From surprises in the pole vault to European records on the track, it has been an eventful start to the 2021 Wanda Diamond League season. With just over two weeks until the season resumes at the Bislett Games in Oslo on July 1st, here's a look back at some of the best moments from the first three meetings.
Gateshead
Athletes had to battle through the rain at the season opener in the north east of England, but that didn't stop them from pulling out some memorable performances. Women's 100m title holder Dina Asher-Smith got her Diamond Trophy defence off to a winning start, while Sam Kendricks beat world record holder Mondo Duplantis for the first time since the World Athletics Championships in 2019. There was also a maiden Diamond League win for Italian long jumper Filippo Randazzo, while Jakob Ingebrigtsen laid down an early marker.
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Doha
Conditions in the second meeting of the season could not have been more different, and the world leads dropped like flies in the sizzling heat of Doha on May 28th. Katie Nageotte stunned the likes of Sandi Morris and Kat Stefanidi to win the women's pole vault, while four-time Diamond Trophy winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce picked up her first win in the 100m. Fellow Diamond League veteran Mutaz Barshim had to make do with second place on home soil in the men's high jump, as Ilya Ivanyuk took the first of two successive victories to establish himself as an early title favourite.
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Florence
Some of the world's biggest stars shone brighter than ever as the records stacked up on a sparkling night in Florence. There were four meeting records as Omar McLeod, Dina Asher-Smith and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn shone in the sprints and Sifan Hassan made a resounding return to the middle distance events. In the same week she won and lost the 10,000m world record, Hassan edged Faith Kipyegon - who herself ran a PB and Kenyan record - in a thrilling race to set a new world lead. It was young Ingebrigtsen who stole the headlines however, smashing the European record and beating world record holder Joshua Cheptegei in the 5000m.
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