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The Zurich Diamond League, the final Diamond League on the circuit, got off to a glittering start on Wednesday with two-time Olympic champion Ryan Crouser, Francine Niyonsaba and Mariya Lasitskene among others being crowned champions on the first day of the event at Zurich.
In the men’s shot-put event, the 28-year-old Crouser, who set a world record of 23.37m in the US Olympic trials in June, managed a best of 22.67m on his third attempt and was crowned the champion.
Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Joe Kovacs (22.29m) and Serbia's Armin Sinancevic (21.86m) completed the podium alongside Crouser.
Read: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce pulls out of Zurich Diamond League
In the process, Crouser also set a new Diamond League meeting record, breaking the previous one by 7cm which was set by Tom Walsh by New Zealand in 2018. The New Zealander finished fourth with a throw of 21.61m.
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In the women’s shot-put event, Maggie Ewen won the women's title with a best of 19.41m. Incidentally, Ewen had failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
In the women’s high jump event at the Zurich Diamond League, Mariya Lasitskene of Russia won with a Diamond League meet record of 2.05m.
Serbia's Ivana Spanovic won the long jump event with a leap of 6.96m. Germany's Malaika Mihambo, Tokyo Olympic champion, finished fifth.
Sweden's Thobias Montler won the men's long jump with a last-gasp 8.17m, while Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi topped the podium in the men's 5,000m in 12:58.65.
Battle of close margins at Zurich Diamond League
In the women’s 5,000m event, Francine Niyonsaba won her battle with Hellen Obiri to win in 14:28.98s, just 0.70s ahead of two-time world champion and Olympic silver medallist Obiri.
It was a season to remember for Niyonsaba who switched to the 5,000m from the 800m this year.
The Burundi runner left it late, taking the lead at the bell for the last lap ahead of her Kenyan rival and comfortably keeping her nerve through to the line to emerge victorious in the Zurich Diamond League.
All 25 other Diamond League finals are scheduled for Thursday at the iconic Letzigrund Stadium, where more than 20,000 fans will be cheering for their favorite athletes.
