Fresh off a gold-medal performance at the Commonwealth Games, Sarah Mitton delivered the 15th top-three finish of her banner shot put season on Saturday.
The Canadian record holder’s 19.44-metre throw on her second of six attempts held up for a third-place result at Silesia Kamila Skolimowska, the first-ever Diamond League track and field meet in Chorzów, Poland.
Three days earlier, the native of Brooklyn, N.S., threw 19.03 to edge Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd in the Commonwealth final in Birmingham, England.
Reigning world champion Chase Ealey of the United States took another step towards her first Diamond League Trophy, winning Saturday’s event in a meet record 20.38. It was the 28-year-old’s fourth Diamond League victory of the season, following wins in Doha, Qatar, Oslo Norway and Stockholm.
On Saturday, Ealey defeated Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands, who threw 19.84 at Silesia Stadium for a national record and personal best. She also finished second to Ealey in the Aug. 6 world final in Eugene, Ore.
WATCH | Mitton 3rd in Diamond League Final qualifying after effort in Chorzów:
The Brooklyn, N.S. native finished with a score of 19.44 in the women’s shot put final at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Chorzow, Poland.
Reigning Diamond League champion Maggie Ewen was seventh (18.50) in the field of eight in Silesia.
Ealey leads the way in qualifying for the Sept. 7-8 Diamond League Final in Zurich with 32 points, followed by Schilder (20), Mitton, Fanny Roos — who set the Swedish record at 19.42 on Saturday — and Portugal’s Auriol Dongmo, each with 16.
20.33-metre Canadian record
In Birmingham, the 26-year-old Mitton bounced back from narrowly missing the podium at the World Athletics Championships, where she placed fourth (19.77).
MITTON UPDATE????????<br><br>Sarah Mitton shoved her Commonwealth Gold in her suitcase and headed for the Silesia Diamond League meeting today. <br><br>19.44m – good for third in the shot put. <br><br>She ranks 3rd in overall DL standings. <a href=”https://t.co/5dT2HgDpkp”>pic.twitter.com/5dT2HgDpkp</a>
—@AthleticsCanada
Mitton geared up for worlds by smashing her own national mark with a throw of 20.33 at the Canadian championships on June 25 in Langley, B.C. She was second in Sweden five days later in Diamond League action.
WATCH l Mitton reflects on 4th-place finish at worlds:
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Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, N.S., scored a 19.77 to earn a 4th place finish in women’s shot put at the World Athletics Championships.
Mitton debuted on the professional circuit on June 16, finishing sixth at the Bislett Games in Norway, two weeks before placing fourth in Sweden.
She was fourth at worlds, even though Mitton tied the third-place distance of 19.77 with her final throw. The tiebreaker goes to the second-best throw — Schilder’s next best throw 19.53 to Mitton’s 19.18.
Despite just missing the podium, it’s Canada’s best-ever women’s shot put performance at a world championship.
On Feb. 5, Mitton broke the Canadian indoor record at an event in New York with a 19.16 performance.
Mitton followed up three months later, throwing 19.58 to shatter the outdoor Canadian mark at the Golden Horseshoe Prep Meet in Hamilton.
Sprinters Jackson, Bromell claim victories
World champion Shericka Jackson continued her brilliant season by winning the women’s 200 metres while Trayvon Bromell beat fellow American Marvin Bracy for the men’s 100m title.
Jamaican Jackson became the fastest woman alive over the distance at last month’s World Athletics Championships in 21.45 seconds, but she finished a little outside that with an effort of 21.84 on Saturday.
Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas was second in 22.35 and American Jenna Prandini was third with 22.39.
“The race went according to plan. I wanted to execute, focus on my lane and not look at what my rivals were doing. I approach all my races like that,” said Jackson, who is backed to eclipse American Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record set in 1988.
“I’m not thinking about the world record. I just try to do my best, if it comes, it comes.”
WATCH | Women’s 200 metres from Chorzów, Poland:
Watch the women’s 200-metre sprint at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Chorzow, Poland.
Jackson’s compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce then set a world-leading time of 10.66 in the women’s 100, which was not part of the official Diamond League program.
Bromell had settled for bronze behind Bracy at worlds but made no mistake running on a wet track and into a slight headwind in Chorzów, as he crossed the finish line in 9.95 seconds for a second Diamond League victory of the season over 100.
“It’s my second year on the circuit and I’m still learning,” Bromell said. “I try to be the best I can be. I didn’t like my performance too much today, there were a lot of small details that could be improved.”
Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake was third ahead of Christian Coleman and Yohan Blake.
WATCH | Saturday’s men’s 100 race from Silesia Stadium:
Watch the men’s 100-metre sprint at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Chorzow, Poland.
No stopping hurdler Dos Santos
Brazilian Alison Dos Santos secured his fifth men’s 400 hurdles Diamond League win of 2022 to add to his world title, as he cruised to victory in 47.8 seconds, beating Khallifah Rosser and Wilfried Happio.
“I’m happy and proud about my result because I’ve had a long season. Now, I want to enjoy every competition and have fun … I want to try to win this Diamond League Trophy,” he said.
American Michael Norman went up against Grenada’s Kirani James in the latest chapter of their rivalry in the men’s 400, with the pair finishing first and second, respectively, as they did at worlds.
Sweden’s world record-holder Armand Duplantis comfortably won the men’s pole vault with an effort of 6.10m, though he was not competing for Diamond League points.
The 22-year-old, who broke his own world record with a jump of 6.21 at worlds, has already qualified for the final in September where he will be looking to defend his title.
Monaco will host the next Diamond League competition on Aug. 10, followed by Lausanne, Switzerland (Aug. 26) and Brussels (Sept. 2).
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