Athletics, Diamond League in Stockholm: Duplantis knocked out after three years and 40 races

The Stockholm stage of the Diamond League, on the day in which Larissa Iapichino returns to the top, missing the victory of the big by just one centimeter (6.84 just windy, 6.78 regular), offers a huge surprise and a historic performance. The first is the defeat, in front of his own audience, of Mondo Duplantis. The second was the 1’53”98 of the Swiss Audery Werro in the 800, third woman ever, the best of the last 43 years, 7/10 from Jarmila Kratochvilova’s legendary record.

duplantis knockout

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The king of the auction, in the stadium of the 1912 Olympics, was expected to set yet another world record, as he achieved last year. Not only does it remain very distant from us. But, in fact, he is even beaten. After almost three years and a streak of 40 races. The latest knockout? In Monte Carlo, on 21 July 2023, when he was even fourth. The author of the feat is the 29-year-old Australian Kurtis Marschall, bronze at the last two World Championships. At 5.80 seven show up, at 5.90 five. Duplantis passes the measure, surpassed only by Marshall (on the third attempt). Mondo comes back at six meters, the Australian gives up. The all-around champion fails the first two tests and, with the last remaining one, scores 6.05. The null is clear, like those of Marshall who stops after the second. Surprised, successful and happy.

super werro

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Audrey Werro, at this level, is also new for those who in recent seasons have seen her win two European championships under 20, one under 23 and in March, in the Polish Torun, the world indoor bronze among the adults behind the Olympic champion, the British Keely Hodgkinson. The 22-year-old from Friborg, with a Swiss father and an Ivorian mother, had already won in Rabat last Sunday (in 1’56″56). The competition in Sweden is of another level. Because Hodgkinson is at the start. The challenge between the two is hot. They reach the 400 in 55″54. Then, in the key moment, the British take the initiative. But his action, entering the last straight, fades. Audrey overtakes her and finishes with a thrilling time. In addition to Kratochvilova (1’53″28, Munich, 26 July 1983), only the former Soviet Nadezhda Olizarenko did better, 1’53″43 in 1980. Keely is only slightly behind her: her 1’54″33 is worth her improved national record of 28/100 and fifth place in the world all-time list.

baby cooper

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Speaking of 800… Those who haven’t already done so, write down this name and surname: Cooper Luktenhaus. The American, who will come of age in December, in the specialty in March already a world champion in the hall – the youngest in the history of the entire event – on his debut in the Diamond League wins the double lap of the track in 1’42″70. More than the time, the authority with which the Texan manages the race is surprising. As a consummate veteran. He remains covered and at the bell (49″99) concedes a couple of meters to the hare, the Polish Patryk Sieradzki, who pilots the most accredited of the lot, the Canadian Marco Arop, Olympic silver, gold and bronze in the 2023 and 2025 world championships. Cooper, little by little, is reported below. And then, in the final straight, he changes gear. He finished as a dominator, with Arop second in 1’43”11 and the Algerian Slimane Moula third in 1’43”41. The Frenchman Gabriel Tual, king of the Golden Gala, gives in at the end and is sixth (1’43″72). We will talk about Mister Luktenhaus again soon, guaranteed.

good larissa

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Larissa Iapichino is not very lucky. The conditions are good (20-21 degrees), but when the Florentine places the first jump, she has too much wind behind her (+2.1 m/s). Her 6.84 holds the lead until the third lap, when the French Hilary Kpatcha, driven by the wind at +2.4, surpasses her by a paltry centimeter. That’s what will ultimately make the difference. Larissa, after a 6.78 (+0.1) and a 6.69, scores a 6.33, a null and a 6.66. After the soft debut in mid-May in China, it is still a result to be applauded. Behind her are many of the best specialists in the world. However, Zaynab Dosso made little progress, fifth in 11″22 (+0.8) in the 100 won by the American champion Melissa Jefferson in 10″88. In the middle three Europeans, with the British Amy Hunt second with a personal best of 10″97, a few hours after the 10″99 of the Polish Ewa Swoboda in Warsaw, the first woman from the Old Continent under 11″00 in 2026. In the 1500 of the Ethiopian Birke Haylum (4’00″68), third direct discount in ten days between Ludovica Cavalli and Gaia Sabbatini: for the third time she has the first one came out on top, eighth in 4’05”15 after the personal best set at 4’01”64 at the Golden Gala and ninth was Gaia Sabbatini who was still improving (seasonal time of 4’05”55).

what a meeting

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Among the exploits, that of the American Kenneth Bednarek in the 200, with an always composed and elegant action (19″87/+1.0), of his compatriot Yared Neguse who in the 1500, with 3’30″11, precedes the Australian prodigy Cameron Myers by 21/100 and of the Brazilians Alison Dos Santos and Matheus Lima, first and second in the 400 hs in 47″11 and 47”37. In the women’s 3000m steeplechase, first success in the Diamond League for the 29-year-old Tunisian Marwa Bouzayani, legs and head covered by long trousers and hijab: after having exaggerated with excessive courage in the first phase of the race, she finished in 8’59″28, a meeting record. Great performances from the throwing platforms. Sweden can smile in the men’s discus, thanks to Daniel Stahl who sends the tool to 69.60. The Dutch Jessica Schilder, in the women’s weight, after the recent 21.09, shoots the iron ball at a remarkable 20.89. And the American Valarie Allman (now married Sion) in the discus achieves her fifteenth consecutive victory in the circuit with an equally noteworthy 68.60.