A thrilling year of global athletics continues, and the climax is in Belgium this weekend. We’ve had numerous track and field highs throughout 2024, including the World Indoors in Glasgow, the European Championships in Rome and of course the Paris Olympics.
This weekend, the world’s best runners, jumpers and throwers head to Brussels and the King Baudouin Stadium for the 15th and final Diamond League event of the year, where 32 champions will be crowned.
With numerous Olympic champions, such as Letsile Tebogo, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Mondo Duplantis, Julien Alfred, Yaroslava Mahuchikh and many more in action, we are set for a scintillating couple of days at the Memorial Van Damme. The prestigious athletics meeting is named after the famous Belgian athlete who tragically died in a car accident in 1976. He had won silver at the Montreal Olympics in the same year in 800m and 1500m.
History Of The Diamond League
The Diamond League, which hit the ground running in 2010, replaced the IAAF Golden League, which has been held annually since 1998. Whereas the Golden League was predominantly Euro-focused, the Diamond League was formed to enhance the worldwide appeal of athletics. Organisers promised to incorporate and establish events from around the globe for the first time on an annual basis. The current Diamond League series included meetings from China, Qatar, Morocco, and the United States.
During the Diamond League’s formative years, athletes accumulated points during each of the various meetings throughout the year, with points in the Final meeting worth double. The athletes who totalled the most points in each of the events at the end of the year were deemed the Diamond League winners.
However, a new points system was introduced in 2017, which is still in place currently. The top eight athletes at each Diamond League meeting are now awarded points (8pts for 1st, down to 1pt for 8th). However, these points gathered during the year are only used for qualifying purposes to determine which athletes make it to the Final meeting. The athletes who win their events at the Final meeting are now declared Diamond League champions. Each of the current champions is awarded a $30,000 prize, and they also receive a wildcard entry to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Memorable Moments At The Memorial Van Damme
Brussels’ Memoral Van Damme is staging the Diamond League Final for the first time since 2019 and it’s the first time the Belgian meeting has been spread over two days. With over 70,000 tickets sold, it’s already broken the previous Wanda Diamond League Finals ticket record. 50 million plus viewers worldwide are also expected to tune in and watch the athletics extravaganza. The Memorial Van Damme has always been of the most prestigious athletics meetings of the year and we’ve witnessed some inspirational performances at the King Baudouin Stadium over the years.
During the Diamond League era, Aries Merritt became the first athlete to set a world record at the Brussels venue when producing a hurdling masterpiece in 2012. The American sprint hurdler clocked 12.80 to knock 0.07 seconds off the previous world best time in the 110m hurdles, which was set by Cuba’s Dayron Robles in Ostrava four years earlier. That world record set by Aries Merritt amazingly still stands twelve years on. Though countryman and recent Olympic gold-medallist, Grant Holloway, was just 0.01 seconds off levelling that time in Eugene back in 2021.
Ingebrigtsen Sets The Pulses Racing In Brussels
There are always some unique events that take place during Diamond League meetings and Norwegian’s enigmatic long-distance star, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, was involved in one last year. Ingebrigtsen had suffered heartache at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest in August, when beaten to the 1500m gold by Britain’s Josh Kerr, but he returned with a bang in at the Memoral Van Damme in Brussels a few weeks later.
A determined Ingebrigtsen lined up for the invitational 2000m event in front of an electric atmosphere at the King Baudouin Stadium and he thrived off the fervent support. The multiple gold-winning Norwegian clocked an eye-boggling 4:43.13, which bettered the previous best 2000m mark, set by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999, by over 1 ½ seconds. Ingebrigtsen’s blazing Brussels performance propelled him to further glory in the Diamond League Final a week later, where he doubled-up, winning both the 1500m and 5000m events.
Legends Of Diamond League Past
A host of track and field stars have dominated their particular events during the 13 previous series of the Diamond League, but two athletes top the overall all-time standings. America’s Christian Taylor leapt to Diamond League glory in the triple jump, on a staggering seven occasions. The Georgia-born legend won six of those seven crowns on the bounce between 2012-2017. Taylor would return to the top in 2019 to claim the last of his seven Diamond League titles. Despite his dominance in the triple jump, the American’s lifetime best is still 8cm short of Jonathan Edwards’ world record of 18.29, which was set in 1995.
Renaud Lavillenie is the only other 7-time Diamond League winner. The French pole vaulter may have missed out World Championship gold during a long and illustrious career, but he proved a class above his Diamond League rivals, amazingly winning all of his seven titles in-a-row between 2010-2016. The top all-time women in Diamond League history are Caterine Ibarguen and Sandra Perkovic, with the duo both winning six titles apiece.
As well as winning her 5th triple jump Diamond League crown in 2018, Colombian Catherine Ibarguen astonishingly claimed the long jump title in the same year. The feat was even more impressive as she won the titles in different cities, the triple jump in Zurich and the long jump in Brussels 24 hours later. Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic claimed all of her Diamond League discus successes over a 6-year period between 2012-2017.
The Stars Of The 2024 Diamond League Series
Not only did Sandra Perkovic claim six successive Diamond League titles, the Croatian discus queen also succeeded in accomplishing two flawless Diamond League campaigns. She won at all seven of the meetings she competed in, during both her 2013 and 2016 triumphs. She’s one of six athletes (all female) who have managed to achieve perfect 7-win years en route to Diamond League crowns. There are several competitors heading into this weekend’s Diamond League Final in Brussels, who are currently unbeaten during this year’s series of events. Those include Mondo Duplantis, Marileidy Paulino, Letsile Tebogo, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Femke Bol.
Of all this year’s current unbeaten Diamond League athletes, the astounding, sensational, stupendous (there aren’t enough superlatives for) Mondo Duplantis has won the most events during 2024 and the Swedish pole-vaulting legend will join that perfect 7-win group if he triumphs in Brussels. Duplantis will also be eyeing up another world record bid no doubt, having extended his own record on three further occasions already this year.
Jesse Owens Remembered
For the first time this year and going forward, the best performing male and female athletes, aged 23 and under, during each of the Diamond League Finals, will receive Jesse Owens Rising Star Awards. The awards will be presented by the Owens family and members of the Jesse Owens Foundation. Jesse Owens, the American track and field legend, was only 23 himself when he famously won 4 gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Each of the athletes who win the prestigious award will receive a bronze statuette of Jesse Owens.
Diamond League Final 2024: Event-By-Event
All times shown are local ‘Brussels’ time (BST +1hr)
100m Mens (Friday 20:17)
Americans have dominated the Diamond League’s blue riband event, winning eight times in total. Justin Gatlin has the most victories, with three titles (2013-2015). Sprinters from the USA have won the previous five editions. Defending champion, Christian Coleman, will join Gatlin on 3 wins if triumphant in Brussels.
200m Mens (Saturday 21:07)
Another American dominated event, with Noah Lyles landing the prize on four occasions between 2017-2022. The stars and stripes 200m success was finally broken by Canada’s Andre de Grasse last year. Noah Lyles is the only man to achieve the Diamond League sprint double, winning both the 100m and 200m in 2019. Botswanan Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo, has an 100% record in the Diamond League this season, winning all four meetings he’s competed in.
Kirani James Gunning For Further Success
400m Mens (Friday 21:52)
Grenadian Kirani James’ experience came to the fore again last year as he claimed his 4th Diamond League crown. He won his very first way back in 2011 and lines up again this weekend. Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith is 3 wins from 3 starts in the Diamond League this season and will be aiming to go one better after picking up silver at the Paris Olympics.
800m Mens (Saturday 21:40)
Kenyans have thrived in the event. Current Diamond League champion, Emmanuel Wanyonyi, followed on from the success off Emmanuel Korir, who had won three times in four years prior to that. Wanyonyi won Olympic gold in Paris, but Djamel Sedjati came out on top when the pair clashed at the ‘Meeting de Paris’ and the Algerian is unbeaten in the Diamond League this season.
Ingebrigtsen Focused On The 1500m
1500m Mens (Friday 21:29)
Kenyan runners have had a number of memorable victories here too. Timothy Cheruiyot won on four occasions consecutively (2017-2021). However, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has claimed the title in the previous two years. Both men are in action again in Brussels. Despite winning gold in the 5000m at the Olympics, the Norwegian star is solely focused on the 1500m in Brussels.
5000m Mens (Friday 20:37)
Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke the African strangehold last year, but as mentioned he won’t feature in the 5000m Final this time. Four previous winners do feature though, three of them Ethopians, Berihu Aregawi, Hagos Gebrhiwet & Yomif Kejelcha. Hagos Gebrhimet won both of his previous Diamond League starts this season, in Oslo and Rome.
Who Will Thrive In Grant Holloway’s Absense?
110m Hurdles (Friday 20:28)
An American holds the record for winning the most titles, but surprisingly it’s not Grant Holloway. David Oliver won the event 3 times (2010, 2013, 2015). With Grant Holloway absent from the Final, following a dispute with organisers, it gives his rivals the chance to shine. Daniel Roberts, who tops the Diamond League qualifying standings this season and who grabbed silver at the Olympics, will be aiming to step-up.
400m Hurdles Mens (Saturday 20:04)
Runners from a wide range of countries have won the event, including the British Virgin Islands, Norway, Brazil and America. Olympic gold and silver medallists and previous Diamond League champions, Rai Benjamin & Karsten Warholm, aren’t in Brussels, but Alison dos Santos is. Brazil’s Olympic bronze-medallist has notched 5 wins on the Diamond League circuit this season.
African Dominance To Continue In The Steeplechase?
3000m Steeplechase Mens (Friday 21:09)
All previous 13 winners have hailed from Africa. Kenya claimed nine straight wins from 2010, with Conseslus Kipruto securing four of those wins. Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale stopped the Kenyan winning run in 2019. Wale is one of two previous victors heading to the Belgian capital. The other being Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali, who was crowned Diamond League steeplechase supremo in 2022 and is in good form after sealing Olympic gold in Paris.
Long Jump Mens (Friday 19:17)
There’s been a triumvirate of European winners in recent years, Thobias Montler, Miltiadis Tentoglou and Simon Ehammer. Tentoglou and Ehammer are two of the six Final participants again. The Greek was leaping for joy in Paris after defending his Olympic gold in style.
Pichardo Hunting For A Triple Jump Treble
Triple Jump Mens (Saturday 19:28)
America’s Christian Taylor is a legend of the triple jump and the Diamond League, having reigned supreme a stunning seven times. Six of those victories coming in successive years (2012-2017). Of those who stepped up on the Olympic podium, only silver medallist, Pedro Pichardo, is in the field. The Portuguese jumper is aiming for his third Diamond League title following wins in 2018 and 2021.
High Jump Mens (Saturday 20:20)
Winners have come from all over the globe, including four different continents. Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim is the most successful athlete in the event, having notched a hat-trick of wins. Woo Sang-hyeok, who became South Korea’s first ever Diamond League winner last year, returns to defend his title.
The World Is Hoping Duplantis Delivers Again
Pole Vault Mens (Friday 19:45)
All eyes will be on Mondo Duplantis, as the multiple world record breaker goes in search of a fourth straight Diamond League crown. However, the Swede still remains a few wins away from equalling Renaud Lavillenie’s Diamond League record. The French pole vaulter claimed seven successive successes between 2010 and 2016. Duplantis is also aiming for the perfect Diamond League campaign and clinching the most season wins (seven) of this year’s athletes.
Shot Put Mens (Saturday 19:32)
The Americans have ruled the roost of late. Joe Kovacs claimed his third Diamond League crown last year to equal Tomas Walsh’s tally. The New Zealand shot putter also won three titles (2016, 2018 & 2019). Kovacs had to settle for silver though behind his American teammate Ryan Crouser (the 2021 Diamond League winner) at the Olympics. Both lock horns once again here.
Alekna Aiming For His First Diamond League Success
Discus Mens (Friday 20:35)
European competitors have dominated with multiple wins for Piotr Malachowski (four), Gerd Kanter (two) and Daniel Stahl (two). Though Fedrick Dacres claimed the prize for Jamaica in 2018 and Australia’s Matthew Denny reigned supreme last year. Stahl, Dacres and Denny are all competing in the Final again. Lithuania’s Olympic silver medallist Mykolas Alekna, who’s been the most consistent performer in the Diamond League this season, is aiming to go one better here in Brussels.
Javelin Mens (Saturday 20:22)
The Czech Rep’s Jakub Vadlejch claimed a third Diamond League javelin title in 2023, 6 years on from his second success. Another Czech competitior, Vítězslav Vesely, doubled-up with wins back in 2012 and 2013. There are no Czechs in the Final line-up on this occasion though. Indian thrower, Neeraj Chopra, will be hoping to break his recent bout of seconditis. The 2022 champion finished second in his two Diamond League appearances this season and also picked up silver at the Olympics.
Alfred & Richardson Clash Again For 100m Honours
100m Womens (Friday 21:01)
The Jamaican ladies have held sway, with nine wins in total since 2010. Shericka Jackson secured her maiden success last year. Elaine Thompson-Herah won it 3 times previously and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce tops the table with four victories. No Jamaicans are in the Final this time around. The first two home in the Paris Olympics, Julien Alfred (gold) and Sha’Carri Richardson (silver) do battle again.
200m Womens (Saturday 20:17)
Shericka Jackson became the third woman after Carmelita Jeter and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to land the sprint double in the same year twelve months ago, as she defended her 200m Diamond League crown. Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Allyson Felix both went one better than Jackson, landing the crown on three occasions apiece. Like with the 100m, no Jamaicans are lining-up for the 200m Final. However, three of the 100m runners are also competing in the 200m event; Daryll Neita, Sha’Carri Richardson and Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith.
Paulino Looking To Maintain Her Dominance
400m Womens (Friday 20:04)
Allyson Felix (2010) and Shaunae Miller-Uibo (2017) both famously claimed the 200m & 400m double in the same year. The Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino has dominated the event recently, winning back-to-back crowns in 2022 & 2023. Olympic champ, Paulino, is also unbeaten during this season’s Diamond League series, winning at all five of the meetings she’s competed in.
800m Womens (Friday 21:40)
Keely Hodgkinson clinched her second Diamond League title last year, although not actually winning the Final. Athing Mu won the 2023 race, but as she was a wild card for the USA in the race, she was ineligible to win the Diamond League title. Caster Semenya & Eunice Jepkoech Sum have both three-peated in the event in the past.
Keely Hodgkinson sadly misses out on the Brussels party because of injury, but two other Brits, Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell line up. Reekie topped the qualifying standings with Kenya’s Mary Moraa, but it’s the Olympic bronze medallist, Moraa, who had the most impressive series, winning three times and finishing second once.
Keeping The Faith In Kipyegon
1500m Womens (Saturday 20:54)
Britain’s Laura Muir won the Diamond League title twice in 2016 and 2018, but Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon is the recent race heroine, having secured 4 titles including the last three editions. Kipyegon has had another impeccable season, winning both her previous Diamond League starts and securing gold at the Paris Olympics.
5000m Womens (Saturday 21:18)
The Netherland’s Sifan Hassan is the only non-African runner to hold the title. She famously claimed both the 1500m and 5000m in 2019. Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot is a previous treble winner, having won in 2010, 2011 & 2012. There’s another strong African representation in this year’s Final.
The only non-Africans in the line-up are Eleanor Fulton, Karissa Schweizer and Taylor Werner from America and Nozomi Tanaka from Japan. Beatrice Chebet is the in-form runner in the field. Like Kipyegon in the 1500, Chebet won both her previous Diamond League starts this year and claimed Olympic gold to boot.
Puerto Rico’s Mighty Camacho-Quinn
100m Hurdles (Saturday 20:46)
Dominant performers in the women’s sprint hurdles include America’s Dawn Harper-Nelson who won the Diamond League four years in a row (2012-2015). Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan claimed three crowns on the spin between 2020 and 2022. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn will be hoping to make up for Olympic disappointment. The Puerto Rico star has been unbeatable at the Diamond League meetings, but could only pick up bronze in Paris.
400m Hurdles Womens (Saturday 21:52)
Similar to Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Femke Bol, has been dominant in the 400m hurdles during the Diamond League campaign, but was left teary-eyed at the Olympics when finishing third. The amazing Dutch runner is aiming to deliver the goods in the very last Final of the meeting on Saturday and pick up a 4th straight Diamond League crown. If she does the business, she’ll draw level with Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer, who also racked up four titles.
Will Winfred Fans Be Yavi A Party?
3000m Steeplechase Womens (Saturday 20:27)
Milcah Cheywa recorded four straight successes at the start of the Diamond League era, which is half of Kenya’s eight total triumphs in the women’s steeplechase. Beatrice Chepkoech also won twice (2018 & 2019). Only one Kenyan is in this year’s Final, Faith Cherotich, who grabbed bronze at the Olympics. Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi is the standout competitor, having won gold in Paris in a record Olympic time. The defending champion also recorded victories in both her Diamond League starts this year, in Paris and Rome.
Long Jump Womens (Saturday 20:52)
Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic (previously known as Vuleta) won her 5th long jump crown last year, which was her third consecutive Diamond League success. What makes her achievement even more impressive is that she won her very title in 2016. There’s no Spanovic this time around, but Milica Gardasevic flies the flag for Serbia. The gold and silver medallists from the Olympics won’t be taking part, but Jasmine Moore, who took bronze in Paris, is ready and raring to go.
Moore The Merrier For Jasmine
Triple Jump Womens (Friday 20:52)
Caterine Ibargüen is another previous five-time Diamond League winner, like Ivana Spanovic. Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas was catching her fast with three successive wins in recent years, but unfortunately, she underwent surgery earlier in the year, following an Achilles injury, which also saw her miss the Olympics.
America’s Jasmine Moore, who also took bronze in the triple jump at the Olympics, to add to her long jump medal, goes again here. 2019 Diamond League winner and Olympics silver medallist, Shanieka Ricketts, looks to be her main rival.
High Jump Womens (Friday 20:29)
The high jump has been dominated by two women over the past six editions of the Diamond League. Mariya Lasitskene wrapped up her 5th crown in 2021 and Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh successfully defended her title last year, following her inaugural victory in 2022. Mahuchikh has been in top notch form again this season, winning four times on the Diamond League circuit and picking up Olympic gold.
If Anyone Can Kennedy Can
Pole Vault Womens (Saturday 19:51)
The Greeks have had much to savour in the women’s pole vault, with Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou winning in 2015 and then Katerina Stefanidi claiming 4 titles in a row straight after. However, America’s Katie Moon had the Eugene locals in raptures when winning last year. The title could be heading down under this time around though, as Nina Kennedy has been firing on all cylinders all season long.
Shot Put Womens (Friday 19:43)
Kiwi Queen, Valerie Adams, won the shot put six times in total between 2010-2016. China’s Gong Lijiao followed the Adams’ reign with 3 back-to-back successes. America’s Chase Ealey (now Jackson, following her marriage earlier this year) is looking to repeat Lijiao’s feat and win for the third year on the bounce in Brussels. Although she will need to erase the bad Olympics memories from her mind. She failed to make the 12-women Final in Paris, qualifying only 17th.
Why Don’t You Come On Over (And Win Again) Valarie?
Discus Womens (Friday 19:11)
There have been only four winners of the women’s discus since 2010. All four have been multiple winners: The Cuban pair of Yarelys Barrios and Yaime Pérez and Sandra ‘six-time’ Perkovic were the early dominant forces. Valarie Allman is another of the current crop of American field heroines, having won the discus crown three times in a row recently. Allman has had another phenomenal year and will be very tough to dislodge on Belgian soil.
Javelin Womens (Saturday 18:52)
The Czech Republic’s Barbora Spotakova won the javelin five times in total, but there hasn’t been a standout star since on the Diamond League scene. Haruka Kitaguchi claimed Japan’s first Diamond League success in the event last year and she’ll still be buzzing from grabbing gold at the Paris Olympics.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Accepts The Invite
Invitational Events
We must give a mention to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the American starlet who lowered the 400m hurdles world record in sensational fashion when winning gold at the Paris Olympics. While not involved in any champion races in Brussels this weekend, she will be in action in both the 400m women’s invitational race on Friday and the 200m women’s invitational race on Saturday. Definitely not one (or two) to miss.
Where To Watch All The Diamond League Final Action?
Catch all the action live on BBC Two (Friday) and BBC Three (Saturday) or on the Wanda Diamond League YouTube page
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