Russell and Yan Ziyi Deliver Historic Performances at Xiamen Diamond League
The 2026 edition of the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen produced a night of world-class athletics and historic performances as records tumbled across multiple disciplines. The meeting opened with a sensational women’s javelin competition and closed in spectacular fashion as USA’s Masai Russell and China’s Yan Ziyi delivered two of the greatest performances ever recorded in their events. Russell stormed to the second-fastest women’s 100m hurdles time in history, while Yan launched a remarkable world U20 record and Asian record in the javelin, highlighting an unforgettable evening packed with world leads, meeting records, and breakthrough victories from established stars and rising talents alike.
Women’s 100 metres hurdles:
Olympic champion Masai Russell stormed to a world lead and Diamond League record of 12.14 in the final race of the evening to win her back-to-back race in the Diamond League this year following her victory in Keqiao in 12.25.
Russell set the second fastest time in history missing Tobi Amusan’s world record by 0.02. The US hurdler was already second on the world all-time list with her previous PB of 12.17 set in Miami last year.
Tobi Amusan from Nigeria, world champion in Eugene 2022 with a world record of 12.12, finished second in a seasonal best of 12.28. World Indoor champion and record holder Devynne Charlton from the Bahamas improved her national record by 0.01 to 12.37 finishing ahead of Megan Simmonds from Jamaica (12.52), world champion Ditaji Kambundji from Switzerland (12.62) and Diamond League champion Ackera Nugent from Jamaica (12.64).
Masai Russell: ”I am feeling good. I need to see it. I haven't seen the race yet. I'm feeling blessed. I've been saying all year that I'm gonna break the world record. I don't know when it's gonna happen, but I keep getting closer and closer. I am blessed. I'm ecstatic. All the hard work is truly showing.
Women’s javelin throw:
Chinese 18-year-old rising star Yan Ziyi won the women’s javelin thow setting a world under 20 record, Asian record, a Diamond League record and the second best performance in history with 71.74m in her first round one day after her 18th birthday. Yan improved her own world under 20 record of 65.89m set last year.
Only Barbora Spotakova did better than Yan Ziyi in history when she set the world record with 72.28m at the World Athletics Finals in Stuttgart in 2008. Yan retired from the competition after just one throw. Yan becomes just the sixth javelin thrower to throw beyond the 70 metres barrier and the fourth to surpass the 71 metres barrier. The Chinese thrower won the world under 20 title in Lima 2024 and was a finalist for the World Ahletics Rising Star Award in 2025.
Sigrid Borge from Norway threw to a seasonal best 65.00m to finish second ahead of Adriana Vilagos (63.64m).”
Yan Ziyi: “Now I am more relaxed. Of course I was more than thrilled to see the result, which I've been looking forward for so long. I finally made it. I came to this competition with the goal for 65m, so it really blew mind to see that result coming. After that very first throw, I decided to pass the rest since I feel it will be smart to save some energy since I will have quite some international competitions coming soon. I was not able to compete in the World Championship and the National Games last year because of my age. It was definitely a bit sad, but on the other hand I felt it's a blessing for me to have more time to prepare for a really good version of me to the spectators. What I want for myself now is consistency. A flash in the pan is not what I want, I don't want this 71.74 to be just a one time thing. WR wasn't in mind before. Like today, my goal was to maybe trying targeting on the Area Record, but now, I think I can push harder. I will see how it will go for the next couple of years and prepare for breaking the WR.”
Men’s 400 metres hurdles:
Alison Dos Santos from Brazil, world champion in Eugene 2022 and two-time Olympic bronze medallist, claimed a second win over Karsten Warholm in the space of a week setting a world lead of 46.72 one week after winning the 300m hurdles in Keqiao in 33.01, the second fastest time in history. Dos Santos pulled away from Warholm, who dipped under the 47 seconds to finish second in 46.82. Caleb Dean, NCAA champion in 2024, placed third in 47.75 ahead of Trevor Bassitt (47.90) and Abderrrahmane Samba (47.93). Matheus Lima from Brazil took sixth place with a seasonal best of 48.22.”
Alison Dos Santos: “It felt good. I always try to get the speed up at 300. I cannot go too fast at the beginning of the race so I am excited with the time. I am happy with it. I did not think I could go that fast with this type of race as I did. I am just proud”.
Women’s 3000 metres steeplechase:
Peruth Chemutai from Uganda, Olympic champion in Tokyo 2021, led from start to finish to claim a back-to-back win in the women’s 3000 steeplechase setting a world lead and a meeting record of 8.51.06 following her win in Keqiao last week. Chemutai ran the eighth fastest time in history. The Ugandan athlete led through 1000m in 2:53.75 on world record pace, but the pace slowed as the 2000 metres was reached in 5:51.99. Chemutai, Winfred Yavi and Faith Cherotich were in contention at the bell. Chemutai held off Yavi, who finished second in 8:51.54 on her seasonal debut. World champion Faith Cherotich from Kenya took third place in 8:52.53. Marwa Bouzayani broke the 9 minutes barrier for the second time this year clocking 8:59.25.
Peruh Chemutai: “I feel good. My body is feeling good. I'm so happy.”
Women’s discus throw:
Double Olympic champion Valarie Sion claimed her 12th consecutive Diamond League win in the women’s discus throw with a best mark of 68.45m. Sion produced three more throws beyond the 67 metres barrier with 67.62m, 67.70m and 67.38m in the third, fifth and sixth rounds respectively. Bin Feng from China set a seasonal best of 65.03m in her third attempt to beat world silver medallist Jorinde Van Klinken from the Netherlands (64.27m).
Valarie Sion: ”It was good. I always feel like the first Diamond League meeting is one of the most stressful to find your rhythm and timing. The best in the world all together. It felt really good to compete. I love coming to Xiamen. The energy was awesome. It was so fun to be later in the programme. To have such an intensity to it. I feel good walking away from this competition, and excited for the next one.
Men’s 400 metres:
World champion Collen Busang Kebinatshipi won the men’s 400 metres setting a world lead and a meeting record of 43.92, the third fastest time of his career and his quickest outside of a major global championship. Kebinatshipi trailed Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga from Zambia as he came into the last bend, but he pulled away on the home straight to take the first Diamond League win of his career. Samukonga placed second in 44.04 ahead of South Africa’s Zakhiti Nene (44.40), Chris Bailey from the USA (44.70) and Bayapo Ndori (44.88).
Collen Busang Kebinatshipi: ”I feel good. I'm not surprised by the time. I knew I'm gonna come here I was gonna run a low 44 or a sub 44 which is okay for me”.
Women’s 200 metres:
Two-time world champion Shericka Jackson claimed a back-to-back win at this year’s edition of the Diamond League setting a meeting record of 21.87 (+0.2 m/s) in the women’s 200 metres. Jackson was just 0.01 off Julien Alfred’s world lead of 21.86. She clocked her fastest time since the 2023 Diamond League Final in Eugene where she won in 21.57.
Jackson held off a late challenge from two-time Olympic 400 metres champion Shaunae Miller Uibo, who placed second in a seasonal best of 22.04. Anavia Battle finished third in 22.28 ahead of 2023 world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson (22.38), Jenna Prandini (22.46), McKenzie Long (22.63) and world silver medallist Amy Hunt (22.67).
Shericka Jackson: “The focus was just to stay healthy. I think. That's why I started the season a little bit later than usual. So now focusing on working on fine details and learning proper technique under pressure”.
Men’s 100 metres:
African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala from Kenya stormed to a win in the men’s 100 metres in 9.94 continuing his good period of form following his second place in Keqiao in 9.98. Omanyala dipped under the 10 seconds barrier for the fifth time this season. Gift Leotlela from South Africa placed second with 10.00. Trayvon Bromell and Kenny Bednarek finished third and fourth with the same time of 10.03. Akani Simbine took fifth place with 10.04m ahead of Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy (10.06).
Ferdinand Omanyala: ”I enjoyed it to be honest. It was so fun. A good start. I feel great. It is my second diamond league win ever so I have to be excited. This trip has been goodful. It was just nice to see. I am just looking forward to more wins in the future”.
Men’s 110 metres hurdles:
USA’s Jamal Britt won back-to-back Diamond League races equalling his PB with 13.07 for the fifth time in his career and the fourth time this season. Britt maintained his winning streak winning his fifth race out of his five races this year.
Japanese record holder Rachid Muratake finished second in 13.13 ahead of Jamaica’s world silver medallist Orlando Bennett (13.20) and 2023 European indoor champion Jason Joseph from Switzerland (13.24). World gold medallist and Diamond League champion Cordell Tinch had to settle with fifth place in 13.28.
Jamal Britt: ”It was definitely better than last week’s race. It's a solid race, and I came away with the win and that was the whole goal. I've struggled a bit since I got here, but I felt very good today”.
Men’s long jump:
Double Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou won the men’s long jump setting a meeting record of 8.46m, equalling the world lead in the third round. Tajay Gayle from Jamaica, world champion in Doha 2019, leapt to 8.32m in the fifth round to finish second ahead of European champion Bozhidar Saraboyukov (8.29m). World champion Mattia Furlani leapt to 8.28m in the third round following two jumps of 8.07m and 8.13m but he had to retire from the competition due to an injury ending the competition in fourth place and received medical treatment.
Miltiadis Tentoglou: ”It was a very good competition. I was very excited to compete in Xiamen. This time was perfect. This is the best I've jumped in the Diamond League. I am very happy. I got injured and now I'm very healthy so I'm trying to keep it. It was tough, but I found solutions and I never give up. I'm good. I'm back.
Men’s shot put:
Olympic bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell from Jamaica improved his national record by three cm to 22.34m in the fifth round to claim his first Diamond League win. Campbell threw 21.80m and 21.88m in the second and third round. Any of his three valid throws would have been enough to win the competition. Jordan Geist finished second with 21.52m ahead of three-time Olympic champion Ryan Crouser, who started his season with 21.41m beating Roger Steen (21.25m), Chukwebka Enekwechi (21.14m) and world indoor champion Tom Walsh (21.13m). Leonardo Fabbri fouled his three attempts.
Rajindra Campbell: “For the past couple of months I think I'm just growing stronger. Last year the objective was to win a national record and I didn't get it so coming definitely was the objective the win at first and hopefully the goal was to get over 22. The national record came so I'm really excited. It shows that I'm in good shape. I am excited for the next couple of meets to see if I can push the record”.
Women’s high jump:
World indoor silver medallist Yuliya Levchenko from the Ukraine cleared 1.99m in her third attempt to clinch her first Diamond League win in six years in the women’s high jump. Her compatriot Iryna Gerashchenko made a successful come-back to competitions by finishing second with 1.97m after missing the 2025 season due to the birth of her first child.
Men’s 5000 metres:
Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune, world under 20 champion in 2022, won the first Diamond League race of his career in the men’s 5000 metres setting a world lead and a meeting record of 12.57.32. Mohamed Abdilahi from Germany finished second in 12:57.90 one week after breaking Dieter Baumann’s national record in the 3000 metres in Keqiao with 7:25.77. Biniam Mehary from Ethiopia placed third with 12:58.81. Eduardo Herrera took fourth place in 13:00.69 one week after setting a Mexican record in the 3000m in Keqiao.
Addis Yihune: “I'm happy. It is good. It was all good. Next competition is Europe.”
Women’s 1500 metres:
Abbey Caldwell from Australia surged past Birke Haylom from Ethiopia to claim the first Diamond League win of her career in 3:57.26. Haylom finished second in 3:57.79 one week after winning in Keqiao in a world lead of 3:55.56. Emily McCay from the USA placed third in 3:58.13 ahead of world silver medallist Dorcus Ewoi from Kenya (3:58.91) and Jessica Hull from Australia (3:58.97).
Abbey Caldwell:
It's my first time running this distance in May. After the last track meet, I had a small issue with my foot, so I wasn't really training properly. I just came here being optimistic that I could still perform. With only about a week of training, I actually feel confident moving forward. I always have big dreams and sometimes they even scare me a little.”
