Four Olympic champions cement their status

The precision of an Olympic champion

After Letsile Tebogo had sprinted to gold in Paris, taking the first African 200m Olympic champion, the 21-year-old became a national hero in Botswana. 80 000 people celebrated in the streets of Gaborone, and 30 000 fans welcomed him home at the country’s national stadium.

At the packed Letzigrund Stadium, another 25 000 fans cheered, when the new star was introduced. His race would become one of the most thrilling events of the night. Kenneth “Kenny” Bednarek (USA), who had been a close runner-up in the final at the Stade de France, was the one who pushed him the hardest. Tebogo caught up with him, but only in the final metres. The ecstatic crowd carried him to a stunning 19.55. The sprinters defied rainy conditions and cool temperatures. Bednarek, came in second in 19.57, a new personal best.

This year’s young European champion Timothé Mumenthaler represented Switzerland in the exciting race. He placed eighth in 20.72.

Yet another winner

Much had been said about the strengths of and the atmosphere between the 1500m stars. The Olympic final had provided a first, albeit surprising, answer, when Cole Hocker (USA) snatched the title from Kerr (GBR/Olympic silver medallist) and Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR/fourth), who had been expected to fight it out among them. Ingebrigtsen, who had been considered a top favourite, was able to make up for this fourth place in style. He first took Olympic gold in the 5000m and then set an incredible new 3000m world record. Zurich was his opportunity to settle the score in his specialty event, the 1500m.

But it was not to be. Even though he accepted the fast pace offered by the pacemakers immediately, his opponents followed suit. In the final metres, he had to give in to one of them. And this around, it was neither Olympic champion Hocker nor world champion Kerr, but Olympic bronze medallist and 2023 Weltklasse Zürich winner Yared Nuguse (USA), who prevailed in the end and won the fabulous race in 3:29.21.

Mondo Duplantis, again and again

No other athlete was drawing more attention than Mondo Duplantis in the run up to this year’s meeting. The Swedish superstar is dominating his event and is breaking world records (ten so far) at record-breaking speed. And he managed to outsprint 400m h world record holder Karsten Warholm (NOR) in a 100m duel on the eve of the meeting.

Duplantis, who grew up in the US with his American father and his Swedish mother, lives in Stockholm. He is a reigning Olympic, world, and European champion. And he has yet to be defeated this year. Even very difficult weather conditions and tired legs (he mentioned that his body had “felt destroyed” after the 100m race) could not prevent him from winning at Letzigrund Stadium again. Just as Duplantis, Olympic silver medallist Sam Kendricks (USA) cleared 5.82m. He placed second because he needed more attempts to do so. Kurtis Marshall (AUS/5.72m) placed third.

A defeat for the holder of all international titles

There simply seems almost no way anyone else than Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) can win in the long jump, especially when it comes to international titles. The new Olympic champion is also the reigning world and European champion. However, he was not able to defend his reputation of being invincible at Weltklasse Zürich this year. Even though he used his last-attempt trick successfully to qualify for the “Final Three” (the sixth attempt for the top three athletes), the Greek star lost the post-Olympic rematch against Olympic silver medallist Wayne Pinnock (JAM/8.18m) and placed second (8.02m).

Local fans were focused on the allrounder in the long jump line-up: Swiss decathlete Simon Ehammer challenged the specialists of his strongest individual event again. To the delight of the cheering crowd, he, too, qualified for the Final Three. He placed third (7.98m), winning his first spot on a Weltklasse Zürich podium.

Stimmungsvoller Auftakt dank dem «Babyface-Killer»

A Swiss athlete made sure that the excitement at Letzigrund Stadium reached fever pitch even before the night’s international programme of events went underway. Going into the 400m race in his usual cautious way, Lionel Spitz was able to play to his strengths on the home straight. He clocked 45.30, adding another impressive result to his successful season. The crowd thanked him for the perfect prelude with thunderous applause.

Almost at the same time, a world record holder stepped on the “magic track” of Letzigrund Stadium. After losing his 100m duel against Mondo Duplantis (SWE) on the night before, the Norwegian 400m h superhero was scheduled to tackle his race in a Swedish uniform. He proved a good sport and did show up in the national colours of Sweden. However, he was unable to run in the 400m h race due to an injury. He still earned the hearts of the Zurich crowd during his good-humoured interview in the PUMA uniform in blue and yellow.

Grant Holloway (USA/110m h), Roshawn Clarke (JAM/400m h), Ryan Crouser (USA/shot put), and Anderson Peters (GRN/javelin throw), and Jacob Krop (KEN/3000m where the winners of their Weltklasse Zürich competitions.

Here for the women's highlights.

Credits: Diamond League AG