BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, September 4 — Just 5 days after breaking her own U.S. (and North American) record in the shot put, Chase Jackson extended her career best to 69-4¼ (21.14) to take her third Diamond League Final title (and first since ’23). An hour before the main program at the Memorial Van Damme kicked off inside King Baudouin Stadium, the 2-time world champion finished her near-perfect season by improving on the AR 68-11¾ (21.02) she set in Berlin. The mark was also a Diamond League record, 2026 world leader and the longest throw in the world in 15 years.
“Right now adrenaline is still keeping me together, but when I get to the hotel I will probably start crying,” said Jackson, who won 11 of her 14 competitions this year. “I have been training really well and was determined to show that I had an even bigger throw in me than the one I did last week. It’s amazing to be part of this generation of shot put women.”
Indeed, the competition featured the deepest top 3 of the 21st century. Canada’s Sarah Mitton had taken the lead in the first round with a 67-8¾ (20.64), which held up for 2nd place, just ahead of ’25 world champion Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands, who managed 67-6 (20.57). Back in May, Schilder had become the first new member of the 21-meter club since 2012 when she threw 69-2½ (21.09) in Shaoxing, China.
The discus featured an upset, with American Valarie Sion losing for only the third time this year. China’s Bin Feng threw 221-4 (67.46), while 2-time Olympic gold medalist Sion could only reach 219-7 (66.92).
“This was quite unexpected, because I haven’t been able to train systematically the last couple of months,” said Feng, the ’22 world champion. “I felt kind of lost during the season and I didn’t have a lot of expectations for tonight. However, being able to deliver a season’s best and to win the Diamond League final is an enormous confidence boost.”
Sion had thrown farther than Feng’s winning mark in 10 of her 12 previous meets this year and saw her streak of 5 straight Diamond League titles stopped.
“I think it’s always hard at the end of the season,” the American admitted. “I love to compete and I love the Diamond League. I really wanted to become a part of history and try to earn my sixth trophy, but I think my body needs a break.”
In the 200, it took St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred half the homestretch to finally catch fast-starting American Kayla White, but from 150 to the finish she forged a dominant margin, crossing the line in 21.79 (wind: 0.1). White (22.00) was a clear runner-up, ahead of European champion Amy Hunt (22.16) of Great Britain.
“I haven’t run the 200 meters since July at the London Diamond League,” said Alfred, the Olympic 100 champion in Paris. “I have to figure it out again because this distance is so different to execute compared to the 100. It felt fairly new stepping back into the event, but a win is a win, so I am really happy with the race.”
Anna Cockrell went out hard in the 400H and appeared to be heading for a comfortable win. But behind her, Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalová — who dominated the early stages of the DL circuit this year — and Belgium’s Paulien Couckuyt mounted a furious challenge off the final barrier. In the end they ran out of space and Cockrell (53.01) held on for the win ahead of Zapletalová (53.10) and Couckuyt (53.20 NR).
“There’s definitely some stuff to clean up,” said Cockrell, the Olympic silver medalist in Paris. “Hurdle 10 wasn’t my best, but it was enough to get it done, so I’m pleased with that.”
In the steeplechase, pacer Olivia Gürth led through the first 1000 in 2:54.77, but after she stepped aside a lap later the pace slowed significantly, with Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai leading a five-woman pack through 2000 in 5:58.08. Winfred Yavi of Bahrain went into the lead just ahead of the penultimate water jump. She and Kenya’s Faith Cherotich started pulling away at the bell. Off the final water jump, Cherotich, the reigning world champion, surged to the front and sprinted home for the win in 8:51.61, just missing Chemutai’s world-leading 8:51.06 from May.
Kenya’s Doris Lemngole (8:52.86 PR, moving to No. 6 all-time) passed Yavi (8:53.54) in the run-in for 2nd, followed by Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani (8:57.02) and Chemutai (8:59.77). The race was just the second ever in which 5 women broke 9:00. Lexy Halladay-Lowry took 6th in 9:05.36, moving to No. 4 on the U.S. all-time list.
The racing in the 5000 didn’t begin until 600 meters remained when Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw took the lead off a modest pace. Countrywoman Freweyni Hailu drew ahead down the final backstretch and her speed was more than Amebaw — or anyone else – could match. She won in 14:35.20. Amebaw (14:36.31) and Getachew (14:37.09) completed an Ethiopian sweep.
“It was a very tactical race with a slow first half,” said Hailu, who has won world indoor titles in the 1500 and 3000. “This is not a race tactic that I like. I prefer a more even paced race.”
Saly Sarr of Senegal had the two best marks of the day in the triple jump, 49-1 (14.96) and 49-0 ¾ (14.95). Behind her, Cubans Leyanis Pérez and Davisleidis Velazco went 2-3, at 48-7 ½ (14.82) and 48-4 (14.73).
“I hoped for a better result, but the main thing was to take the win tonight,” said Sarr, who joined the 15-meter club in August, jumping 49-5 ¾ (15.08). “It’s been an exceptional year for me as I improved my personal best at each Diamond League competition.”
T&FN results to follow. Official results are here.
