Eugene and Rome: Five Talking Points
Samba is supreme in the hurdles, Ta Lou and Baker set the tone in the sprints, and the defending champions dominate the high jump. With meetings three and four of the Road To The Final behind us, we take a look back at five key talking points from Eugene and Rome.
1. Samba storms to second record
Abderrahman Samba made headlines at the season opener in Doha, when he delighted the home crowd by smashing the Diamond League record in the 400m hurdles.
In Rome, he went one better, surging past Karsten Warholm on the final straight to set a new series record of 47.48, the fastest anyone has run in the discipline since the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Victory secures Samba another eight points on the Road To The Final, and leaves him five points clear at the top of the standings. After two Diamond League records in less than a month, the Qatari is clearly the man to beat in the 400m hurdles.
2. Ta Lou tops two tables
After a winning start in the 100m in Doha, Maria-Josée Ta Lou followed up in Eugene, pipping compatriot Murielle Ahouré to the line to take eight points and establish a four point lead at the top of the standings.
In Rome, the Ivorian continued her winning ways with a win in the 200m, soaring to victory in 22.49. The win sees her knock Shaunae Miller-Uibo off top spot in the 200m standings, meaning Ta Lou now tops the table in both Diamond Disciplines.
3. Baker brilliant in the 100m
Coming in off the back of an explosive indoor season, many expected Christian Coleman to make a splash in the sprints in his debut Diamond League season.
There is still plenty of time for the young American to do so, but thus far, he has been outshone by compatriot Ronnie Baker.
Baker beat Coleman in the non-Diamond League 100m in Eugene, and repeated the feat in Rome, picking up eight points to top the 100m standings.
With just three points separating first from eighth, Baker has the likes of Coleman, Reece Prescod and Diamond Trophy holder CJ Ujah breathing down his neck, but for the moment, he has his nose in front on the Road To The Final.
4. Defending champions dominate
Mutaz Essa Barshim and Mariya Lasitskene rampaged their way to the Diamond Trophy last season, and neither of them look like letting up in 2018.
Barshim and Lasitskene have set the bar – both the real and the proverbial one – very high for any potential challengers this season, notching up two victories from the opening two meetings.
In Eugene, Barshim floated over at 2.36m to pick up another eight points, while Lasitskene extended her dominance in Rome, clearing 2.02m to record a 40th consecutive victory.
5. Taylor hits back
Like Barshim and Lasitskene, Christian Taylor has dominated his Diamond Discipline of late, racking up a sixth consecutive Diamond Trophy last season.
He suffered an early setback this year, though, with defeat to Cuban-Portuguese rival Pedro Pablo Pichardo.
Taylor fought back with victory in Eugene, and now tops the standings with 15 points, but triple jump fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of a blow for blow battle between Taylor and Pichardo on the Road To The Final this season.