American Christian Coleman powered to victory in the men’s 100 metres race at the Xiamen Diamond League as the premier one-day series returned to China for the first time in four years on Saturday after COVID disruptions.
Coleman crossed the line in 9.83 seconds to draw huge roars at the Egret Stadium in Xiamen, which replaced Shenzhen and will continue to host one of the two Diamond League meetings in the Asian nation until 2032.
He was ahead of Jamaican Kishane Thompson who clocked 9.85 seconds for silver. American 2022 world champion Fred Kerley, who failed to qualify for the final at the Budapest world championships last month, took bronze in 9.96 seconds.
Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs has barely raced since his Tokyo Olympics victory and finished seventh.
Coleman led from start to finish to equal Noah Lyles’ world-leading time in 2023 and said he was encouraged to respond following his fifth-placed finish at the worlds.
“It hurt a little bit but I knew what I was capable of doing and I knew what I was ready to do,” Coleman said, reflecting on his Budapest effort.
“Then my mind transitioned into the next opportunity for success. I knew coming here it would be a world class field and an opportunity for me to bounce back.
“I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Jamaican Hansle Parchment produced a superb performance to stun world champion Grant Holloway in the men’s 110m hurdles to take gold in 12.96 seconds.
Holloway had to settle for bronze after leading through the first six hurdles as fellow American Daniel Roberts finished strongly to take second place in 13.03 seconds.
Earlier, 2012 Olympic champion Kirani James got the elite track events off to a thrilling start, as the Grenadian edged American Quincy Hall in a photo finish to bag the men’s 400m gold with a season’s best effort of 44.38 seconds.
“I feel great. My execution today was good,” said the 31-year-old James. “The audience and the stadium is fantastic. It feels pretty good to have my season’s best here.”
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Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald took the bronze, coming home in 44.82 seconds.
A week after she became the first Dominican woman to win a world title, Marileidy Paulino eased to the 400m gold in 49.36 seconds to secure her spot in the Diamond League final in the United States later this month.
It was Paulino’s third Diamond League victory of the season after Doha and Paris.
Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi pipped Canadian Marco Arop for the men’s 800m title in a reversal of their results in Budapest.
World cross-country champion Beatrice Chebet cruised to victory in the women’s 3,000m event with a world-leading time of eight minutes, 24.05 seconds, finishing ahead of Mexico’s Laura Galvan and fellow Kenyan Margaret Akidor.
Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco eased to the title in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase in 8:10.31 to wrap up his fourth win of the season on the back of his worlds crown.
Rushell Clayton led a Jamaican sweep of the podium in the women’s 400m hurdles, clocking 53.56 seconds to beat Andrenette Knight and Janieve Russell.
The Diamond League heads to Brussels on Sept. 8 before the season concludes in Eugene on Sept. 16-17.
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