Tsegay, Koech, Wanyonyi break records at London Diamond League
Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Phanuel Koech headlined an impressive African charge at the London Athletics Meet on Saturday, with multiple records falling at the latest leg of the Diamond League.
Tsegay stormed to victory in the women’s mile, clocking a scintillating 4:11.88 to set a new Ethiopian national record and become the second-fastest woman in history over the distance.
The reigning world 10,000m champion controlled the race from the front and responded emphatically when Australia’s Jessica Hull threatened late, eventually pulling away to win ahead of Hull, who broke the Oceanian record with 4:13.68.
There was more Kenyan brilliance in the men’s middle-distance races. Rising star Phanuel Koech, just 18 years old, continued his meteoric rise with a commanding win in the men’s 1500m.
He surged ahead on the final lap to win in 3:28.82, setting a new UK all-comers’ record and defeating reigning world champion Josh Kerr, who was second in a season’s best of 3:29.37.
In the men’s 800m, Olympic silver medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered another reminder of his championship credentials. After leading from the front, the Kenyan appeared to lose ground to world champion Marco Arop on the final bend but showed his trademark finishing strength to reclaim the lead and win in a meeting record of 1:42.00. Arop followed in 1:42.22, with Britain’s Max Burgin finishing third in 1:42.37.
Another African standout was Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa, who triumphed in a star-studded women’s 5000m. Eisa clocked 14:30.57 in a historic race that saw 13 athletes dip under 14:40, the most ever in a single race. Compatriot Fantaye Belayneh was second (14:30.90), with Australia’s Rose Davies third in an Oceanian record of 14:31.45.
Elsewhere, Jamaican sprinter Oblique Seville stunned the men’s 100m field with a blistering 9.86s to defeat Olympic champion Noah Lyles, who settled for second in 10.00s. World bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes finished third in 10.02.
In the field events, there was a shock win in the men’s long jump as Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock edged Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou by just one centimetre, leaping 8.20m to Tentoglou’s 8.19m. Nigeria was not represented on the podium but remains on watch as Pinnock’s form raises the stakes ahead of the Olympics.
Meanwhile, in the women’s 400m hurdles, world champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands continued her dominant run with another comfortable win in 52.10s, although wet track conditions ruled out a faster time.
There were also strong performances from Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who blazed to victory in the women’s 200m in 21.71s – a world lead and national record. She led home Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (22.25) and Amy Hunt (22.31) in a fast race that underscored her Olympic medal credentials.
The meet also witnessed several upsets in the jumps. New Zealand’s Olivia McTaggart beat a world-class field in the women’s pole vault with a 4.73m clearance, while Britain’s Morgan Lake stunned Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh in the high jump with a season-best 1.96m.
Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania broke the Diamond League record in the men’s discus with a monstrous throw of 71.70m, a mark that also set a new UK all-comers’ record. He held off 2022 world champion Kristjan Ceh (68.83m), while Britain’s Lawrence Okoye took third with 67.24m.
