What We Learned at the Zurich Diamond League Meeting

By Scott Bush

The first final of the Diamond League season took place in Zurich, Switzerland Thursday, and what a collection of events it was. From start to finish, exciting finishes were put up across the board, with 16 different athletes being crowned Diamond League champions.

Here’s what went down.

Simpson Gets the Win By a Hair

The most exciting race of the evening in Zurich came in the women’s 1,500m. A tight pack circles the track together for much of the race, until the final lap, when Jenny Simpson (USA) pulled away, dropping Sifan Hassan (NED) in the homestretch, only to edge late charging Shannon Rowbury (USA) by the slimmest of margins, 3:59.92-3:59.93. With Hassan finishing third and Abeba Aregawi (SWE) struggling yet again (she finished eighth), Simpson picked up her first Diamond League overall title and took home a cool $50,000 and shiny trophy.

Simpson stepped her game up to another level this season, as did Rowbury, who cracked the four-minute barrier for the second time this season and the second time in her career. Since joining the Nike Oregon Project and coach Alberto Salazar, Rowbury has set big PRs in both the 1,500m and 5,000m. Keep an eye out for her next weekend in Brussels and she could very well find herself at the front of the Diamond League standings in 2015. Lets just say the Simpson v. Rowbury rivalry is only beginning to heat up.

Not to be overlooked, fellow American Brenda Martinez continued her late-season success with a 4:01.36 seasonal best. The World Championship 800m medalist last season has had an up and down year, but she’s ending 2014 on a very high note.

Taylor Comes Up Huge in His Final Leap

Christian Taylor’s (USA) season can be labeled a learning experience. With a slow start to his season, the Olympic gold medalist switched up his approach (changing his first foot down) in the triple jump and ran a shortened build-up, too. Despite the changes, Taylor showed why he’s the best jumper in the world once again Thursday, upsetting the field on his final jump to take home the victory in a season’s best of 17.51m and surpass friendly rival Will Claye (USA) to win the overall Diamond League title, 20-16. 

Between Taylor and Claye, the U.S. has a tandem full capable of dominating the event for years to come, especially the World Championships and Olympics. Consistency and poise defined these two time and again all season and looking into the future, these two young talents should only continue to improve.

Harper-Nelson For the Win

Similar to a few other events Thursday, the women’s 100m hurdles came down to the final race to decide the overall Diamond League winner. Dawn Harper-Nelson (USA) sought a Diamond League three peat, but newly signed (by ASICS) Queen Harrison stood in her way, with a 17-13 lead.

Out of the blocks, Harrison and Harper-Nelson looked good and it seemed as though a classic match-up was happening…until Harrison stumbled. Harper-Nelson took advantage of Harrison’s bad luck and cruised to a 12.58 second victory and a clinching eight Diamond League points, capturing that third title. Unfortunate for Harrison, she staggered home, finishing in 21.62. Regardless, Harrison proved herself a medal contender for next year’s World Championships in Beijing.

Tinsley Edges Culson for DL Title

Michael Tinsley (USA) versus Javier Culson (PUR) was one of the best rivalries in the sport this season. The two squared off numerous times, grabbing wins back and forth, which made Thursday’s action all the more interesting. Whoever bested the other took home the Diamond League top prize. 

While Culson got off to a fast start, it was Tinsley who charged home, finding himself edged by Cornel Fredericks (RSA) at the line, but his second place finished allowed him to beat out third place Culson and take home a $40,000 paycheck. The two 30 year olds should battle many more times next season and leading into the Olympics, but they should both be very wary of the 24 year old Fredericks, who had a career year and ran 48.50 or faster three times.

Hoffa is Once Again King of the Shot Put

Sure and steady as always, Reese Hoffa (USA) socked his competition and pushed to another big-time shot put win. Hoffa tossed five of his six throws over the 21 meter mark, settling on a season’s best of 21.88m, while taking home the Diamond League title. Hoffa’s consistency over the years continues to impress and he once again can claim top putter in the world.

Behind the American, German David Storl finished second with a toss of 21.47m, slightly ahead of third place Joe Kovacs (USA). Storl’s late season results pushed him to second in the Diamond League standings, while Kovacs could very well earn a most improved award, as he finished third in the Diamond League overall.

Good news for American track and field fans, Ryan Whiting finished fifth with a solid 20.74m effort. Here’s to hoping Whiting can stay healthy and work his way back into being a world-beater.

Merritt Wraps Up Dominating Season

The men’s 400m dash is clearly a two-man race, as Kirani James (GRN) and LaShawn Merritt (USA) continue to distance themselves from the rest of the field. With James limiting his competition this season, thus not competing in early Diamond League action, Merritt dominated race after race, and with another win on Thursday wrapped up the Diamond League title with a whopping 26 points, 20 points up on runner-up Gil Roberts, who he beat 44.36-44.96.

James and Merritt met a few times this season, pretty much splitting the difference, so heading into a World Championships year, these two should battle far more and for international bragging rights as to who is the best one-lapper in the world.

Perkovic is Queen in the Discus

Sandra Perkovic (CRO) was nearly unbeatable in 2014. Once again Thursday, the star dominated the field, throwing a 68.36m winning toss and showing she’s going to be very tough to beat heading into the World Championship year. It must be said though that Gia Lewis-Smallwood (USA) was the only woman to beat Perkovic in Diamond League action and she finished second once again in Zurich with a 67.32m best. While it’ll take jumping to a whole new level for Lewis-Smallwood to surpass Perkovic, don’t be surprised if she gets closer, as Lewis-Smallwood continues to turn into one of the very best in the world.

A few more observations…

Despite having the fastest reaction time to start the men’s 100m dash, Tyson Gay (USA) struggled to a ninth place finish in 10.35 and well off the leaders. After showing such a strong start coming off his one-year ban, Gay certainly struggled in Zurich.

Galen Rupp (USA) ended his season on a high note. A slow pace in the early stages of the men’s 5,000m meant a furious finish and Rupp hung on for a third place effort, less than a second off the winner, finishing behind Caleb Ndiku (KEN) and Muktar Edris (ETH). This was one of the worst year’s in recent memory for the 5,000m event, which leaves it as a wide open battle heading into 2014.