Review of a stunning Diamond League season
- Published
Blake dazzles Brussels with blistering 200m
Sprint stars Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake produced outstanding performances as The Diamond League reached its finale in Brussels.
Now re-live the action below from all 14 meetings.
Results list on the official Diamond League website, external
Doha, Qatar - 6 May
American Walter Dix threw down the gauntlet to rivals Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay by powering to victory in 20.06 seconds in the men's 200m at the Diamond League season-opener.
Britain's Michael Rimmer was second to Asbel Kiprop of Kenya in the 800m.
And American Allyson Felix edged out Botswana's Amantle Montsho to win the women's 400m in 50.33 sec.
Shanghai, China - 15 May
China's Liu Xiang ended David Oliver's 20-race unbeaten run with a tremendous win in the 110m hurdles, blasting out of the blocks to win in 13.07 seconds, while under-pressure American Oliver hit four hurdles in finishing second.
Jamaicans Asafa Powell and Veronica Campbell-Brown won the men's and women's 100m races in fine style.
And Britain's Jenny Meadows, world 800m bronze medallist in 2009, put in a confident performance to win in 2 min 0.54 sec.
Rome, Italy - 26 May
Usain Bolt returned to the track after a near 10-month absence, following an injury-hit 2010 season, but it was a rather lacklustre display by the colourful Jamaican's own standards as he won the 100m in 9.91 sec.
Rome Diamond League in two minutes
British triple jumper Phillips Idowu showed strong form as he leapt to 17.59m, some 30cm ahead of nearest rival Christian Olsson.
In a highly anticipated women's 400m, Allyson Felix stormed to victory in 49.81 sec but the American could only finish fourth in the 200m, 45 minutes later, behind compatriot Bianca Knight.
Britain's Dai Greene gave a powerful display in the 400m hurdles, crossing second behind LJ van Zyl of South Africa in 48.24 sec.
Eugene, United States - 4 June
Mo Farah stunned a top-class field by setting a new British and European 10,000m record in Oregon, in an event that took place on the evening before the main meeting.
The 28-year-old's time of 26 min 46.57 sec wiped six seconds off Mohammed Mourhit's previous European record, dating back to 1999 and he also bettered Jon Brown's 13-year-old British record of 27:18.14.
Report and video: Farah sets European 10,000m mark
Steve Cram on Mo Farah's move to the United States
The following day, David Oliver gained revenge over Liu Xiang rival, winning the 110m hurdles in 12.94 sec on home soil, with Britain's Andy Turner fourth.
Greg Rutherford missed a new British long-jump record because the wind was too strong but he won with 8.32m.
And American 100m sprinter Justin Gatlin broke 10 seconds for the first time since returning from a drugs ban, finishing sixth in 9.97 seconds.
Oslo, Norway - 9 June
Usain Bolt blew his rivals off the track in his first 200m race in 13 months, clocking 19.86 seconds, only five-hundredths of a second outside of Frankie Fredericks' track record.
Perri Shakes-Drayton provided the highlight among British athletes, coming second in the women's 400m hurdles in 54.77 sec.
Andy Turner made a powerful start in the men's 110m hurdles but faded at the half-way point as American Aries Merritt powered home.
New York, US - 11 June
A mistimed dip for the finish line cost Tyson Gay victory in the men's 100m as Jamaica's Steve Mullings claimed first place at rainy Icahn Stadium.
Ennis is put through her paces by coach Minichiello
Phillips Idowu secured victory in the triple jump with a mark of 16.67m but Jessica Ennis endured a difficult night in the women's long jump and 100m hurdles, in a rare Diamond League appearance for the heptathlete.
Allyson Felix won the 200m in 22.92 sec in an American clean sweep of the top three places.
And two-time women's world high jump champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia was beaten by Sweden's Emma Green Tregaro, who cleared 1.94m while Vlasic only managed 1.90.
Lausanne, Switzerland - 30 June
Dai Greene stormed to 400m hurdles victory, clocking 48.41 seconds, ahead of Javier Culson.
Jamaica's Asafa Powell won the 100m in 9.78 sec and, in the triple jump, Teddy Tamgho of France leapt 17.91m to beat Phillips Idowu.
Paris, France - 8 July
Long jumper Chris Tomlinson clinched a new British record with a mark of 8.35m, securing second place behind Irving Saladino.
Usain Bolt led the field from gun to tape in the 200m and jogged over the line in 20.03 sec, comfortably beating Christophe Lemaitre of France.
And Cuba's Dayron Robles won an exciting 110m hurdles in 13.09 sec, just ahead of David Oliver who clocked the same time.
Birmingham, UK - 10 July
Stellar displays from Britain's Mo Farah, Dai Greene and Phillips Idowu lit up a wet evening in Birmingham as Asafa Powell won the 100m.
Farah ran 13:06.14 in the 5,000m after Idowu hopped, skipped and jumped 17.54m to beat an under-par Teddy Tamgho.
Meanwhile, Greene's impressive 48.20 in the 400m hurdles defeated former world champion Bershawn Jackson and Powell sprinted to victory in 9.91 ahead of fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter.
Monaco - 22 July
Mo Farah set a new British record of 12 min 53.11 sec in the 5,000m then Tiffany Porter raced to new British mark of 12.60 seconds as she finished third in the 100m hurdles.
Diamond League duo come to blows in Monaco
Usain Bolt clocked his fastest 100m of the season to take victory in 9.88 and Phillips Idowu won the triple jump with 17.36m.
Meanwhile French runners Mehdi Baala and Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad dramatically came to blows after the 1500m race in Monaco and had to be separated by officials.
Stockholm, Sweden - 29 July
Usain Bolt won the 200m in 20.03 seconds, while reigning 400m world champion LaShawn Merritt returned to the track after a 21-month ban for a positive drugs test, finishing second.
Jason Richardson stormed to a 110m hurdles victory ahead of world leader David Oliver, in 13.17 seconds, and a stunning run from Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot set a world-best time of 14:20.87 seconds in the 5,000m.
London, UK - 5 & 6 August
On day one of the only two-day Diamond League event, at Crystal Palace, Grenada's teenage 400m sensation Kirani James blitzed a quality field to clock a remarkable 44.61 seconds in his first ever professional race.
Mo Farah blew away his 3,000m rivals by taking four seconds out of them over the last 200m, after Jenny Meadows stormed to 800m victory.
On day two, Britain's top medal hopes suffered disappointment in their final major event before the World Championships as Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu finished last in her event and Phillips Idowu placed third.
But Lisa Dobriskey (1500m) and Helen Clitheroe (5,000m) gave home fans reason for cheer with impressive displays, securing spots in the British team.
Day two video highlights, external
World Championships, South Korea - 27 Aug - 4 Sept
Zurich, Switzerland - 8 September
New world 100m champion Yohan Blake produced a personal best of 9.82 seconds to beat Asafa Powell, while Britain's Jenny Meadows finished third in the 800m to win the Diamond Race.
Cuba's Dayron Robles won the 110m metres hurdles, ahead of newly-crowned world champion Jason Richardson, while Britain's Andy Turner finished fourth.
Australia's Sally Pearson starred again in the 100m hurdles and Kirani James produced a personal best time of 44.36 in the men's 400m.
Brussels, Belgium - 16 September
World 100m champion Yohan Blake showed his class in the 200m, clocking the the second-fastest time in history.
Blake's 19.26 seconds overtook Michael Johnson's 19.32. In the 100m Usain Bolt thrilled the crowd with the fastest 100m time of the year at 9.76.
Britain's world champion Dai Greene was second in the 400m hurdles behind world silver medallist Javier Culson in 48.78.
- Published15 September 2011
- Published10 September 2015
