by Stuart Weir
Mondo Duplantis, 6.02m, photo by Diamond League AG
Ronnie Baker, 10.03 in 100m, photo Diamond League AG
Valerie Adams wins shot put, 19.29m, photo by Diamond League AG
Yaroslava Mahuchkinh clears 2.03m WL, photo by Diamond League AG
In his 4th piece on the Stockholm DL, Stuart puts together his top 10 highlights from Stockholm. We think that he has put together a pretty darn good list!
10 Stockholm highlights
1 A fabulous women’s 800m race with seven athletes in under 2 minutes. See separate post.
2 Mondo Duplantis 6:02 – the least surprising highlight. “I feel good about today, being here with my family and friends, and everybody watching. I think it was really important for me to just kind of go out there and try to get over 6 meters and then maybe take a few better shots at the world record, but overall 6.02 was a nice jump so I can’t complain so much”.
3 Timothy Cheruiyot winning 1500, in 3:32.30. Will he really not be in Tokyo?
4 Kirani James winning the 400 in 44.63. Great to see him fit again.: “I feel pretty good. The race was alright, I wanted to do something more special, but with the circumstances, travel, etc, I’m still happy. The conditions were perfect”.
5 Women’s high jump – Nicola McDermott 2:01 and still second! Winner Yaroslava Mahuchikh 2:03.
The winner commented: “I’m very happy because 2.03 is a season-best and I tried 2.07 and I was so close but not today. I have one more competition before the Olympics”
6 National record for Femke Bol in the 400m hurdles 52.37:” I’m amazed, I’m so happy! I was 1 second off my PB, and I’m already running PBs. I think running PBs is going to stop for now, but I hope to keep on getting close to this time – I can’t believe it! In 2 days I have another competition in Hungary with the same field so it will be exciting”.
7 Daniel Strahl winning the discus for Sweden with 68.64
“Today was really fun to throw in my hometown and with the crowd and everyone. The sun was shining, the Swedish summer. It was really nice to have a home crowd, with 5000 people”.
8 Valerie Adams 19.25 in the shot. We have missed her. “This was my first diamond league since 2018, and since 2018 I’ve had 2 kids so I’m very happy”.
9 Hyvin Kiyeng winning the steeplechase in 9:04.34, beating world record holder Beatrice Chepkoech. Kiyeng said: “I feel good and to get through a race is good on the way to the Olympics. The race was OK, the body is not bad and I feel OK. Maybe I will go to Monaco and then to Tokyo. The Olympics is not easy and there is a lot of work there”.
10 Ronnie Baker winning the 100m in 10.03, three weeks before his first Olympics: “As an athlete, I think you always expect to run faster. I’m pleased with it though, I’m happy to get out here, it was the first time in 3 years. I’m pleased to be able to run and compete and beat these guys. As long as I win then I’ve had a good day. I’d have to go back and look at the start. I don’t think I was as aggressive as I need to be in the first 30m but I think I was in the right position. That will be my conversation with my coach tonight and figure out where I need to improve”.
