Julien Alfred dominates in Diamond League 100m, while unbeaten Armand Duplantis reigns supreme
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Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia clocking 10.88 seconds to win the women's 100m race at the Diamond League Finals on Sept 13.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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BRUSSELS – Olympic champion Julien Alfred scorched to victory in the 100m at the Diamond League Finals in Brussels, Belgium, on Sept 13 as American Sha’Carri Richardson finished second-last.
It had been Richardson edging out Alfred at the line when she triumphed in Zurich last week. However, the tables were turned at the King Baudouin Stadium, as the Saint Lucia sprinter clocked 10.88 seconds for the win.
Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith came in second in 10.92sec, with Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith rounding out the podium in 11.05sec. Richardson eased off well before the line in the knowledge she had been well beaten, finishing in 11.23sec.
“I am so happy, it feels amazing to finish my season on a good note and to take the win. I am just so proud of myself. My preparation was a bit difficult, it was really hard for me after Zurich,” said Alfred.
“But that actually prepared me for Brussels. That gave me the energy to do so good today. I tried to relax and to enjoy the last race of my season. But losing kind of put me up again, I had to perform. I wanted to prove to myself that I deserve to be here and that I am not a one-time thing.”
Also ending the season on a literal high is Sweden’s undisputed pole vault king Armand Duplantis, who ended an unbeaten campaign with another fantastic victory.
It was his 15th win in a year where he improved his own world record three times, up to 6.26 metres. The US-born Swede was again a world apart from his rivals, vaulting only thrice – at 5.62, 5.92 and 6.11m, the latter a new meet record. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis was second with 5.82m on countback from home favourite Ben Broeders.
Duplantis said: “Now it’s time to celebrate my beautiful season: I will drink some good Belgian beers tonight for sure!”
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen held off a strong field to claim the men’s 1,500m in 3min 30.37sec.
The Tokyo Olympic champion missed out on the podium in the French capital, but has been keen to make amends, once again holding off Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot and Paris Games winner Cole Hocker.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the world and Olympic champion and world record holder, notched up her eighth consecutive Diamond League high jump win with a best of 1.97m, winning on a countback from Australian Nicola Olyslagers.
But there was a rare defeat for Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, the two-time Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion, in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase. Kenya’s Amos Serem won in 8:06.90, with the Moroccan second in 8:08.60.
Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake strode home in the men’s 100m, winning in 9.93sec ahead of Americans Christian Coleman (10.00) and Fred Kerley (10.01), the Olympic bronze medallist and 2022 world champion. AFP, REUTERS
