Armand \u201cMondo\u201d Duplantis cruised to pole vault victory in the opening Diamond League meeting of the season on Saturday (May 16, 2026), but failed to improve his own world record.<\/p>\n
There was a surprise in the men\u2019s 100m as Gift Leotlela of South Africa pipped Ferdinand Omanyala and Kenneth Bednarek in a photo finish to win a Diamond League event for the first time.<\/p>\n
High-quality women\u2019s 200m and 100m hurdles were won by Jamaica\u2019s Shericka Jackson and Olympic champion Masai Russell respectively, but Karsten Warholm was shocked in the 300m hurdles.<\/p>\n
Duplantis already had victory sewn up in the pole vault after just two jumps before he eased to a new Shanghai meeting record in 6.12m.<\/p>\n
The Swede, who has not lost a competition since 2023, then raised the bar to a world record 6.32m but failed with all three attempts to beat his old mark.<\/p>\n
Duplantis told AFP<\/i> he felt the record had been possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel really good jumping right now,\u201d said Duplantis, who has lengthened his run-up by two paces this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say body-wise I was a little bit too busy the past few weeks. But other than that I\u2019m happy with the way I performed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norway\u2019s Warholm clocked two world bests in the little-raced 300m hurdles last season but was stunned by 0.04sec by Brazil\u2019s Alison Dos Santos (33.01).<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a little bit mad that I didn\u2019t win,\u201d said Warholm.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he was really starting to get tired and I thought maybe I had him there. This is how competing should be, you should never know the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leotlela said his men\u2019s 100m victory in 9.97sec had been the perfect start to his outdoor year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think tonight sets the tone for the rest of the season,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m very happy, excited for what\u2019s to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
American Bednarek was just 100th of a second behind Leotlela in third, given the same 9.98sec time as Kenya\u2019s Omanyala.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel pretty good,\u201d said Bednarek, the 200m silver medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympics.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t execute what I wanted to in the first half of the race but I\u2019m happy with the results.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Stay healthy\u2019<\/h4>\n
Jamaica\u2019s Jackson crossed the line in the 200m in 22.07 to beat Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas (22.26), who was running her first Diamond League race for three years, with American Anavia Battle third in 22.40.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, I just want to stay healthy,\u201d said Jackson.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext season\u2019s a world championship year, so I just want to stay as healthy as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former world 100m world champion Sha\u2019Carri Richardson of the United States could only finish fourth in 20.42 and world silver medallist Amy Hunt of Great Britain was fifth.<\/p>\n
Jessica Schilder recorded the performance of the night as she propelled the shot to a Diamond League record and became the first woman to exceed 21 metres since 1999.<\/p>\n
The Dutchwoman launched her huge 21.09m effort in the fifth round to relegate two-time world champion Chase Jackson (20.46) to second place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t comprehend. It is such a huge thing, it is crazy,\u201d Schilder said of breaking the 21-metre barrier.<\/p>\n
In the women\u2019s 100m hurdles, the American Russell\u2019s superb 12.25 was good enough to beat Bahamian world indoor champion Devynne Charlton (12.38), with world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria third in 12.41.<\/p>\n
Mark English\u2019s late burst snatched a dramatic men\u2019s 800m with a meeting record of 1:43.85.<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old Irishman dipped past Botswana\u2019s Kethobogile Haingura on the line, having come from six runners back in the final 30 metres.<\/p>\n
In the men\u2019s 110m hurdles, Jamal Britt upset his fellow American and world champion Cordell Tinch to win with a personal best-equalling 13.07sec.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n