From a Diamond Race perspective, the big winner in London was Zharnel Hughes, whose victory over 200m, his second in the IAAF Diamond League this season, saw him double his points tally to eight and edge ahead of the consistent Anaso Jobodwana. The South African, who has seven points following his 3rd placed finish, has the chance of reclaiming top spot in Stockholm, where Hughes would not compete.
Barbora Spotakova, the Czech Republic’s three-time Diamond Race winner, can also reflect somewhat fondly on London, as her second place behind Madara Palmeika in the javelin meant that she secured the outright lead in the standings. The women’s javelin is one of the closest battles among all disciplines in 2015, so the Latvian’s victory actually propelled her up to second place and just two points off the lead, with all to play for in the remaining two meetings.
Greg Rutherford (long jump), may have been disappointed not to repeat the victory that he secured in the Olympic stadium back in 2012, but his third place on Saturday means that he now moves a point ahead of Michael Hartfield overall.
Elsewhere, just two Diamond Race leaders actually won in London, one of whom was Eunice Sum, the current holder of the Diamond Trophy in the 800m, whose 4 points meant that she is unsurpassable in the Diamond Race, provided that she toes the line in Zurich,
Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou took her third four-point haul of the year in the pole vault and she now has a five-point lead over Brazil’s Fabiana Murer, with a head to head in Stockholm in prospect.
Diamond Race leaders Jairus Birech (Steeplechase), Mutz Essa Barshim (high jump) and Piotr Malachowski all competed in London, but failed to secure victory, meaning that, despite retaining their positions at the top of their respective standings, their leads have been cut, while Kirani James (400m), Silas Kiplagat (1500m), David Oliver (110m hurdles), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (100m), Genzebe Dibaba (5000m), Kaliese Spencer (400m hurdles), Caterine Ibarguen (triple jump) and Christina Schwanitz (shot put) all retained their leads despite not travelling to London.
Of those, Spencer, James and Kiplagat will have been the most interested onlookers, as Zuzana Hejnova, Wayde van Niekerk and Asbel Kiprop all moved to within one or two points of the leads in their disciplines with stirring victories.
Roll on Stockholm.
Four Diamond Race points are awarded to event winners at each meeting, two to runners up and one to third place finishers, with the top eight athletes in the standings securing places in the season ending finales in Zurich and Brussels, where points won are worth double. The athletes in each discipline with the most points after all seven meetings are crowned the Diamond Race Champions and each secure a Diamond Trophy.
Dean Hardman for the IAAF Diamond League
