Diamond League Final 2024 highlights: Ingebrigtsen reigns in 1500m, Duplantis breaks records, and Alfred shines in thrilling day one of Brussels Diamond League Finals
The first day of the 2024 Brussels Diamond League Finals unfolded under the bright lights of King Baudouin Stadium, marking a sparkling ending to an eventful season.
Athletics
The 2024 Diamond League Finals kicked off at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels on Friday, 13 September, beginning a thrilling end to the athletics season.
In the men’s 1500m, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen delivered a masterful performance to close his season.
After navigating fierce competition at every turn in 2024, the Norwegian reasserted his dominance, crossing the line in 3:30.37. Ingebrigtsen held off 2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot, who finished a close second in 3:30.93, just ahead of Olympic champion Cole Hocker in a tight final lap. Zurich winner Yared Nuguse stumbled in the final lap, ending in sixth.
Ingebrigtsen's performance sent a clear message—he remains the man to beat.
"It’s been a good season with a lot of good races and some bad races. But I’ve been able to compete quite a lot, which I love. And, of course, it's always great to finish off a long season with a win in the Diamond League final. We had a lot of good fighting today [in the final] with a lot of good runners," Ingebrigtsen told Olympics.com.
Diamond League Final 2024 Day 1 highlights
Despite chilly conditions, athletes delivered standout performances, including two first-time Diamond League champions in the 100m finals. Olympic champion Julien Alfred captured her maiden Diamond Trophy, finishing well ahead of Sha'Carri Richardson, while Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake stormed to victory in the men’s race with a 9.93 finish.
Swedish pole vault phenom Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis and Australian discus thrower Matthew Denny dazzled the crowd by breaking meet records to claim their diamond trophies, and Valarie Allman added to the excitement by securing her fourth consecutive title.
Also on the field was Ukraine’s high jump world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh, who capped off her season in sparkling style, clearing 1.97m to secure victory in a repeat of the Paris 2024 women’s high jump podium.
Mary Moraa ended her year by setting a season’s best of 1:56.56 in the 800m, and Marileidy Paulino extended her unbeaten run in the 400m, adding yet another title to her growing collection.
But Paulino should watch her back, as one-lap queen Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone proved her dominance in the 400m exhibition race, finishing more than three-tenths quicker than the Dominican.
France’s Sasha Zhoya bounced back from disappointment in Paris with redemption in the men’s 110m hurdles, winning in 13.16.
The day also featured a special parade of Belgian Olympians, including three-time Olympic champion and hometown hero Nafi Thiam who was honored by the King of Belgium, receiving a heartfelt ovation from her adoring home crowd.