Shanghai rematches and returns of champions, Crouser and Kebinatshipi

Shanghai rematches and returns of champions, Crouser and Kebinatshipi

XIAMEN (CHN): The second Chinese meeting of the Wanda Diamond League 2026, at the Egret Stadium in Xiamen on Saturday, features several renewed rivalries from the opening meet in Shanghai. Four disciplines bring very similar line-ups to a week ago, including those in which global champions were defeated (Faith Cherotich, Cordell Tinch, Karsten Warholm). Three other champions (Valarie Sion, Collen Kebinatshipi, Ryan Crouser) are starting their international campaigns this season. The main session starts at 19:04 local time (11:04 GMT). As the meet is only in its 4th edition and is early in the season, several meeting records and World leads are expected. After his recent 100 m improvements and relay appearances, all eyes are on Collen Kebinatshipi in the 400 m.

Short event-by-event previews

Women

200m: A near identical field to Shanghai, with the top six from last weekend all due to race. Shericka Jackson won in 22.07 from Shaunae Miller-Uibo in 22.26.

1500m: Birke Haylom is aiming for back-to-back wins. World silver and bronze medallists Dorcus Ewoi and Jess Hull are also part of the field.

Steeplechase: Peruth Chemutai and Faith Cherotich renew their rivalry after going 1-2 in Shanghai. But watch Olympic champion Winfred Yavi, who will make her season debut.

Peruth Chemutai held off Faith Cherotich by .01 in the Steeplechase! Keqiao, photo by Liam Blackwell for Diamond League AG

100m hurdles: The program concludes with the 100m hurdles again. Masai Russell will be targeting back-to-back Diamond League wins after a 12.25 clocking in Shanghai.

Masai Russell wins the 100m hurdles in 12.25 at Shanghai, photo by Liam Blackwell for Diamond League AG

High jump: World silver medallist Maria Zodzik and 2022 world champion Eleanor Patterson are part of a wide-open event. 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Iryna Gerashchenko also continues her return from maternity leave.

Discus: Valarie Sion makes her international season debut after 73.10m in Ramona. She will face Jorinde van Klinken and Silinda Morales, the silver- and bronze-medalists behind Sion at the World Championships, as well as home ace Feng Bin.

Val Allman, USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Eugene, Oregon, USA
July 31 – August 3, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris

Javelin: Wide open event features Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi, along with top Europeans Elina Tzengko and Adriana Vilagoš. 18-year-old Yan Ziyi also competes, although the athlete with the best season’s best is Norway’s Sigrid Borge (63.16m).

Men

100m: Can Gift Leotlela make it back-to-back wins after a 9.97 victory in Shanghai? He faces a near identical field, including Ferdinand Omanyala and Kenny Bednarek, who were second and third, respectively.

400m: World champion Collen Kebinatshipi faces world indoor champion Christopher Morales-Williams and Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga. Zakithi Nene and Bayapo Ndori also worth to watch.

Collen Kebinatshipi,, gold medalist, 400 meters, Botswana, photo by Brian Eder for RunBlogRun

5000m: What can Mohamed Abdilaahi do after winning a fast 3000m in Shanghai in 7:25.77? He faces a similar field including European record-holder Andreas Almgren and Ethiopians Biniam Mehary (12:45.93), Kuma Girma (12:46.41) and Mezgebu Sime (12:49.80). WL highly possible.

Mohamed Abdilaahi wins the Menâs 3000m with a Meeting Record and National Record of 7:25.77 at the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League meeting in Keqiao on 16 May 2026
Marta Gorczynska for Diamond League AG
Shanghai/Keqiao

110m hurdles: World champion Cornell Tinch will be looking to return to winning ways after finishing second to US teammate Jamal Britt in Shanghai – 13.07 to 13.10.

Jamal Britt, Scenes from Day 1 at the Grand Slam Track 2025: Philadelphia on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Matt Pendleton for Grand Slam Track.

400m hurdles: Alison Dos Santos and Karsten Warholm will renew their rivalry after first and second over 300m hurdles in Shanghai – 33.01 to 33.05. WL should happen.

Long jump: Can Mattia Furlani make it back-to-back wins after an 8.43m PB in Shanghai? European indoor champion Bozhidar Saraboyukov and Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou are also part of the line-up, along with China’s Zhang Mingkun, who has jumped 8.26m this year.

Mattia Furlani, photo by Liam Blackwell for DL

Shot put: World and Olympic champion Ryan Crouser makes his season debut. The field also includes world silver and bronze medallists Uziel Munoz and Leonardo Fabbri, and world indoor medalists from Torun, Tom Walsh, and Jordan Geist.

Ryan Crouser, shot put, September 13, 2025, photo by Dan Vernon/World Athletics

Author

Alfonz Juck

Alfonz Juck is a husband, father, statistician, announcer, journalist, organizer, agent usw, following track and field since 1972. EME NEWS is a news service relating to the sport of athletics. It is published on daily basis with additional updates, as required. Copyright is held by Alfons Juck, TOP ATHLETICS, a.s., Krikova 10, 82107 Bratislava, Slovakia. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The redistribution and/or direct reproduction of material from EME NEWS is prohibited unless permission is given by c TOP ATHLETICS (such as being included in a subscription agreement).

View all posts