Jamaica rules Brussels as Seville and Gayle strike Diamond League gold

Jamaica turned the opening night of the Wanda Diamond League Final into a golden showcase in Brussels Friday, with Oblique Seville and Tajay Gayle capturing major titles and Roje Stona adding a third podium finish.

Seville stormed to victory in the men’s 100 meters, while Gayle produced a stunning final-round leap to snatch the men’s long jump crown from Olympic and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou.

Stona completed Jamaica’s three-medal haul by finishing third in the discus.

The performances extended Jamaica’s extraordinary streak to 16 consecutive years with at least one Diamond League trophy.

Seville adds another crown

Seville arrived at King Baudouin Stadium as the Diamond League standings leader and left as the circuit’s 100m champion.

The reigning world champion clocked 9.90 seconds with a legal 0.1m/s wind, overcoming a shaky start to defeat Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who finished in 9.93 seconds.

Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi was third in 9.97 seconds.

The victory made Seville the fourth Jamaican to win the Diamond League men’s 100m title, following sprint legends Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, as well as Ackeem Blake.

Seville was not entirely satisfied with his opening phase but had little reason to complain after securing the trophy.

“My start was far from the best, but the aim is always to win, so I won’t complain,” he said.

The 100m champion also revealed that he made few changes to the formula that carried him to his world title.

“I didn’t change too much after becoming world champion. What I was doing clearly worked, and this season is further proof of that,” he said.

His ambitions, however, are already bigger.

“Next season, I want to defend my title and dominate the Diamond League,” Seville declared.

Gayle steals the show

Gayle delivered the most dramatic Jamaican moment of the night.

With the competition heading into its final round, Tentoglou appeared to have the title secured after jumping 8.40m.

Gayle had managed only 8.21m through five attempts.

Then, with everything riding on his final jump, the Jamaican unleashed an 8.46m season best to leap past the Greek champion and claim the trophy.

The winning effort came with a favorable but legal 1.4m/s wind.

Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer was third with 8.23m, while Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock finished fifth at 7.94m.

For Gayle, the triumph marked his second Diamond League Final victory and confirmed his affinity for the Brussels stage.

“Second time winning the Diamond League Final. I am proud. This place definitely seems to bring me good fortune,” he said.

Gayle has taken a measured approach to the season, noting that the absence of an Olympic or World Championships competition allowed him to focus his preparation on the Diamond League Final and Ultimate Championship.

But the Jamaican knows the next level will demand more.

“Other guys are consistently jumping 8.30m this year, so I will need to step it up if I want to become the next world champion,” he said.

His targets are clear.

“8.50m and 8.60m absolutely feel like a realistic goal,” Gayle added.

Stona completes Jamaican podium sweep

Stona ensured Jamaica would have a third representative on the podium.

The discus thrower launched the implement 68.86m to finish behind Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh and Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna.

Ceh won with a meeting-record 71.29m, while Alekna reached 70.14m.

The performance gave Jamaica podium finishes in both sprinting and the field events on an opening night dominated by high-level performances.

Ackelia Smith narrowly missed another podium, placing fourth in the women’s triple jump with 14.29m.

Senegal’s Saly Sarr won with 14.96m, followed by Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez at 14.82m and compatriot Davisleydi Velasco at 14.73m.

Jamaican challengers hold their own

Rushell Clayton finished fifth in the women’s 400m hurdles in 53.85 seconds.

American Anna Cockrell took the title in 53.01 seconds, ahead of Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova in 53.10 seconds. Belgium’s Paulien Couckuyt thrilled the home crowd with a national-record 53.20 seconds for third.

Romaine Beckford, the Commonwealth Games champion, cleared 2.21m for fifth in the men’s high jump.

Poland’s Mateusz Przybylko won with 2.28m, edging American world leader JuVaughn Harrison on count-back. Ukraine’s Oleh Doroshchuk was third at 2.25m.

Orlando Bennett was sixth in the 110m hurdles in 13.43 seconds.

American hurdlers swept the podium, with world-record holder Ja’Kobe Tharp winning in 13.03 seconds, followed by Jamal Britt in 13.09 seconds and Trey Cunningham in 13.22 seconds.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd finished sixth in the women’s shot put after registering one legal throw of 18.44m.

American Chase Jackson dominated the event with a world-leading 21.14m, improving the American record she had set a week earlier and breaking her own meeting record of 20.09m.

Canada’s Sarah Mitton was second with 20.64m, while Jessica Schilder of the Netherlands took third with 20.57m.

Alfred Keeps Caribbean flag flying

St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred added another Caribbean triumph to the evening by extending her unbeaten run in the women’s 200m.

Alfred powered to 21.79 seconds, comfortably defeating American Kayla White, who ran 22.00 seconds, and Britain’s Amy Hunt, who finished third in a season-best 22.16 seconds.

Four under 44 seconds

The men’s 400m provided a spectacular conclusion to the opening session.

Botswana’s Collen Busang Kebinatshipi won in a personal-best 43.40 seconds, setting a national record, meet record and Diamond League record in the process.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards followed in a national-record 43.68 seconds.

Americans Jacory Patterson and Chris Bailey also broke 44 seconds, clocking personal bests of 43.78 and 43.97 seconds, respectively.

But the night ultimately belonged to Jamaica.

Seville’s 9.90-second sprint added another major title to his world championship crown. Gayle’s 8.46m final-round explosion turned defeat into victory. Stona’s discus throw supplied a third Jamaican podium.

On the biggest stage of the Diamond League season, Jamaica once again made its presence impossible to ignore.