South African sprinter Gift Leotlela has made a stunning start to his outdoor season, winning the men’s 100m event at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, China, with a time of 9.97 seconds. Leotlela pipped a world-class field, including Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala and American Kenneth Bednarek, in a dramatic photo finish.
The victory marks Leotlela’s first Diamond League win and sets the tone for the rest of the season. ‘I think tonight sets the tone for the rest of the season,’ Leotlela said. ‘I’m very happy, excited for what’s to come.’ The South African athlete’s win is a significant upset, given the strong field of competitors.
Diamond League Meeting Highlights
Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis cruised to pole vault victory, setting a new Shanghai meeting record of 6.12m. The Swedish athlete, who has not lost a competition since 2023, attempted to break his own world record but failed with all three attempts. Duplantis said he felt the record had been possible, citing his busy schedule as a factor.
Norway’s Karsten Warholm was shocked in the 300m hurdles, losing to Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos by 0.04 seconds. Warholm, who clocked two world bests in the little-raced 300m hurdles last season, expressed disappointment at the loss. ‘I’m a little bit mad that I didn’t win,’ Warholm said. ‘I think he was really starting to get tired and I thought maybe I had him there.’
Women’s Events
Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson won the women’s 200m event with a time of 22.07 seconds, beating Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas and American Anavia Battle. Jackson’s victory comes as she aims to stay healthy ahead of next season’s World Championship. ‘This year, I just want to stay healthy,’ Jackson said. ‘Next season’s a World Championship year, so I just want to stay as healthy as possible.’
In the women’s 100m hurdles, Olympic champion Masai Russell won with a strong performance. The event also saw former world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States finish down the field, while world silver medallist Amy Hunt of Great Britain finished fifth.
For more information on the Diamond League, visit the World Athletics website. The Diamond League is an annual series of track and field meetings, featuring the world’s top athletes.
- Men’s 100m: Gift Leotlela (South Africa) – 9.97s
- Women’s 200m: Shericka Jackson (Jamaica) – 22.07s
- Men’s pole vault: Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis (Sweden) – 6.12m
