Take Joe Kovacs, for example. The American’s 22.56m throw was an IAAF Diamond League record and the four points that it earned him were also enough to draw him level with David Storl in the race for the Diamond Trophy, with just the final remaining.
And Genzebe Dibaba will no doubt remember her world record breaking 1500m run for the rest of her life, but it is second placed Sifan Hassan who heads to Brussels in September knowing that her lead in the Diamond Race is almost impregnable. The two points she earned on Friday mean that assuming she toes the line in Belgium, she will be crowned champion, unless Dawit Seyaum wins and she fails to earn a point.
Indeed, both Tianna Bartoletta (long jump) and Sandra Perkovic (discus) are in the enviable position of only needing to compete in Zurich and Brussels respectively, as they both have leads that even victory for a rival in the finals (and the eight points that will bring) won’t be enough for them to be overhauled.
The majority of the Diamond Race leaders in action last week can also reflect on positive outcomes.
Wins for Justin Gatlin (100m), Bershawn Jackson (400m hurdles) and Francena McCorory (400m) saw each of them further reinforce their positions at the top of their respective standings, while second placed finishes for Nijel Amos (800m), Vitezslav Vesely (javelin) and Ruth Beitia (high jump) also saw leads extended.
3rd place in the steeplechase was enough for Virginia Nyambura to maintain her position in first, while Renaud Lavillenie’s pole vault victory saw him reclaim top spot outright, with Konstantinos Filippidis now three points adrift.
The closest Diamond Race is in the 100m hurdles, where Sharika Nelvis’s win and the fact that neither Dawn Harper-Nelson nor Jasmin Stowers could score means that there is a three-way tie in the race.
The only Diamond Race leader in action in Monaco not to see their lead extended was Pedro Pablo Pichardo (triple jump), who had his lead cut to just two points by 2014 Diamond Trophy winner Christian Taylor. The destiny of the 2015 Diamond Trophy will be determined in Brussels in September.
Mo Farah and Yomif Kejelcha (joint leaders in the 5000m) and Allyson Felix (200m) weren’t in action, but remain ahead in their Diamond Races. In the 5000m all 13 athletes to have scored points this year could conceivably take the title as just five points separate 13th from 1st and even someone who hasn’t yet achieved a top three finishcould still take end up on top, while Felix now has the slenderest of leads over Jeneba Tarmoh – one point - thanks to her American teammate’s third place.
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
