Long jump world champion Malaika Mihambo and javelin throw European champion Julian Weber missed out on victory in the Diamond League final and with it prize money of $30,000.
At the end of the most important competition series in athletics in Zurich, Mihambo was only fourth in Zurich, Weber took third place.
European Champion Ivana Vuleta from Serbia jumped the clearly best distance of 6.97 meters right at the start. The still weak Mihambo only made one valid attempt, as she did last time at the ISTAF in Berlin, and did not get past 6.52 meters. She also missed two jumps. “I’m fine, but I’m noticing that this corona infection is affecting me more than I had hoped for,” said the Olympic champion before the competition on pay TV channel Sky. After the World Cup in the USA in mid-July, Mihambo became infected and was then slightly inferior to Vuleta at the European Championships in Munich.
Weber managed 83.73 meters in the javelin throw. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra from India secured the victory bonus with 88.44 meters and also a starting place for the 2023 World Championships. It was followed by Olympic silver medalist Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic with 86.94 meters in front of Weber.
Pudenz fourth in the discus throw
In the discus throw, victory was far away for Kristin Pudenz and Claudine Vita. Pudenz from Potsdam, who came second at the Olympics and the European Championships, took fourth place with 61.45 meters, Claudine Vita from Neubrandenburg, third at the European Championships, came fifth with 61.34 meters. “The width is nothing,” said Pudenz on Sky. As at the ISTAF, Olympic champion Valarie Allman won. The American prevailed with 67.77 meters ahead of European champion Sandra Perkovic from Croatia, who threw 67.31 meters.
Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce provided one of the outstanding performances in the Letzigrund over the 100 meters. The 35-year-old world champion from Jamaica won in 10.65 seconds despite a headwind.