Two-time Olympic gold medalist Crouser becomes sixth American male athlete to win trophy, first since Hill in 2017; Ewen makes history as first U.S. female competitor to capture Diamond League shot put championship, with Lasistskene securing fifth career high jump title and Spanovic earning third long jump crown

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The greatest men’s shot put competitor in history finally has a Diamond League title on his resume.

On a day when Maggie Ewen produced the first Diamond League women’s shot put championship in history for an American athlete at the Weltklasse Zurich, two-time Olympic champion and world record-holder Ryan Crouser added to his incredible legacy in the sport Wednesday with a third-round mark of 74-4.50 (22.67m) to become the first U.S. male to capture the title since Darrell Hill in 2017.

The temporary arena created at the Sechselautenplatz, one of the city’s most famous squares near Lake Zurich, showcased both men’s and women’s 5,000-meter finals, along with all four long jump and shot put championships, as well as the women’s high jump competition.

An additional 25 Diamond League championships are scheduled to be crowned Thursday at Letzigrund Stadium.

RESULTS

Crouser, who has nine Diamond League victories in his career, joined Christian Cantwell, Reese Hoffa, Joe Kovacs, Ryan Whiting and Hill among the American men’s shot put competitors to win the overall season-ending titles, denying New Zealand’s Tom Walsh an opportunity for a third championship in a row.

Kovacs was runner-up with a second-round effort of 73-1.25 (22.29m) and Walsh placed fourth at 70-10.75 (21.61m), in addition to breaking the toe board, causing a delay in the competition.

Crouser earned his 24th consecutive victory and increased his total of 22-meter performances for the year to 52 overall, including 44 outdoors, giving him a record 157 for his career.

Ewen, who missed out on qualifying for the Olympics after placing fourth at the U.S. Trials, achieved her best outdoor mark since 2019 with a 63-8.25 (19.41m) effort in the opening round. Her victory also secured a wild-card entry into the 2022 World Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

The 10 previous Diamond League women’s shot put titles have been dominated by six-time champ Valerie Adams of New Zealand and China’s Lijiao Gong, winner of the past three crowns. Germany’s Christina Schwanitz earned her lone title in 2015.

American Chase Ealey produced a 60-8 (18.49m) performance in the fifth round to finish fourth overall, as Ewen was the only competitor to surpass the 19-meter mark.

Perhaps the most thrilling event Wednesday was the women’s high jump competition, with all three Olympic medalists involved in another exceptional showcase, just like their showdown in Tokyo.

Mariya Lasitskene, an authorized neutral athlete from Russia and reigning Olympic gold medalist, became the first high jumper in either gender to capture five career Diamond League titles by clearing 6-8.75 (2.05m) on her second attempt, the first time she has achieved the height outdoors since 2019.

Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine, who matched Lasitskene by clearing 6-8 (2.03m) on her first attempt, placed second and Australia’s Nicola McDermott took third at 6-7 (2.01m). It marked the first time since the 2015 World Championships that three athletes all cleared at least 6-7, and just the ninth time in history.

Lasitskene became the fifth female competitor in any event to secure at least five Diamond League titles, including her fourth in a row following her first career championship in 2014.

Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic also made history in the women’s long jump final, soaring to a wind-legal 22-10 (6.96m) effort in the final round to capture her third career Diamond League title, the most by any female athlete in the event.

Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia produced an opening-round jump of 22-5 (6.83m) and held the advantage until Spanovic, who finished fourth at the Olympic final with a mark of 22-8 (6.91m), responded with a 22-7 (6.88m) performance in the fifth round.

Olympic gold medalist Malaika Mihambo of Germany managed only a fifth-place finish at 21-6.25 (6.56m).

Sweden’s Thobias Montler capped an impressive series in the men’s long jump with a wind-legal leap of 26-9.75 (8.17m) in the sixth round to outlast American Steffin McCarter.

Montler, who joined 2019 discus champion Daniel Stahl as the only Swedish male competitors to win Diamond League titles, trailed McCarter until the fifth round. McCarter, a former Texas standout, took the lead with a third-round jump of 26-8.50 (8.14m), before Montler grabbed the advantage on his penultimate attempt with a leap of 26-9 (8.15m).

Francine Niyonsaba became the first athlete from Burundi to win a Diamond League title in any event, securing her fourth consecutive victory by prevailing in the women’s 5,000 final in 14:28.98.

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri placed second in 14:29.68, with Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye taking third in 14:30.30.

Elise Cranny, representing Nike Bowerman Track Club, was 10th in 15:55.17.

Ethiopia’s Berihu Aregawi won the men’s 5,000 in 12:58.65, with Birhanu Balew of Bahrain finishing second in 13:01.27. It marked the seventh Diamond League championship for Ethiopia in the event, including the first since Selemon Barega in 2018.