After a break that spanned a month, including the Commonwealth Games, the Diamond League track and field series restarted today in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a special men’s pole vault “city event.” Armand Duplantis, the Swedish athlete who has clinched consecutive Olympic gold medals and three consecutive world championships, secured victory with a meet-record vault of 6.21 meters. Despite thrilling attempts at 6.32 meters, which would have broken his own world record by one centimeter, Duplantis fell short.
Today’s event marks the beginning of the final phase of the global track and field season, leading up to the Diamond League Final and the newly introduced World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
The upcoming schedule is as follows:
**Highlighting Diamond League’s Return with Star-Studded 100m Event**
The Diamond League champions will be crowned at the Final in Brussels on September 4 and 5, with only three regular-season meets remaining. One of these events, the pole-vault competition, served as a precursor to the main event in Lausanne on Friday at Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.
Friday’s lineup includes a captivating men’s 800m race featuring the medallists from the 2024 Paris Olympics: Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya, Marco Arop of Canada, and Djamel Sedjati of Algeria. Additionally, the 200m races will showcase Letisile Tebogo of Botswana, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, and Amy Hunt of Great Britain.
The action will be broadcast live on CBC Gem from 2-4 p.m. ET, with a replay on the CBC TV network from 3-5 p.m. ET. The men’s 800m event is scheduled for 2:40 p.m. ET, while the 200m races will take place at 2:15 p.m. ET (women’s) and 3:41 p.m. ET (men’s).
On Saturday, the excitement moves to Poland’s Silesian Stadium for two days of competition, featuring prominent athletes across various events.
**Diamond League Final and Ultimate Championship**
The Diamond League Final in Brussels will see the culmination of a season-long points chase to determine the event qualifiers. The top performers will vie for the Diamond Trophy and substantial cash prizes at the Final.
Following the Diamond League Final, the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship will take place in Budapest on September 11-13. This premier event aims to showcase the world’s best athletes competing for significant prize money, including $150,000 for winners of individual events.
With a unique format, the Ultimate Championship offers an exclusive platform for elite athletes to compete without qualifying rounds in select events. The top athletes from the Diamond League Final and reigning champions receive automatic invitations, ensuring a high-caliber competition.
For more details on these upcoming events and to stay updated on the track and field season’s climax, visit the provided links.