Ryan Crouser crowned Diamond League champion topping unbeaten season in Zurich 

Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Ryan Crouser of the United States can finally now add Diamond League champion to his comprehensive list of titles.

The American, who threw a world record earlier this year at the U.S. Olympic trials in Oregon, kept his unbeaten season intact with a meeting record throw of 22.67m.

With two Olympic medals and a world-record to his name the only thing missing was the Diamond League trophy; now the 28-year-old now has the set.

Olympic silver medallist Joe Kovacs once again took the second spot with a 22.29m throw while the bronze medallist from Tokyo, Tom Walsh of New Zealand, was bumped off the podium by 25-year-old Armin Sinancevic. The Serbian threw 21.86m.

Tokyo trio back again for women's high jump final

Just as in Japan, Olympic champion Mariya Lasitskene took the women’s high jump crown after she was the sole finalist to clear 2.05m in a world-leading and meeting record jump.

Her victory come after two consecutive Diamond League meet defeats.

Before taking her prize, Lastiskene made two attempts at 2.07m, but after failing the second, she decided she was happy to become the Diamond League champion for the fifth time in her career.

Yaroslava Mahuchikh improved on her bronze from Japan after she equalled her season’s best jump of 2.04m to take second place, while Tokyo runner-up Nicola McDermott finished in third with 2.01m after three fails at 2.05m.

In the women’s 5000m, Francine Niyonsaba continued her meteoric rise in middle-distance running after she outlasted two-time world gold medallist Hellen Obiri to become the Diamond League champion.

As the Kenyan attempted to surge past the Burundian in the final 200m, the winner in Brussels held her ground to control Obiri’s movement. Rounding off the podium was Ethiopia’s Taye Eigayehu.

Due to the race being held on a purpose-built, three-lane, 560-metre banked track Niyonsaba’s time of 14:28.98 will not be deemed official.

A brave and aggressive run by Berihu Aregawi on the new-look street track ensured he took home the top prize in the men’s 5000m in an unofficial personal best of 12:58.65.

The Ethiopian, who finished just outside of the medals in the 10,000m in Tokyo, claims his first Diamond League trophy ahead of Birhanu Balew and Jacob Krop.

Ivana Spanovic saved the very best for last in the women’s long jump final.

Her final jump of 6.96m tightened her grip on the 2021 Diamond League trophy after having snatched the lead from Khaddi Sagnia on her fifth attempt.

The Serbian, who had finished just shy of the medals in Japan, wraps up an otherwise stunning season in Zurich. As well as taking the crown in today’s final, Spanovic also clinched victories in three other Diamond League meetings this year.

Reigning Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo had a final to forget after she failed to defend her Diamond League crown. The German finished in a disappointing fifth place.

Capitalising on the opportunity, Sagnia finished in second with 6.83m while Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk took third on her final attempt with a leap of 6.75m.

The men’s long jump competition was something of a tight tussle between Thobias Montler of Sweden and Steffin McCarter of the U.S.

Ultimately, it was the Swede who emerged victorious after his final attempt of 8.17m went unmatched by the chasing field.

McCarter subsequently finished in second with 8.14m, just three centimetres off Montler’s best jump, and Rushwahl Samaai of South Africa took the last podium spot with 7.99m.

Maddie Ewen of the U.S. will take home her first ever Diamond Trophy after clinching the win in the women’s shot put with her first attempt and season best throw of 19.41m.

With no Olympic medallists in the mix, eyes were on the fourth-place finisher in Japan, Auriol Dongmo. However, the Portuguese putter could not match the might of the American, and she finished in second with a throw of 18.86m.

Action from the Diamond League Final will continue tomorrow (8 September) in a different venue from the Sechseläutenplatz, which hosted today’s action.

Letzigrund Stadium, the traditional site of the Weltklasse Zuirch, will welcome the rest of the 25 remaining events.

For a preview of tomorrow’s action click here.