Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle competes in the men’s long jump during the World Athletics Diamond League athletics meeting at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, on Friday.
OBLIQUE Seville shook off a slow start to win his first Wanda Diamond League men’s 100m trophy on Friday, while Tajay Gayle upset the field with his best wind-legal mark since 2019 to claim his second men’s long jump title in three years.
Their success on opening day of the two-day Allianz Memorial Van Damme Diamond League Final at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, extended the streak to 16 straight years that a Jamaican has won at least one Diamond League trophy.
Paris Olympic Games gold medallist Roje Stona finished third in the men’s discus throw.
Seville, who clocked 9.90 seconds for his third win in his last four Diamond League races, was satisfied with the outcome despite a dodgy start.
“My start was far from the best but the aim is always to win, so I won’t complain,” he said, noting his progression since winning the World Athletics Championships 100m title in Japan last year.
“What I was doing clearly worked, and this season is further proof of that. Next season I want to extend my title and dominate the Diamond League.”
Commonwealth Games champion Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon finished second with 9.93 and Kayinsola Ajayi of Nigeria timed 9.97 for third.
Gayle, who won his previous Diamond trophy two years ago, also in Brussels, jumped a season’s best 8.46m (1.4m/s) in the final round, improving on the 8.43m he achieved in Zurich a week ago. It washis best since he broke the Jamaican record with 8.69m to win the World Athletics Championships gold medal in Doha.
Jamaica’s Oblique Seville celebrates winning the men’s 100m final during the World Athletics Diamond League athletics meeting at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, on Friday. Photos: AFP
He suggested that the stadium in Brussels brings high-quality performances out of him.
“Second time winning the Diamond League final here in Brussels! This place definitely seems to bring me good fortune.”
In a so called off-season with neither an Olympic Games or World Athletics Championships taking place, he said he and his coaches were able to plan properly and remain patient for the major finals late in the season.
“There was no need to rush preparation this year, and we worked patiently towards the Diamond League final and the World Ultimate Championships. It [the weather] was a bit cold for me as a Jamaican but I handled that well.”
Gayle’s 8.43m pushed him past Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou, the points leader in the series going into the competition but who finished second with 8.40m (0.5m/s). Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer was third with 8.23m (-0.2m/s).
Wayne Pinnock, the other Jamaican in the final, placed fifth with 7.94m (1.0m/s).
Gayle said getting the better of the world’s top three jumpers, who were ranked ahead of him going into the final, made the win even more satisfying.
“This was a super strong field — full of hard-working guys — which makes the win feel very well-earned. Everyone has consistently been jumping 8.30 this year so I will need to step it up if I want to become the next world champion. Those 8.50 and 8.60 jumps absolutely feel like a realistic goal,” he reasoned.
Discus thrower Roje Stona
Stona threw 68.86m in the men’s discus throw final, his third-longest mark of the season. Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia won with a meet record 71.29m, followed by Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania third with 70.14m.
Ackelia Smith was fourth in the women’s triple jump with 14.29m (-0.2m/s), her second-best jump of the season. Senegal’s Saly Sarr won with 14.96m (0.3m/s), defeating Cubans Leyanis Perez Hernandez, who jumped 14.82m (0.6m/s), and Davisleydi Velasco, who registered a best of 14.73m (0.6m/s).
Rushell Clayton was fifth in the women’s 400m hurdles, running 53.85. American Anna Cockrell won with 53.01, ahead of Emma Zapletalova (53.10) of Slovakia. Belgium’s Paulien Couckuyt set a national record 53.20 for third.
Commonwealth Games champion Romaine Beckford was fifth in the men’s high jump with a clearance of 2.21m. Poland’s Mateusz was a surprise winner with 2.28m, beating world leader JuVaughn Harrison of the United States on countback. Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk took third with 2.25m.
Orlando Bennett was sixth in the 110m hurdles final in 13.43 (-0.2m/s), as Americans swept the podium places. World record holder Ja’Kobe Tharp won with 13.03, followed by Jamal Britt (13.09) and Trey Cunningham (13.22).
Danniel Thomas-Dodd had one legal throw of 18.44m to finish sixth in the women’s shot put. Chase Jackson improved on her one-week-old American national record with a winning throw of 21.14m. Canada’s Sarah Mitton was second with 20.64m, and Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands third with 20.57m.
Jamaicans will continue to hunt more silverware on day two, with seven of them down to compete.
Tina Clayton and Jonielle Smith are slated to run in the women’s 100m; Nickisha Pryce in the women’s 400m; Megan Simmonds in the 100m hurdles; Rajindra Campbell will compete in the men’s shot put; Jordan Scott in the men’s triple jump; and Lamara Distin in the women’s high jump.