Daniel Stahl in discus action at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Brussels (© Getty Images)
World champions Daniel Stahl and Yaime Perez kicked off the Brussels Wanda Diamond League action on Wednesday (1), winning the discus competitions at the Bois de la Cambre park.
Held two days before the main Memorial Van Damme programme, it was the first time any Diamond League discipline had been held on parkland. Accompanied by music of the athletes’ choosing, the event caught the attention of passers-by, who were treated to the sights of the world’s best throwers launching their discs against a scenic backdrop.
Stahl, undefeated in his past 12 competitions, connected well with his first throw and sent his discus flying out to 69.31m – the second-best throw ever recorded in Brussels. The Olympic champion was five metres ahead of his nearest opponent for the first two rounds as 2017 world champion Andrius Gudzius opened with 64.14m and Germany’s Daniel Jasinski started with 63.84m.
Stahl registered fouls on his next three attempts, but his lead was never seriously challenged. Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh moved into second place with 65.32m in round three and then improved to 65.68m in round five.
Jamaica’s world silver medallist Fedrick Dacres, who hadn’t fully recovered from injury in time for the Olympic Games, showed improved form with 65.17m in round five to make it into the top three.
In the all-important final round, Dacres managed 61.75m and Ceh recorded a foul. Stahl, meanwhile, ended his competition with 67.01m to take first place.
Two-time Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic took an early lead in the women’s contest after opening with 62.49m and improving to 64.44m in round two. Perez, who had opened with a foul, responded with 66.47m in the second round to take a comfortable lead, while Olympic champion Valarie Allman wrapped up the second round with a 64.20m effort.
Perkovic threw 65.14m in round three, while Allman improved slightly with 64.25m. Perez didn’t improve on her lead, but backed it up with throws of 64.65m and 64.86m in the third and fourth rounds.
The same three women – all winners of global titles in recent years – occupied the top three spots going into the final winner-takes-all round. Allman landed a solid 63.38m effort, and it was followed by Perkovic hitting the cage with her discus.
It was then down to Perez to snatch back the lead and the Cuban did so – but only just. Her discus landed at 63.41m, enough to better Allman’s mark by just three centimetres. It meant Perez earned her second Diamond League victory of 2021, following her win in Doha back in May.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
