The final Diamond League of the season certainly did not disappoint, with recent World champions Mohammad Amen, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Caterin Ibarguen all on show.
Around 50,000 spectators swarmed into the King Baudouin Stadium, to witness some of the worlds finest athletes secure Diamond dominance.
Jehue Gordon wasn’t in with a chance of Diamond victory, but the Trinidadian 400 metre hurdler was keen to end his season on a high, and he did just that.
Diamond leader Javier Culson went out hard, but paid the price in the latter stages as he faded, and Gordon powered through.
Culson concluded third, but just managed to hold off Michael Tinsley, and so hung on for Diamond League victory.
In the women’s 100 metres, as expected, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce dismantled her opponents, to clock a meeting record of 10.72 seconds.
The Jamaican got out of the blocks strong as it customary, and from there ran away from the field with finesse, cementing her sprinting dominance.
Warren Weir claimed Jamaica’a second Diamond win of the night in the men’s 200 metres after a fairly week bend, but strong finish.
America’s Walter Dix got a good start, but faded in the home straight to finish third behind Weir, and Nickel Ashmaede.
Sandra Perkovic continued her discuss dominance in Brussels with her best throw of 67.04 metres.
The Croatian thrower has lost just once in her last 15 competitions, and now adds Diamond victory to her World and Olympic titles.
Another formality of the night was in the women’s triple jump, as Caterin Ibarguen continued her unbeaten streak, with her winning jump of 14.49 metres.
In the men’s shot put, Ryan Whiting recorded just two valid throws, only one of which was over 20 metres, but the American’s best attempt of 21.45 metres was enough to secure the win.
Kenya’s Milcah Chemos, and Lidya Chepkurui, were both tied on 12 points going into the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase, but it was Chemos who took the title over her compatriot.
Chepkurui was in contention at the bell, but Chemos’ last lap pace came through, and with 200 metres to go Chepkurui was dropped off the pace, to finish down in fourth.
In terms of Diamond League points, Amantle Montsho was uncatchable before the women’s 400 metres got underway, but the Botswana athlete was determined to get one over on World Champion Christine Ohuruguo.
The Montsho versus Ohuruguo match up didn’t live up to expectations, though. Natasha Hastings ran Montsho into second with her 50.36 second clocking, with Ohuruguo down in fifth.
The men’s 800 metres was expected to be one of the races of the night, and it certainly delivered.
The pacemaker took the pack, lead by Ayanleh Souleiman, through 400 metres in 48.55 seconds, and 600 metres in 75.2 seconds.
Nick Symmonds came through strong in the finishing straight for second, but Mohammed Amen was untouchable with his phenomenal Ethiopian national record, and world leading time, of 1.42.38.
Dawn Harper-Nelson secured Diamond victory in the women’s 100 metre hurdles with an impressive victory over Olympic gold, and World silver medallist, Sally Pearson.
Pearson is evidently lacking speed this season due to injury problems, but Harper-Nelson’s win was convincing nonetheless, and with a seasons best too, of 12.48 seconds.
The women’s 1,500 metres was left tainted after carnage erupted at the bell. Abeba Aregawi requested a fast pace for the event, but opted not to follow the pacemaker, resulting in a much slower, compact race.
Five athletes were left sprawled across the floor, some managing to get back up and into the race, other not.
Nevertheless, Aregawi went on to seal the win, and Diamond league victory, in 4.05.42.
Svetlana Shkolina claimed victory once more over her compatriot Anna Chicherova in the women’s high jump.
Chicherova went out of the competition at 1.98 metres, while Shkolina cleared two metres for the win. Shkolina went on to challenge the bar at 2.02 and 2.04 metres, but failed at all three attempts.
Vitezslav Yesely was beaten into second by Tero Pitkämäki in the men’s javelin throw. Yesely launched his best throw of 86.67 metres in the first round, but Pitkämäki’s fourth round throw of 87.72 metres did the job
Regardless of the result, Vesley closes out the season as World, and now Diamond League champion.
Christian Taylor walked away with Diamond victory in men’s triple jump with 23 points, but it was Teddy Tamgho who came out on top on the night.
It was a fairly weak competition, with Tamgho the only competitor to exceed 17 metres. Taylor secured second with 16.89 metres, with his compatriot Will Claye in third, with 16.88 metres.
Renaud Lavillenie displayed his Diamond League dominance in the men’s pole vault, with a meeting record, and winning jump of 5.96 metres.
The French man’s closest challenge came from Konstantinos Filippidis, but even he was way adrift from Lavillenie, with his second place jump of 5.74 metres.
The World silver medallist went on to attempt 6.04 metres, but failed on all three attempts.
Yenew Alamirew and Hagos Gebrhiwet fought it out in the men’s 5,000 metres for the Diamond League title, with Bernard Lagat proving stiff competition, too.
Lagat made a move down the back straight on the final lap, but the two Ethiopians kicked back in the home straight, for Alamirew to take the win.
Lagat’s seasons best time of 12.58.99 was enough to hold off Gebrhiwet for second.
