World Athletics president Sebastian Coe, Maddison-Lee Wesche of New Zealand, Gong Lijiao of China and Chase Jackson of the United States (from L to R) react during the awarding ceremony for the women's shot put event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
XIAMEN, China, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Sweden's pole vault star Armand Duplantis improved his own world record by one centimeter as China's Gong Lijiao took the women's shot put victory at the opening meeting of the 2024 Diamond League here in Xiamen on Saturday.
24-year-old Duplantis needed only three attempts to secure his title, clearing 5.62-meter, 5.82m and 6.00m with a clean sheet. The bar was then raised to 6.24m, one centimeter over his own world record set last September at the 2023 Diamond League final in Eugene, the United States. The world and Olympic champion duly soared over the bar once again at his first attempt.
"This is my first time in China and it's exciting to get my [outdoor] season going," said Duplantis, who retained his world indoor title in Glasgow, UK, last month at 6.05m.
"I went into the competition with high expectations. And I knew that I could jump high, but there are so many things that have to be perfect and come together in the right way for that to actually happen. And everything was there today," he said.
"It's an amazing track and the weather was what it needs to be. Energy in the crowd was great. Everything was there for me. It was just up to me to go jump and I was able to do that. I'm honestly very, very excited about that."
Sam Kendricks of the United States cleared 5.82m to finish second and Huang Bokai of China registered a season's best of 5.72m to take third place.
It was the eighth time for Duplantis to renew the world record. He first managed the feat in February 2020, when he set 6.17m in Torun, Poland.
China's Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion Gong Lijiao also lit up the crowd with a victory in a reunion of the top-three finishers at last year's World Championships.
35-year-old Gong achieved a season's best of 19.72m on her second attempt to take the leading position and bowed out with a 19.61m to wrap up the victory.
New Zealand's Maddison-Lee Wesche hurled a personal best of 19.63m to edge past American world champion Chase Jackson, who finished third with 19.62m. Canada's Sarah Mitton, runner-up at the 2023 worlds, finished fourth with 19.35m.
"I am happy to win but not satisfied with the result. It's my first outdoor competition and I expected to throw over 20m to boost my confidence," Gong said. "But the field is very strong today. I think winning the competition can also help to build my confidence."
Another local favorite Feng Bin failed to defend her title in women's discus, settling for third place with 67.07m. America's Olympic champion Valarie Allman took gold with 69.80m from her fifth round effort.
Yaime Perez of Cuba, who had thrown 73.09m last week - the best mark ever registered in the event since 1990 - hurled 68.83m in the opening round to finish second.
Elsewhere, American sprinter Christian Coleman clocked 10.13s to win the men's 100m, while Pedro Pichardo of Portugal leaped 17.51 to take the men's triple jump victory.
Women's 5,000m world record holder Gudaf Tsegay led an all-Ethiopian podium finish in the 1,500m race, passing the line with a world-leading and personal best mark of 3:50.30. ■
Armand Duplantis of Sweden celebrates after making a new world record during men's pole vault event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. Armand Duplantis broke the men's pole vault world record with 6.24 meters in the Diamond League Xiamen event. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Armand Duplantis of Sweden celebrates after men's pole vault event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. Armand Duplantis broke the men's pole vault world record with 6.24 meters in the Diamond League Xiamen event. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Gong Lijiao of China competes during the women's shot put event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Valarie Allman of the United States competes during the women's discus throw event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Zhu Yaming of China competes during the men's triple jump event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Pedro Pichardo of Portugal competes during the men's triple jump event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Shelby Mcewen of the United States reacts during the men's high jump event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Shinno Tomohiro of Japan competes during the men's high jump event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar reacts during the men's high jump event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Wu Yanni of China competes during the women's 100m hurdles event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Huang Bokai of China competes during the men's pole vault event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Christian Coleman of the United States reacts after winning the men's 100m event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Gong Lijiao of China celebrates after winning the women's shot put event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Sam Kendricks of the United States competes during the men's pole vault event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya competes during the women's 3000m steeplechase event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia celebrates after winning the women's 1500m event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Xingyu)
Gudaf Tsegay (L) of Ethiopia celebrates after winning the women's 1500m event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Xingyu)
Liu Junxi (L) of China and Eric Edwards of the United States compete during the men's 110m hurdle event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Xingyu)
Christian Coleman (C) of the United States, Fred Kerley (R) of the United States and Ackeem Black of Jamaica compete during the men's 100m event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Xingyu)
Sam Kendricks of the United States competes during the men's pole vault event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Beatrice Chepkoech (L) and Faith Chepkoech of Kenya celebrate after the women's 3000m steeplechase event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Xingyu)
(240420) --XIAMEN, April 20, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Izumiya Shunsuke (L) of Japan competes during the men's 110m hurdles event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar reacts during the men's high jump event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Gold medalist Armand Duplantis (C) of Sweden, silver medalist Sam Kendricks (L) of the United States and bronze medalist Huang Bokai of China pose after men's pole vault event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. Armand Duplantis broke the men's pole vault world record with 6.24 meters in the Diamond League Xiamen event. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (C) of Puerto Rico competes during the women's 100m hurdles event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Hu Xingyu)
Armand Duplantis of Sweden poses with his new world record after men's pole vault event at the 2024 Wanda Diamond League Xiamen Meeting in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, April 20, 2024. Armand Duplantis broke the men's pole vault world record with 6.24 meters in the Diamond League Xiamen event. (Xinhua/Jiang Han)
