02 November, 2023

Diamond double: Ingebrigtsen and Jackson match Ibargüen

Photo: Marta Gorczynska

At the Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene in September, Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Jamaica's Shericka Jackson became only the second and third athletes to ever win two Diamond Trophies in the space of two days.

It takes quite something to measure up to Caterine Ibargüen. As well as a two-time world champion and one-time Olympic gold medallist, the Colombian triple jumper is also the joint most successful woman in Diamond League history, with six titles between 2013 and 2018.

The crowning glory of Ibargüen's long years of dominance came in 2018, when she defied the odds - and simple geography - to claim two Diamond League titles in the space of two days.

Having defended her triple jump title with 14.85m in Zurich on the Thursday, Ibargüen headed straight to Brussels for the second day of the series final on Friday, where she jumped 6.80m to claim her first ever Diamond Trophy in the long jump.

No athlete had ever snagged two Diamond Trophies in two days beforehand, and until 2023, it seemed unlikely that anyone would ever do so again.

Step forward Shericka Jackson and Jakob Ingebrigtsen. When they took to the track at Eugene's Hayward Field for this year's final, both the Jamaican sprinter and the Norwegian distance star were limbering up for something special.

Both were already defending Diamond League champions in their primary discipline: Jackson in the women's 200m and Ingebrigtsen in the men's 1500m. Both, also, had a point to prove. Jackson had just missed out on a world championship double in Budapest, while Ingebrigtsen had been denied the 1500m world title for the second year in a row after his shock defeat to Josh Kerr.

Jackson threw down the gauntlet on day one, sweeping to the 100m title in a furious 10.70, and beating world champion and home favourite Sha'Carri Richardson in the process. Ingebrigtsen, meanwhile, delivered what was probably the performance of the day in the men's mile, clocking a European and Diamond League record of 3:43.73 and missing out on the world record by just 0.6 seconds.

"Obviously I was here to run the mile," said the Norwegian afterwards. "I’m jumping into the 3000m as well because I got the opportunity. But now it’s all about getting back home to the hotel, eat, sleep, try to prepare as well as I can and we’ll see tomorrow."

His preparation paid off. The following afternoon, Ingebrigtsen rampaged to yet another European and Diamond League record-breaking performance in the 3000m, clocking 7:23.63 to break his own personal best and become only the second athlete after Ibargüen to do the Diamond League double in two days.

Not to be outdone, Jackson promptly did the same in the women's 200m, defending her 2022 title with a meeting record of 21.57. Though still a good 0.23 seconds off Florence Griffith-Joyner's world record, it was a performance which once again confirmed Jackson as one of the greatest female sprinters in history, and made her one of only nine athletes in history to do a Diamond League double in one season.

"Funny enough last year one of my goals I wrote that how I wanted to get two trophies. I didn't get two trophies last year and I rewrote that again, that I wanted two trophies this year. I got it and I’m grateful," said the Jamaican.