Karsten Warholm at the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen (© AFP / Getty Images)
Three-time world champion Karsten Warholm opened his season in stunning style by breaking his own world best for 300m hurdles at the opening Wanda Diamond League meeting of 2025 in Xiamen on Saturday (26).
Meanwhile, Olympic champions Faith Kipyegon, Mondo Duplantis, Beatrice Chebet and Valarie Allman also opened their Wanda Diamond League campaigns with impressive victories.
Warholm, who hadn’t raced since his victory in Silesia in late August last year, showed no signs of rust as he powered around three-quarters of the track, gliding over the barriers to win by almost a second in 33.05, an improvement of 0.21 on the world best he set in Oslo in 2021, the year he set the world 400m hurdles record.
Brazil’s Matheus Lima was second in 33.98 and Japan’s Ken Toyoda took third place in 34.22. It was recently announced by World Athletics that the 300m hurdles will become an official world record discipline in due course.
“I was a little bit surprised by how easy my legs were feeling off the last bend,” said Warholm. “Of course you feel it a little bit in the end, but I managed to really push in the last 45 metres. This shows that the speed is there and the speed over the hurdles is there.”
Warholm’s run was one of eight meeting records established in Xiamen. Kipyegon also broke a meeting record and very nearly took down the world record.
The multiple global champion and world record-holder had been targeting Svetlana Masterkova’s long-standing world record of 2:28.98, having twice come close to breaking it back in 2020.
In what was generally an even-but-not-quite-fast-enough-paced effort, the Kenyan distance star once again came agonisingly close, this time clocking 2:29.21 – the third-fastest time in history behind her own PB (2:29.15) and the world record (2:28.98). Australia’s Abby Caldwell was second in an Oceanian record of 2:32.94.
“It was a very good start to my season,” said Kipyegon. “I’m happy to start my season, and I hope to stay healthy this way and for the next races.”
Faith Kipyegon in the 1000m in Xiamen (© AFP / Getty Images)
Kipyegon’s fellow Kenyan Beatrice Chebet was another convincing winner. The double Olympic gold medallist set a meeting record of 14:27.12 to win the 5000m by more than a second from Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay (14:28.18) in a race where eight women finished inside 14:34 – a record for depth.
World and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali suffered a rare defeat in the 3000m steeplechase. He also surrendered his meeting record as Ethiopian youngster Samuel Firewu outkicked the Moroccan on the final lap to win in 8:05.61 ahead of El Bakkali (8:06.66) and Simon Koech (8:07.12).
Botwana’s Olympic relay silver medallist Bayapo Ndori enjoyed a moment of individual glory in the 400m, beating world indoor champion Chris Bailey in a close finish, 44.25 to 44.27 – both men finishing inside the previous meeting record. Ndori’s teammate Busang Collen Kebinatshipi was third in 44.53.
In a high-quality shot put contest, European indoor champion Jessica Schilder produced her best ever outdoor throw to win with a meeting record of 20.47m. Two-time world champion Chase Jackson was second (20.31m) and home star Gong Lijiao third (19.62m).
Greece’s 2022 European champion Elina Tzengko improved with each of her first five throws in the javelin, ultimately winning with a meeting record of 64.75m.
There was another meeting record in the women’s 200m, which was won by USA’s Anavia Battle in 22.41. Two-time world champion Shericka Jackson was second (22.79) while world indoor 60m champion was ninth over the finish line in 23.51.
Allman wins high-quality discus contest
In a discus competition that featured five past winners of global titles, USA’s Valarie Allman emerged victorious with a third-round throw of 68.95m.
Yaime Perez, the 2019 world champion, was second with 66.26m, putting her comfortably ahead of world champion Laulaga Tausaga (64.91m).
It was business as usual for pole vault superstar Mondo Duplantis, who notched up another victory. A year since setting a world record in Xiamen, the Swede wasn’t quite in the same form today as he topped out with a best of 5.92m, but there was no lack of height on his attempts at 6.01m. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis was second with 5.82m.
There was joy for the home crowd as China’s Zhang Mingkun sailed out to 8.18m in the fifth round of the long jump to steal victory from long-time leader Liam Adcock (8.15m).
World indoor bronze medallist Akani Simbine was a convincing winner of the men’s 100m. The South African took victory in 9.99 (0.2m/s) ahead of Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (10.13) and world indoor champion Jeremiah Azu (10.17). Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo was seventh in 10.20.
Two-time world champion Danielle Williams came through in the latter stages to win the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.53 after long-time leader Grace Stark faltered over the final barrier. The US hurdler managed to hold on to finish second in 12.58.
World and Olympic champion Grant Holloway wasn’t quite so fortunate in the men’s sprint hurdles. He had a comfortable lead up until the point when he hit the seventh barrier, which then stalled his momentum, allowing compatriot Cordell Tinch to come through and take victory in 13.06. Holloway jogged across the line in last place.
Elsewhere, Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the high jump with 1.97m ahead of Australian duo Eleanor Patterson and Nicola Olyslagers, both women clearing 1.94m. Jamaica’s Jordan Scott won the men’s triple jump with 17.27m.
