The opening day of competition at the Diamond League final in Brussels at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme simply delivered on Friday as 16 champions were crowned in the first installment of what will be a busy close to the season.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi grabbed his fourth straight title on a night of meeting records while Mondo Duplantis shocked a packed King Baudouin Stadium by scratching from the men’s pole vault minutes before the event began.
In the men’s 800m, Wanyonyi surged to a commanding 1:41.80 meet record victory that cemented his status as this season’s Diamond League king. Djamel Sedjati was second in 1:42.71 and Yanis Meziane took third in 1:42.87.
“Today was all about winning and I knew that I would have to run 1:41 to win and I did,” Wanyonyi said. “I won the Diamond League for the fourth time in a row and that’s just fantastic. The conditions weren’t ideal tonight. The wind didn’t bother me that much. I was happy it stopped raining.”
Julien Alfred stayed flawless in the women’s 200m this season as she took the event in 21.79 on Friday over Kayla White (22.00) and Amy Hunt (22.16).
“I haven’t run the 200m since July at the London Diamond League,” Alfred said. I have to figure it out again because this distance is so different to execute compared to the 100m. It felt fairly new stepping back into the event, but a win is a win, so I am really happy with the race. Although it went well today, I’m not planning on doing the double at the Ultimate Championship. This was my last 200m of the season. Now I’m going back to the 100m, my baby.”
The men’s pole vault started with its own brief moments of drama as Duplantis addressed the crowd by revealing that tightness in his leg would prevent him from competing. He would not leap for another title as a matter of precaution, leaving the lane wide open for Emmanouil Karalis to jump to 6.12m meet record over Sondre Guttormsen (5.82m) and Kurtis Marschall (5.82m).
No Mondo was no problem for Karalis, who pushed the bar higher and was the only competitor to clear 6 meters on Friday and gave him a major win in his first Diamond League finals title.
“I wanted to have a big battle with Mondo, but unfortunately injury is part of our sport, Karalis said. “His DNS left the door open for someone else to take the win and I’m delighted to have seized that opportunity. This is is my first Diamond League Final win, a trophy that represents how I’m currently living my dreams.”
Meanwhile, Collen Kebinatshipi closed out the first night of action with a 43.40 meet record in the men’s 400m over Jereem Richards (43.68) and Jacory Patterson (43.78), capping a year that has seen Kebinatshipi dominate over the distance in the series with wins in Xiamen, Paris, Eugene, Monaco and Silesia.
“After staying undefeated all season, I feel like I really deserve this reward,” Kebinatshipi said. “I would like to thank the crowd for the amazing energy, I felt pushed all throughout. I hope to finish this season as the world leader and for that I will need to find 0.02 seconds next week at the World Ultimate Championships in Budapest. The main part that needs to improve is my back straight. That will be the focus in Budapest: not being too relaxed in the first part.”
Chase Jackson tossed a world leading 21.14m in the women’s shot put in her third attemp in a win ahead of Sarah Mitton (20.64m) and Jessica Schilder (20.57m) while Anna Cockrell soared to victory in the women’s 400m hurdles with a 53.01 performance over Emma Zapletalová (53.10 and Paulien Couckuyt (53.20).
Oblique Seville grabbed the men’s 100m title in 9.90 in an event that started off rocky as Trayvon Bromell false started but ran under protest. Seville still barely held on for th win over Emmanuel Eseme (9.93) and Kanyinsola Ajayi (9.97) while Faith Cherotich pulled away for a strong win in the women’s 3,000m steeplecase in 8:51.61 as part of a stacked group that included, who Doris Lemngole who took second in 8:52.86 and Winfred Yavi’s third place finish in 8:53.54.
The action shifts to Saturday as more than a dozen more winners will rise to the top of the podium among a loaded group of marquee names of the sport.
2026 Diamond League Brussels Results – Day 1
Women’s Shot Put
1. Chase Jackson (USA) – 21.14m WL
2. Sarah Mitton (Canada) – 20.64m
3. Jessica Schilder (Netherlands) – 20.57m
Men’s Long Jump
1. Tajay Gayle (Jamaica) – 8.46m
2. Miltiádis Tentóglou (Greece) – 8.40m
3. Simon Ehammer (Switzerland) – 8.23m
Women’s Discus
1. Feng Bin (China) – 67.46m
2. Valarie Sion (USA) – 66.92m
3. Jorinde van Klinken (Netherlands) – 64.66m
Men’s Pole Vault
1. Emmanouil Karalis (Greece) – 6.12m MR
2. Sondre Guttormsen (Norway) – 5.82m
3. Kurtis Marschall (Australia) – 5.82m
Women’s 400m Hurdles
1. Anna Cockrell (USA) – 53.01
2. Emma Zapletalová (Slovakia) – 53.10
3. Paulien Couckuyt (Belgium) – 53.20
Men’s High Jump
1. Mateusz Kołodziejski (Poland) – 2.28m
2. JuVaughn Harrison (USA) – 2.28m
3. Oleh Doroshchuk (Ukraine) – 2.25m
Men’s 100m
1. Oblique Seville (Jamaica) – 9.90
2. Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon) – 9.93
3. Kanyinsola Ajayi (Nigeria) – 9.97
Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase
1. Faith Cherotich (Kenya) – 8:51.61
2. Doris Lemngole (Kenya) – 8:52.86
3. Winfred Yavi (Bahrain) – 8:53.54
Men’s Discus
1. Kristjan Ceh (Slovakia) – 71.29m MR
2. Mykolas Alekna (Lithuania) – 70.14m
3. Rojé Stona (Jamaica) – 68.86m
Men’s 800m
1. Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Kenya) – 1:41.80 MR
2. Djamel Sedjati (Algeria) – 1:42.71
3. Yanis Meziane (France) – 1:42.87
Women’s Triple Jump
1. Saly Sarr (Senegal) – 14.96m
2. Leyanis Pérez (Cuba) – 14.82m
3. Davisleydi Velazco (Cuba) – 14.73m
Men’s 110m Hurdles
1. Ja’Kobe Tharp (USA) – 13.03
2. Jamal Britt (USA) – 13.09
3. Trey Cunningham (USA) – 13.22
Women’s 5,000m
1. Freweyni Hailu (Ethiopia) – 14:35.20
2. Likina Amebaw (Ethiopia) – 14:36.31
3. Senayet Getachew (Ethiopia) – 14:37.09
Men’s 1,500m
1. Cam Myers (Australia) – 3:30.14
2. Phanuel Koech (Kenya) – 3:30.18
3. Ethan Strand (USA) – 3:30.50
Women’s 200m
1. Julien Alfred (St. Lucia) – 21.79
2. Kayla White (USA) – 22.00
3. Amy Hunt (Great Britain) – 22.16
Men’s 400m
1. Collen Kebinatshipi (Botswana) – 43.40 MR
2. Jereem Richards (Trinidad and Tobago) – 43.68
3. Jacory Patterson (USA) – 43.78
