Sarah Mitton 2nd at Suzhou Diamond League despite not feeling in top shot put form

Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, N.S., threw 19.86 metres for second place in women’s shot put at Saturday’s Diamond League meet in Suzhou, China. American Chase Jackson won with a throw of 20.03.

Sarah Mitton delivered a more consistent performance in shot put while fellow Canadian Regan Yee inched closer to the Paris Olympic qualifying standard in steeplechase at Saturday’s Diamond League track and field meeting in Suzhou, China.

Mitton led with a throw of 19.86 metres in Round 1 — her best outdoors this season — and it stood up for second place behind American rival Chase Jackson, who answered with a 20.03 toss in her second of six attempts, 20 centimetres off Gong Lijiao’s 2015 meet record.

The two-time reigning Diamond League champion, Jackson topped Mitton over their final three throws. The 29-year-old was third last week 900 kilometres to the south in Xiamen, where Jackson threw 19.62 while she worked on technical changes.

“I have been working on new [things] which could have gone one way or the other [Saturday] so I’m pleased to win,” said Jackson, the world’s top-ranked women’s pole vaulter who won a gold medal at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

I’ve been away from home for six weeks, so I take a lot of confidence from today. To throw 20 metres this early in the season, and it felt nice and easy, is good leading into the Olympics.”

Mitton, coming off a 19.35 performance for fourth in Xiamen, took charge early at Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre. After fouling on her second throw, she went 19.64 on her third — the best of her competitors — and surpassed 19 metres on two of her final three tries (19.25, 19.17).

A week ago, the 27-year-old from Brooklyn, N.S., threw 18.89 and 18.75 late in the competition.

2nd at 2023 Diamond League Final

“I’m really happy, considering I did not feel that great with the ball,” said the world No. 2. “I had never started my [outdoor] season with a Diamond League like I did last week.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in China, the people have been so welcoming and lovely.”

Mitton was second at the 2023 Diamond League Final and won her first event on the circuit at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway last June 15.

Two months ago, Mitton twice broke a Canadian record on her way to women’s gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Song Jiayuan thrilled the home crowd on Saturday, placing third (19.83) in a field of 10, one spot ahead of teammate Gong, who threw 19.61 after prevailing in Xiamen.

“I really appreciated the audience,” Song said. “They encouraged me a lot. It was a bit nervous and intense for me at the beginning, but I adjusted quickly.

“In the future, I [will] be more focused on training, make myself more relaxed and enjoy [the event].”

Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands, who holds the world lead at 20.31 on Feb. 17, was 10th on Saturday (17.81) and didn’t attempt a throw after the third round.

5 seconds faster in 1 week

Like Mitton, Yee made gains in Suzhou. More important than her ninth-place finish (she was eighth) in Xiamen was her time of nine minutes 26.12 seconds.

It was a 5.35-second improvement from a week ago and brought the native of South Hazelton, B.C., closer to the 9:23.00 automatic entry standard for Paris.

But Yee’s performance Saturday will be important to her standing within the top 36 in the world ranking quota for Olympic selection. She entered the weekend 22nd and ahead of Canadians Ceili McCabe (25th), Grace Fetherstonhaugh (27th) and Alycia Butterworth. Canada can select a maximum of three athletes, per gender, in each event.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech topped the field for a second consecutive week, clocking 9.07.36 to beat Peruth Chemutai of Uganda by over eight seconds (9:15.46) and Germany’s Gesa Krause (season-best 9:16.24).

Chepkoech, who boasts a world-leading 8:55.40 from last week’s race in Xiamen, fell 2:43 shy of her 9:04.53 meet record from May 18, 2019 in Shanghai, where Saturday’s meet was originally scheduled to be held but was moved as Shanghai Stadium is being refurbished.

“It feels so good to win a second Diamond League race in a week,” said Chepkoech, who captured silver at worlds last summer. “I did not feel well. I had stomach issues [Saturday] but decided to compete.

“The goal is to win [at] the Olympic Games.

No world record but Duplantis soars

Armand Duplantis missed out on another pole vault world record but made a strong statement ahead of this year’s Olympics by easing to victory.

The 24-year-old Olympic champion had broken his own world record with a stellar effort of 6.24 metres last week in Xiamen and wrapped up another victory in China with his best of 6.00.

With the bar raised to 6.25, Duplantis was primed to break the mark for a ninth time but he was unable to clear the height in his three attempts, coming agonizingly close in his final chance to leave some fans disappointed.

“I felt great today, really good. To jump six metres today and complete a successful tour, I have a lot of good takeaways,” Duplantis said.

“I felt a little bit flat today, but still really good. I just feel conditions have to be perfect for me to jump a world record and I wasn’t quite feeling it off the runway tonight.

“Now I go back home and train for a few weeks until my next competition in Ostrava.”

Ben Broeders of Belgium and Sam Kendricks of the United States managed vaults of 5.82 behind the winner.

Simbine, Neitta prevail in sprint showdowns

Akani Simbine powered to victory in the men’s 100 metres, crossing the finish line in 10.01 seconds to deny reigning Diamond League champion Christian Coleman of the United States back-to-back victories this season.

Coleman’s pace dropped toward the end and he settled for second in 10.04, ahead of compatriot Fred Kerley (10.11) in third.

There was another upset in the women’s 200, with Briton Daryll Neita stunning pre-race favourite Sha’Carri Richardson in a time of 22.62.

“I feel amazing. It was such a strong field and to run that time at this stage of the season is amazing,” Neita said.

“My main focus for the rest of the season is to stay healthy and in one piece. I hope to win a medal at the Olympics.”

Richardson, the winner of the 200m bronze at last year’s world championships, was third (23.11) behind fellow American Anavia Battle (22.99).

• World champion Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic backed up her gold from Xiamen by cruising to women’s 400 gold in 50.89 seconds, comfortably ahead of American Talitha Diggs and Barbadian Sada Williams.
• In the dramatic women’s 100 hurdles, world-record holder Tobi Amusan was disqualified following a false start before the Nigerian ran under protest and finished first ahead of Jasmine Camacho-Quinn. Barring a successful appeal from Amusan, Olympic champion Camacho-Quinn will earn a second victory of the season with her effort of 12.63 seconds.
• Selemon Barega, Ethiopia’s Olympic 10,000 champion, won the men’s 5,000 in 12:55.68.

The Diamond League returns May 10 in Doha, Qatar, where Canadian sprinter Aaron Brown is scheduled to race after he competes at the Bermuda Grand Prix on Sunday and the May 4-5 World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas.