BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, September 05 — On a cool evening at King Baudouin Stadium, American vaulter Hana Moll continued her late-summer tear through Europe, taking the DL Final title on Day 2 of the Memorial Van Damme. The 21-year-old Washington star cleared 16-1¼ (4.91), adding a centimeter to the PR she had set while winning in Zürich a week earlier.
Moll, who also won in Lausanne, cleared her first five heights — through 15-11¼ (4.86) — on her initial attempts. Switzerland’s Angelica Moser was the only other competitor to make it over 15-9 (4.80), but after a miss, the European champion strategically passed to 16-1¼ (4.91). Neither she nor Moll could make it on the first two tries, so Moser was done for the evening.
Moll finally got over comfortably on her third try and moved to =No. 9 on the all-time list (and matching twin sister Amanda’s family record from last year). She then missed three times at 16-3¼ (4.96).
“My first two Diamond League wins definitely helped me in not being overwhelmed going into this Final,” said Moll. “I really feel like my body’s been adapting really well and I’m very proud of it. It’s not easy putting your body through this much stress without having done it before.”
A week after blitzing a 12.09 to break the 100H WR in Zürich, Masai Russell came on strong late to pass training partner Devynne Charlton off the eighth hurdle and continue her undefeated season. Her 12.20 clocking was good for =No. 7 on the all-time performance list. Charlton, for her part, was rewarded with a Bahamian Record 12.33, while Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds took 3rd in 12.43.
Winning the DL Final “was one of my main goals because it’s just one of those things I feel like you have to do to consider yourself as one of the greatest,” said Russell, the Olympic gold medalist 2 years ago in Paris.
Also extending an unbeaten season was Marileidy Paulino in the 400. The Dominican Republic star ran relatively conservatively in 3rd behind Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce and Czechia’s Lurdes Gloria Manuel through 250m before surging home for a convincing victory. Paulino’s winning time of 48.64 was her seventh sub-49 clocking of the year and locked up her fourth DL Final title.
Norway’s Henriette Jæger was the runner-up in 49.20, followed by Pryce (49.36), American Aaliyah Butler (49.98) and Manuel (50.18).
Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska won a brisk 1500, surging into the lead with 200 to go and breaking the Polish Record for the second time in 3 weeks at 3:54.05, a world leader. Behind her, Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi (3:54.72 PR) snuck past Australia’s Jessica Hull (3:54.73) just before the line for 2nd. Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell (3:56.40) took 4th and American Nikki Hiltz (3:56.87) was 5th.
“I hadn’t won anything this year and I wanted to finally win again,” said former Oregon star Kazimierska, who covered her final 400 in 59.34. “The result surprised me just as much as it did everyone else. I worked on a lot of small pieces and they seem to have clicked together wonderfully.”
The 800 featured another homestretch duel between Switzerland’s Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol of the Netherlands. Werro held on for the win in 1:54.75 and extended her outdoor unbeaten streak. Two-time world 400H champion Broeders-Bol (1:54.81) continued her remarkable transition to the 2-lap event and was less than a stride behind applying a constant challenge down the stretch. Switzerland’s Veronica Vancardo (1:58.66) finished a very distant 3rd.
“I felt Femke putting me under pressure during the whole race and that absolutely pushed me to not slow down,” said Werro. “Her presence is a big source of motivation for me to stay sharp going into next year.”
In the 100, Tina Clayton blasted out of the blocks and ran unchallenged to the finish, clocking 10.93 (wind: 0.3). Great Britain’s Amy Hunt (11.06) and American Sha’Carri Richardson (11.07) were well back in 2nd and 3rd.
“I’m satisfied with the time of 10.93, especially because it was a little bit too cold for sprinting,” said the Jamaican winner, who dedicated the win to her former coach Stephen Francis, who passed away in July.
China’s 18-year-old javelin star Ziyi Yan moved into the lead in the fourth round with a 213-1 (64.95), then exploded to 224-6 (68.42) in the next frame. Yan, who hadn’t competed in nearly 2 months, threw the world-leading (and No. 2 all-time) mark of 235-4 (71.74) back in May in Xiamen.
Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi of Japan had taken the early lead with her opening round toss of 211-10 (64.56) and improved to 214-8 (65.44) on her final attempt for the runner-up spot.
Australia’s Eleanor Patterson won the high jump with a third-attempt clearance at 6-7 (2.01), a height that WR holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh could not match. The Ukrainian took 2nd at 6-6¼ (1.99).
Monae’ Nichols of the U.S. was the surprise winner of the long jump, reaching 22-8 (6.91) in the third round. Italy’s Larissa Iapichino hit 22-6¼ (6.86) for the runner-up spot, just ahead of American Claire Bryant, (22-5/6.83). U.S. champion Alyssa Jones finished 4th at 22-3¾ (6.80).
“I love jumping in Europe because the crowd gives so much love to the field events,” said Nichols, who won World Indoor silver in 2024 and has a PR of 22-10½ (6.97) that dates back to ‘22. “Next up is the Ultimate Championships, and then Athlos in London. I definitely have a 7-meter jump in me. My last attempt today was a foul, but it went well over 7m [22-11¾]. I need to stop fouling on my last attempt and adjust my approach, but that big jump is definitely coming.”
BRUSSELS WOMEN’S RESULTS DAY 2
100(0.3): 1. Tina Clayton (Jam) 10.93; 2. Amy Hunt (GB) 11.06; 3. Sha’Carri Richardson (US) 11.07; 4. Patrizia van der Weken (Lux) 11.08; 5. Jonielle Smith (Jam) 11.08; 6. Zoe Hobbs (NZ) 11.14.
400: 1. Marileidy Paulino (DR) 48.64; 2. Henriette Jæger (Nor) 49.20; 3. Nickisha Pryce (Jam) 49.36; 4. Aaliyah Butler (US) 49.98; 5. Lurdes Gloria Manuel (CzR) 50.18; 6. Roxana Gómez (Cub) 50.88.
800: 1. Audrey Werro (Swi) 1:54.75; 2. Femke Broeders-Bol (Neth) 1:54.81; 3. Ageze Saida Tsehaye (Eth) 1:57.57; 4. Veronica Vancardo (Swi) 1:58.66; 5. Sarah Billings (Aus) 1:59.99; 6. Addy Wiley (US) 2:01.29; 7. Camille Laus (Bel) 2:01.63; 8. Prudence Sekgodiso (SA) 2:02.34.
1500: 1. Klaudia Kazimierska (Pol) 3:54.05 NR (WL);
2. Dorcus Ewoi (Ken) 3:54.72 PR; 3. Jessica Hull (Aus) 3:54.73 (3:09.14); 4. Georgia Hunter Bell (GB) 3:56.40; 5. Nikki Hiltz (US) 3:56.87; 6. Agathe Guillemot (Fra) 3:57.12; 7. Abbey Caldwell (Aus) 3:57.19; 8. Emily Mackay (US) 3:57.98; 9. Birke Haylom (Eth) 4:02.79.
100H(1.0): 1. Masai Russell (US) 12.20 (x, =7 W; x, =6 A);
2. Devynne Charlton (Bah) 12.33 NR; 3. Megan Simmonds (Jam) 12.43; 4. Tobi Amusan (Ngr) 12.54; 5. Nadine Visser (Neth) 12.54; 6. Pia Skrzyszowska (Pol) 12.64; 7. Alaysha Johnson (US) 12.66.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Eleanor Patterson (Aus) 6-7 (2.01) (6-3½, 6-4¾, 6-5½, 6-6¼, 6-7 [3], 6-8 [xxx]) (1.92, 1.95, 1.97, 1.99, 2.01 [3], 2.03 [xxx]); 2. Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukr) 6-6¼ (1.99); 3. Nicola Olyslagers (Aus) 6-4¾ (1.95); 4. Angelina Topić (Ser) 6-4¾; 5. Iryna Gerashchenko (Ukr) 6-2 (1.88); 6. Lamara Distin (Jam) 6-2; 7. Merel Maes (Bel) 6-½ (1.84); 8. Nafi Thiam (Bel) 6-½.
PV: 1. Hana Moll (US) 16-1¼ (4.91) PR (=9, x W: =4, x A) (=extended-season CR) (14-5¼, 14-11, 15-5, 15-9, 15-11¼, 16-1¼ [3], 16-3¼ [xxx]) (4.40, 4.55, 4.70, 4.80, 4.86, 4.91 [3], 4.96 [xxx]);
2. Angelica Moser (Swi) 15-9 (4.80); 3. Tina Šutej (Slo) 15-5 (4.70); 4. Katie Moon (US) 15-5; 5. Emily Grove (US) 15-5; 6. Imogen Ayris (NZ) 14-11 (4.55); 7. Elien Vekemans (Bel) 14-11.
LJ: 1. Monae’ Nichols (US) 22-8 (6.91) (21-10¾, 18-3, 22-8, 22-3, 22-2¼, f) (6.67, 5.56, 6.91, 6.78, 6.76, f); 2. Larissa Iapichino (Ita) 22-6¼ (6.86); 3. Claire Bryant (US) 22-5 (6.83); 4. Alyssa Jones (US) 22-3¾ (6.80); 5. Hilary Kpatcha (Fra) 21-8 (6.60); 6. Agate De Sousa (Por) 20-9¼ (6.33); 7. Noor Vidts (Bel) 20-5¼ (6.23).
JT: 1. Ziyi Yan (Chn) 224-6 (68.42) (f, 204-1, f, 213-1, 224-6, f) (f, 62.21, f, 64.95, 68.42, f); 2. Haruka Kitaguchi (Jpn) 214-8 (65.44); 3. Flor Dennis Ruiz (Col) 210-2 (64.07); 4. Adriana Vilagoš (Ser) 204-1 (62.22); 5. Anete Sietiņa (Lat) 194-5 (59.26); 6. Sigrid Borge (Nor) 190-7 (58.08).
