Eight meeting records fell on Saturday night as the 2026 Diamond League Final came to a fitting close last night in Brussels, with Audrey Werro holding off Femke Broeders Bol in a thrilling women’s 800m and Alison dos Santos adding another record to his remarkable season.
Four world leading performances were also recorded at the King Baudouin Stadium, with 16 Diamond League champions crowned across the second night. After six meeting records on Friday, the 50th Allianz Memorial Van Damme finished with 14 across the two evenings.
Werro Holds Off Broeders Bol in Thrilling 800m
The women’s 800m delivered one of the closest finishes of the evening.
Audrey Werro looked set for a comfortable victory before Femke Broeders Bol produced a fierce charge down the home straight. The Swiss athlete held on to win in 1:54.75, with Broeders Bol just six hundredths behind in 1:54.81.
Werro’s time lowered Pamela Jelimo’s meeting record of 1:55.08, which had stood since 2008.
Saida Tsehaye finished third in 1:57.57, while Veronica Vancardo was fourth in 1:58.66.
The victory gave Werro a second consecutive Diamond League title after her unbeaten run through this year’s series.
Dos Santos Adds Another Record to Historic Season
After breaking the 400m hurdles world record in Zurich, Alison dos Santos returned to Brussels and completed his Diamond League campaign with another record.
The Brazilian was never seriously threatened as he won in 46.70, lowering the meeting record by more than eight tenths of a second.
Trevor Bassitt finished second in 48.03, with Matheus Lima taking third in 48.18.
It was dos Santos’s third Diamond League title and the latest performance in a season that has already included the fastest 400m hurdles race in history.
Russell Wins After Charlton’s Fast Start
Masai Russell had to work for victory in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Devynne Charlton made the quickest start, but Russell came through strongly over the closing barriers to win in 12.20.
That was another meeting record for the American, who ran a world record of 12.09 in Zurich last week.
Charlton finished second in a Bahamian record of 12.33, with Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds third in a season’s best of 12.43. Former world record holder Tobi Amusan finished fourth in 12.54.
Kazimierska Produces Breakthrough 1500m Victory
Klaudia Kazimierska produced the biggest surprise of the night in the women’s 1500m.
The Polish athlete, who won silver at the European Championships in Birmingham, ran a personal best and national record of 3:54.05 to claim her first Diamond League title.
Her time was also a meeting record and the fastest in the world this year.
Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi finished second in a personal best of 3:54.72, with Australia’s Jessica Hull third in 3:54.73.
Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell finished fourth in 3:56.40.
Bednarek Matches World Lead in 200m
Kenny Bednarek won the men’s 200m in 19.62, matching the world leading time he set in Zurich last week.
The American Olympic silver medallist finished well clear of South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile, who ran 19.89.
Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba was third in 19.99, while Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo finished fourth in 20.01.
It was Bednarek’s third Diamond League title.
Balew Wins Fast 5000m Final
Birhanu Balew produced a powerful finish to win the men’s 5000m in 12:45.70.
The Bahrain athlete set a world lead and an Asian record, pulling clear over the closing laps.
Egide Ntakarutimana finished second in a Burundi record of 12:46.73, with Kenya’s Cornelius Kemboi third in a personal best of 12:47.29.
Biniam Mehary was fourth in 12:47.78, while Graham Blanks and Nico Young finished fifth and sixth in 12:47.98 and 12:48.12 respectively.
Campbell Clears 23 Metres in Shot Put
Rajindra Campbell saved his best throw for the final round of the men’s shot put.
The Jamaican launched the shot 23.08m to set a meeting record, world lead and national record.
Jordan Geist finished second with 22.23m, narrowly ahead of Joe Kovacs on 22.09m.
Leonardo Fabbri, the 2024 Diamond League champion, was fourth with 22.03m.
Paulino Dominates the Women’s 400m
Marileidy Paulino won the women’s 400m in 48.64, breaking the meeting record that had stood since 2009.
The Dominican Republic star was well clear of Norway’s Henriette Jæger, who finished second in 49.20.
Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce took third in 49.36.
Paulino was just 0.16 seconds outside her own world leading time for the year, but still finished her Diamond League campaign with a convincing victory.
Yan Ziyi Sets Javelin Record
China’s Yan Ziyi opened the evening with a meeting record in the women’s javelin.
Her fifth round throw travelled 68.42m, comfortably enough for victory over Japan’s Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi, who threw 65.44m.
Colombia’s Flor Denis Ruiz Hurtado finished third with 64.07m.
Patterson Clears Two Metres
Eleanor Patterson won the women’s high jump by becoming the only athlete in the field to clear 2.00m.
The Australian eventually cleared 2.01m to claim her first Diamond League title.
Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh finished second with 1.99m, while Nicola Olyslagers was third at 1.95m.
Clayton Leads Hunt in the 100m
Tina Clayton won the women’s 100m in 10.93, the only athlete to break 11 seconds.
Britain’s Amy Hunt continued her excellent summer by finishing second in 11.06.
Sha’Carri Richardson was third in 11.07, with Luxembourg’s Patrizia van der Weken fourth in 11.08.
Diaz Hernandez Wins Triple Jump
Andy Diaz Hernandez took the men’s triple jump title with a first round effort of 17.74m.
The Italian’s mark was a meeting record and proved enough to finish ahead of Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo, who reached 17.51m.
Jamaica’s Jordan Scott was third with 17.18m.
Pathirage Takes Javelin Title
Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage lived up to his billing as favourite in the men’s javelin.
His winning throw of 89.04m came in the third round and secured his fifth Diamond League victory of the season.
Poland’s Dawid Wegner finished second with a personal best of 87.47m, while world champion Keshorn Walcott was third with a season’s best of 83.99m.
Moll Wins Pole Vault
Hana Moll claimed the women’s pole vault with a personal best of 4.91m.
Switzerland’s Angelica Moser was second at 4.80m, while Tina Sutej cleared 4.70m for third.
Olympic champion Katie Moon also cleared 4.70m, but finished fourth after taking more attempts.
Monae’ Nichols won the women’s long jump with 6.91m, ahead of Italy’s Larissa Iapichino on 6.86m and American team mate Claire Bryant on 6.83m.
In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Ethiopia’s Gemechu Godana produced a major upset by winning in 8:08.67.
Two time Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali finished second in 8:10.03, with Kenya’s Simon Koech third in 8:11.15.
Brussels brought the Diamond League season to a close with eight more meeting records and enough close finishes to keep the crowd engaged until the final race.
Attention now turns to the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest next week with Mark English and Andrew Coscoran among the Irish interest in action.
