Kovacs Joins 23-Meter Club With Monster Throw In Zurich

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Joe Kovacs launched the second-farthest put of all-time and won the Diamond League final in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday surrounded by fans at the Sechseläutenplatz. 

Kovacs won his sixth consecutive shot put competition and connected on his second attempt to throw 23.23m (76-2.75) -- more than a foot beyond his lifetime best.

Kovacs became the second man, joining world record holder Ryan Crouser, to surpass the long-standing 1990 world record of Randy Barnes in the past two years. 

His victory on Wednesday ensured a spot in the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. It will be the second straight free pass to a World final for Kovacs, who won the 2019 world title in Doha.

Only Crouser's 23.37m at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021 is farther than what Kovacs achieved in a "city event" setting located in the plaza in front of the Zurich Opera House. 

Crouser, who has been dealing with a long bout of COVID since winning the gold medal at the World Championships, finished second with 22.74m.

The Diamond League final concludes on Thursday at Zurich's Letzigrund stadium. 

Wednesday's carnival-type setting was used for six events. 

Chase Ealey capped her flawless season in the women's shot put by throwing 20.19m for her 12th win in 12 competitions in 2022. Ealey wore a boot to protect a toe injury before and after the meet, but it didn't affect her performance. 

Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi, less than a week following his wedding, won a dramatic showdown with JuVaughn Harrison to win the men's high jump. 

Tamberi, the co-Olympic gold medalist from Tokyo, cleared 2.34m (7-8) on his second attempt after a previous miss at 2.32m. 

Harrison, who led going into the the 2.34m bar, made it on his third attempt, which put him behind Tamberi. 

Tamberi's foot slipped on his one and only attempt at 2.36m as rain began to fall, and he retired from the competition. 

Harrison made three attempts at a bar that would have matched his career best, but was unable to make it. 

In the women's pole vault, Nina Kennedy of Australia took the lead from Sandi Morris when she made 4.76m (15-7.25) on her second try. Morris got over it on her third attempt. 

Kennedy then made 4.81m (15-9.25) with a clutch third-attempt effort. And Morris missed all three of her attempts. 

The men's and women's 5,000 meters finals were held on an irregular 517-meter, four-lane track that looped around the field events and the opera house. 

Kenya's Beatrice Chebet found space in Lane 1 to sprint past Oregon22 world champion Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia and won the women's race in 14:31.03. Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi got up for second in 14:31.52 and Tsegay was third in 14:32.11.

Alicia Monson gamely hung on to the lead group and led on the last lap but finished sixth in 14:37.22. 

In the men's race, a group of five athletes sprinted to a wild finish off the final turn, including American record holder Grant Fisher. 

Kenya's Nicholas Kipkorir timed his sprint perfect to take the win in 12:59.05. Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu of the Athlete Refugee Team was second in 12:59.40 and Fisher kicked to third in 13:00.56.