 400m flat race won with a sensational result by Dominican Marileidy Paulino with a new national record and world lead of48.99 seconds. In the men's single-lap race, Kirani James of Grenada took first place with 44.26.
In the women's 400m hurdles, the field was not complete as world women's record holder Sydney McLaughlin ended her season by winning the Gyulai István Memorial, leaving European triple champion Femke Bol to return home from Switzerland the happiest of all with a 53.03 victory. Karsten Warholm was also absent in the men's event, so the current world champion Alison dos Santos won in 46.98 in front of a full crowd stadium.
The new world record holder in the women's 100 m hurdles, Tobi Amusan, was no disappointment either: the diminutive Nigerian triumphed in a strong field with a new race record of 12.29 seconds. Also in the men's 110m hurdles, defending world champion Grant Holloway bought his ticket for the event, which will take place at the National Athletics Centre from 19-27 August 2023. The American star finished in 13.02.
In the women's 3000 m steeplechase, Winfred Yavi, who was the favourite before the DL Finals, was the first to cross the finish line, but he made a mistake at the last hurdle. The Bahraini's foul was best capitalised on by Ethiopia's Werkuha Getachew, who beat her rival to win the Zurich season finale in 9:03.57.
The men's long jump also produced a thrilling and high quality competition, with five athletes over 7.90m. Miltiadis Tentoglou and Marquis Dendy were constantly changing the leading position. In the end, the Olympic champion Tentoglou took the trophy with a jump of 8.42 metres on his sixth attempt. Ivana Vuleta won the women's competition with her first jump of 6.97 metres. Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the women's high jump with 2.03 metres.
In the women's javelin, Kara Winger (64.98 m) was the best, while India's Neeraj Chopra won the men's competition (88.44 m). Kenyan ruled the 800 metres included a great run by Mary Moraa (1:57.63) and Emmanuel Korir, who took the first place with the world lead.
In the men's triple jump, Cuba's Andy Díaz triumphed with a new personal best of 17.70m, while in the women's event, Venezuela's world record holder Yulimar Rojas was the only athlete to jump over 15m (15.28m), maintaining her unbeaten record in 2022.
Soufiane El Bakkali did the same, this time with a time of 8:07.67 in the men's 3000m steeplechase.
We will certainly see them, and the classics like Gianmarco Tamberi and Joe Kovacs who already lifted the trophy on Wednesday, in Budapest next summer.
Wanda Diamond League Finals, Zurich 2022, Winners
Women:
100 m: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) 10.65 MR
200 m: Shericka Jackson (JAM) 21.80
400 m: Marileidy Paulino (DOM) 48.99
800 m: Mary Moraa (KEN) 1:57.63
1500 m: Faith Kipyegon (KEN) 4:00.44
5000 m: Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 14:31.03
100 m hurdles: Tobi Amusan (NGR) 12.29 MR
400 m hurdles: Femke Bol (NED) 53.03
3000 m steeplechase: Werkuha Getachew (ETH) 9:03.57
long jump: Ivana Vuleta (SRB) 6,97 m
triple jump: Yulimar Rojas (VEN) 15,28 m
high jump: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 2,03 m
pole vault: Nina Kennedy (AUS) 4,81 m
shot put: Chase Ealey (USA) 20,19 m
discus: Valarie Allman (USA) 67,77 m
javelin: Kara Winger (USA) 64,98 m
Men:
100 m: Trayvon Bromell (USA) 9.94
200 m: Noah Lyles (USA) 19.52 MR
400 m: Kirani James (GRN) 44.26
800 m: Emmanuel Korir (KEN) 1:43.26 WL
1500 m: Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 3:29.02 WL
5000 m: Nicholas Kimeli (KEN) 12:59.05
110 m hurdles: Grant Holloway (USA) 13.02
400 m hurdles: Alison dos Santos (BRA) 46.98
3000 m steeplechase: Soufiane El Bakkali (MAR) 8:07.67
long jump: Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) 8,42 m
triple jump: Andy Díaz (CUB) 17,70 m
high jump: Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) 2,34 m
pole vault: Armand Duplantis (SWE) 6,07 m MR
shot put: Joe Kovacs (USA) 23,23 m DLR, MR, WL
discus: Kristjan Ceh (SVN) 67,10 m
javelin: Neeraj Chopra (IND) 88,44 m
