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Throwback Thursday: Aries Merritt breaks the world record

Once again, IAAF Diamond League fans voted on social media for this week's Throwback Thursday, this week choosing Aries Merritt's incredible 110m hurdle world record in Brussels in 2012.

There have only been a handful of world records in the eight-year history of the IAAF Diamond League. Ruth Jebet and Keni Harrison both wrote their names into the record books during the 2016 season, while Genzebe Dibaba did so with a fine performance in Monaco a year earlier. 

The very first athlete to break a world record on the Diamond League stage, however, was Aries Merritt. At the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels in September 2012, the amiable American soared ahead of the rest of the field, coming in at 12.80 to become the fastest man ever in the 110m hurdles. 

The win also secured Merritt the Diamond Trophy, crowning an incredible season in which he won at two Diamond League meetings before claiming the gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

Nonetheless, he admitted afterwards, breaking the world record left him in a state of "shock". 

After a turbulent few years, last season saw Merritt return to fine form in the Diamond League, as he won three meetings on the Road To The Final. 

His finest Diamond League moment to date, however, remains that incredible, world record breaking run in Brussels.

Where to watch Silesia 2025

The meeting will be streamed in a number of territories on the Wanda Diamond League YouTube page , as well as via broadcasters around the world.

For information on broadcast coverage, select the country you are in from the dropdown menu and the information