De Grasse claims 200m title, Arop sets Canadian 800m record with silver at the Diamond League Final
After Sarah Mitton secured second in women’s shot put, Andre De Grasse and Marco Arop kept the momentum going with a podium each at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, doubling as the 2023 Diamond League Final.
De Grasse finished the season on a high note, claiming the Diamond League 200m title for the first time with a season’s best of 19.76 seconds. This is Canada’s first Diamond Trophy winner since 2011.
American Kenneth Bednarek finished in second in 19.95s, followed by American Erriyon Knighton with a time of 19.97s. Teammate Aaron Brown finished in sixth position with a time of 20.23s.
Last week in Brussels, De Grasse and Brown geared up for the Final posting 19.89 and 19.98 seconds, respectively. De Grasse came away with the bronze medal for his first medal on the Diamond League circuit this season.
Brown sat first in the overall 200m circuit rankings heading into the final weekend. His fourth-place finish in Brussels was preceded by third-place finishes in Doha in May and Florence in early June, as well as a fifth-place finish in Lausanne at the end of June and a sixth-place finish in Zurich on August 30.
Prior to his medal in Brussels and Eugene, De Grasse took part in Diamond League meets in Doha, Oslo, Lausanne and Zurich, alternating between sixth and fifth places.
In the 800m event, world champion Marco Arop raced a time of 1 minute and 42.85 seconds to secure second place at the Diamond League Final. With this result, Arop lowered his personal best time and took down Brandon McBride’s national mark of 1:43:20.
Taking charge early, the Canadian moved to the front of the pack behind pacer and training parter Navasky Anderson. He held the lead until halfway down the straightaway when Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi passed Arop to reach the finish in a meet-record and world-leading time of 1:42.80. Djamel Sedjati of Algeria finished in third position in 1:43.06.
At last month’s World Athletics Championships, Arop, ranked second in the world, got the best of his rival after clocking 1:44.24 to edge Wanyonyi (1:44.53).
Sarah Mitton snags shot put silver at the Diamond League Final
Brooklyn, Nova Scotia’s world champion, Sarah Mitton, concluded another incredible shot put season with a remarkable performance on Saturday. In her 17 events, she secured an impressive 14 top-two finishes. However, this time, she settled for second place behind American athlete Chase Ealey at the Diamond League Final, just as she did a year ago.
During the competition in Eugene, Oregon, Mitton unleashed her best throw of the day, covering a distance of 19.94 meters. Her performance had her leading the six-woman field until Chase Ealey entered the circle during the second round. Ealey’s throw was nothing short of extraordinary, registering a world-leading 20.61 meters. This feat not only secured her the top spot in the meet but also set a new American record.
Chase Ealey didn’t stop there; she extended her personal best to an astonishing 20.76 meters. Unfortunately, she was unable to land any successful throws in her final three attempts. As a result of her stellar performance, 29-year-old Chase Ealey claimed victory in the Diamond League Final and took home the coveted Diamond League Trophy and a substantial prize of $30,000 US. Mitton earned $12,000 for her second-place finish.
Mitton’s performance during the competition saw her throwing 19.94 meters initially but dropping to 19.79 meters on her third attempt. Unfortunately, she was unable to record a measurement on her fourth try. Her final throws covered distances of 19.34 and 19.93 meters, concluding a season that showcased her incredible talent in the shot put arena.
READ: Sarah Mitton wins Diamond League silver medal in Brussels
