A LOOK BACK ON THE 2014 DIAMOND RACE AND AHEAD TO THE 2015 CALENDAR IAAF DIAMOND LEAGUE

The 2014 IAAF Diamond League reached its conclusion last week in Brussels with the crowning of 16 Diamond Race winners, following the first 16 athletes who received their Diamond Race trophies in Zurich one week prior.

Since the Diamond League began in 2010, no one else other than Renaud Lavillenie has won the Diamond Race in the pole vault. He made history last week in the Belgian capital by becoming the first five-time Diamond Race winner.

New Zealand’s Valerie Adams also made a bit of history. By winning in Brussels – and becoming the only athlete this year to notch up seven victories in IAAF Diamond League events – her career tally of IAAF Diamond League wins now stands at a record 24. She also has the most Diamond Race points of all time with 126.

Adams and Lavillenie are two of nine athletes who successfully defended their Diamond Race titles from last year. The others are US triple jumper Christian Taylor, Kenyan 800m runner Eunice Sum, US sprint hurdler Dawn Harper Nelson, Colombian triple jumper Caterine Ibarguen, US 400m runner LaShawn Merritt, Croatian discus thrower Sandra Perkovic and US 100m sprinter Justin Gatlin.

Naturally, Adams was the top scorer of the 2014 season, bagging the maximum 32 points. Perkovic was close behind with 30, tied with Spencer. Ibarguen, Lavillenie, Taylor and Kenyan steeplechaser Jairus Birech each scored 28 points.

This season, Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare became the most prolific athlete of the IAAF Diamond League since it began in 2010, notching up her 38th appearance in the series.

Of the standard events contested in the series, IAAF Diamond League records were broken in seven events this year: men’s 400m, 1500m, mile, high jump, and the women’s 3000m, triple jump and discus.

In total, 887 athletes from 85 member federations took part in this year’s IAAF Diamond League. Almost a third of those scored points in the Diamond Race.

Further stats about the 2014 IAAF Diamond League can be seen in this PDF.

The calendar dates for next year’s IAAF Diamond League have already been approved.

2014 Diamond Race winners

MEN

100m – Justin Gatlin (USA)

200m – Alonso Edward (PAN)

400m – LaShawn Merritt (USA)

800m – Nijel Amos (BOT)

1500m – Silas Kiplagat (KEN)

5000m – Caleb Ndiku (KEN)

3000m steeplechase – Jairus Birech (KEN)

110m hurdles – Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (FRA)

400m hurdles – Michael Tinsley (USA)

High jump – Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)

Pole vault – Renaud Lavillenie (FRA)

Long jump – Godfrey Mokoena (RSA)

Triple jump – Christian Taylor (USA)

Shot put – Reese Hoffa (USA)

Discus – Piotr Malachowski (POL)

Javelin – Thomas Rohler (GER)

WOMEN

100m – Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM)

200m – Allyson Felix (USA)

400m – Novlene Williams-Mills (JAM)

800m – Eunice Sum (KEN)

1500m – Jenny Simpson (USA)

5000m – Mercy Cherono (KEN)

3000m steeplechase – Hiwot Ayalew (ETH)

100m hurdles – Dawn Harper-Nelson (USA)

400m hurdles – Kaliese Spencer (JAM)

High jump – Mariya Kuchina (RUS)

Pole vault – Fabiana Murer (BRA)

Long jump – Tianna Bartoletta (USA)

Triple jump – Caterine Ibarguen (COL)

Shot put – Valerie Adams (NZL)

Discus – Sandra Perkovic (CRO)

Javelin – Barbora Spotakova (CZE)

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