Soufiane El Bakkali in action in Rabat (© Chiara Montesano / Diamond League AG)
Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali won the 3000m steeplechase at the Meeting International Mohammed VI d’Athletisme de Rabat to ensure that local fans at the Wanda Diamond League meeting went home happy on Sunday (31).
The two-time Olympic and world champion’s victory came at the end of an action-packed programme that featured seven meeting records and several world-leading performances.
El Bakkali was among those world leaders as he clocked 7:57.25 to open his season with a win – his fifth consecutive victory at the Diamond League in Rabat.
Germany’s Diamond League champion Frederik Ruppert ran a well-judged race to work his way through the field and secure his second consecutive Rabat runner-up finish in a European record of 7:57.80, while Kenya’s Simon Koech also dipped under eight minutes, clocking a PB of 7:59.44. Edmund Serem – third last year – was fourth this time in a PB of 8:01.61.
It is just the third race in history in which the top three have all finished inside eight minutes.
USA’s Joe Kovacs and Kenny Bednarek both secured statement meeting record-breaking wins, prevailing in a clash of global medallists.
Two-time world shot put champion Kovacs threw a world lead of 22.58m to beat world record-holder Ryan Crouser, improving the meeting record of 22.47m that three-time Olympic and three-time world champion Crouser set in 2017.
Crouser was second this time with 21.59m, while Jordan Geist and Roger Steen completed a US top four.
Two-time Olympic and two-time world silver medallist Bednarek eased to an impressive victory in the 200m. He led at the bend and kicked again to leave his rivals chasing – reaching the finish line in a meeting record of 19.69 (0.4m/s) to win clear ahead of Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo (19.96).
Tina Clayton got a great start in the 100m and was never challenged – the world silver medallist running 10.85 (0.3m/s) to lead a Jamaican top three. Lavanya Williams also dipped under 11 seconds with a PB of 10.95, while Jonielle Smith was third in 11.00.
USA’s Diamond League champion Jacory Patterson secured back-to-back wins in Rabat – improving the meeting record to 44.11 after a well-judged run. He held off Great Britain’s Matt Hudson-Smith (44.25) and USA’s Khaleb McRae (44.40).
Slovakia’s world bronze medallist Emma Zapletalova and USA’s Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell went head-to-head in the 400m hurdles, Zapletalova using the challenge to launch herself to a world-leading national record. They were locked in battle off the final bend, but Zapletalova edged ahead and had the best clearance of the final barrier, using the momentum to take her over the finish line in 52.82 – her first performance under 53 seconds. Cockrell was second in 53.18.
Emma Zapletalova celebrates her win in Rabat (© Chiara Montesano / Diamond League AG)
USA’s Cambrea Sturgis stormed to the first Diamond League win of her career, taking the 200m in 22.21 (1.3m/s) ahead of her compatriot Kayla White (22.28).
Meeting records for Werro and Nuguse
Switzerland’s Diamond League champion Audrey Werro dominated the 800m on her season debut, controlling the race to ease to victory in a meeting record of 1:56.56 – the fastest outdoor time in the world so far this year. Olympic silver medallist Tsige Duguma chased her down the home straight but left too much to do and had to settle for second place in 1:57.24. World champion Lilian Odira was third in 1:57.27.
Great Britain’s world and Olympic finalist Max Burgin tracked the pacemaker in the 800m and was never challenged, striding away from Kenya’s world and Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi to win in 1:42.98 – the fastest time so far this outdoor season. Wanyonyi was second in 1:43.56, followed by Slimane Moula in 1:43.73.
USA’s Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse managed to hold on to deny Portugal’s world champion Isaac Nader in the 1500m. Nuguse, making his track season debut, led the pack as they reached the home straight, but Nader kicked, glancing over his shoulder in pursuit. He ran out of track and Nuguse launched himself over the line, winning in a meeting record of 3:30.35 to Nader’s 3:30.43.
USA’s world and Olympic champion Valarie Sion was also among the meeting record-breakers as she won the discus with a final-round throw of 68.75m – just over two metres farther than runner-up Jorinde van Klinken, the world silver medallist, with 66.72m.
Australia’s Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy soared to victory in her first Diamond League contest since 2024. After missing the whole of 2025 through injury, she marked her return with a 4.80m clearance to triumph ahead of Imogen Ayris, Katie Moon and Angelica Moser, who all cleared 4.70m.
Ukraine’s world record-holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the high jump after clearing 1.97m, while Grenada’s Anderson Peters won the javelin with a throw of 86.08m
Nigeria’s world record-holder Tobi Amusan won the non-Diamond League 100m hurdles, improving her own meeting record to 12.28 (1.2m/s) to match her season’s best set when finishing second to Masai Russell’s 12.14 – which was just 0.02 off the world record – in Xiamen. World indoor 60m hurdles record-holder Devynne Charlton was second in 12.40.
Ethiopia’s two-time world indoor gold medallist Freweyni Hailu timed her kick to perfection to win the non-Diamond League 1500m in 3:58.25.
