The 26-year-old Manyonga arrived in Shanghai in strong spirits after having bettered the African record twice this year to 8.65m.
In spite of facing a quality field that included Olympic champion Jeff Henderson of the United States and Australia’s 2016 Diamond League winner Fabrice Lapierre, Manyonga showed his dominance in Shanghai from the first round, leaping 8.48m to beat the meet record of 8.44m set by Australian Mitchell Watt in 2011.
After a foul in the second round, he further improved to 8.49m with his third attempt. Although he fouled again in the following two rounds, Manyonga had already sealed the title before his final jump. However, the ambitious South African refused to call it a day. Stepping confidently on the runway, he produced his winning mark to shatter Watt’s Diamond League record set in Stockholm six years ago.
“I didn’t get the distance I wanted today as I was looking for 8.80m, but I know it will come,” said Manyonga. “I am pleased to win again. My success has been down to hard work, training, dedication and commitment.”
Local star Gao Xinglong, who claimed the title in Shanghai last year at 8.14,m jumped a season best of 8.22m to finish second. Another Chinese jumper Huang Changzhou, bronze medalist at the 2016 World Indoor Championships, finished third with a personal best of 8.20m. Olympic champion Henderson was a distant sixth with a modest 8.03m.
IAAF Diamond League victory no. 35 for Perkovic
Rio Olympic gold medallist Sandra Perkovic of Croatia managed to live up to the expectations. Although the 2016 Diamond Trophy winner fouled on her last four attempts, a throw of 66.94m from the second round secured her fourth consecutive victory at the Shanghai Stadium and a record 35th in Diamond League competition.
“I really like Shanghai. It is always a great throwing circle,” said the Croat, who had eyed to upgrade her Diamond League record of 70.88m set here 12 month ago.
“Although I won, I know I am in a better shape than 66.94m. It wasn’t easy competing with the men. It was a long competition and with the high jumpers in the same area it was not easy to make technical adjustments.”
Perkovic was referring to the unique set-up incorporated into the meeting this year, one marking the first time that men and women competed in the discus throw simultaneously at a top-level track and field meeting.
Dani Stevens of Australia, runner-up of last year, finished second again at 66.47m with Cuba’s reigning world champion Denia Caballero third at 65.76m.
The men’s discus event was won by Philip Milanov of Belgium, who hurled a winning mark of 64.94m.
Poland’s world champion Piotr Malachowski, who also raised the Diamond Trophy last year and took Olympic silver in Rio, finished second at 64.36m. Daniel Stahl of Sweden was third at 64.14m.
Gong wins big
China’s world silver medallist Gong Lijiao scored a convincing victory in the women’s shot put. She achieved a throw of 18.35m in the first round to take the leading position and went on to improve her mark in each of the remaining rounds, claiming her third title in Shanghai with 19.46m.
Dani Bunch of the US finished second at 18.98m while Hungary’s Anita Marton, the bronze medallist in Rio, took third place at 18.69m.
Barshim’s momentum continues
Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim continued his early season momentum following a 2.36m victory in Doha last week. He cleared 2.33m to clinch the win but failed to conquer the bar at 2.37m.
China’s Wang Yu finished second at 2.30m while Andriy Protsenko of Ukraine finished third at 2.27m.
Fans may have sensed a deja vu during the men’s pole vault as Olympic bronze medallist Sam Kendricks of the US repeated his victory from last year with the same winning height of 5.88m.
French world record holder Renaud Lavillenie also registered the same mark as last year at 5.83m to finish second for the second straight year while last year’s third finisher Shawn Barber from Canada took third again at 5.60m.
Vincent Wu for the IAAF and the IAAF Diamond League