SPRINT STARS SHINE AS DUPLANTIS WITHDRAWS FROM DIAMOND LEAGUE FINALS

BRUSSELS — Oblique Seville and Julien Alfred captured victories in their respective sprint events on the opening day of the two-day Diamond League finals Friday, showcasing top-tier performances in the Belgian capital.

Seville, the reigning world 100m champion, overcame a slow start to claim the men’s 100-meter dash in 9.90 seconds. He edged out Cameroonian sprinter Emmanuel Eseme, who finished second. On the women’s side, St. Lucia’s Olympic champion Julien Alfred dominated the 200-meter race, crossing the line in 21.79 seconds ahead of American Kayla White.

However, the evening’s competition was overshadowed by the withdrawal of pole vault superstar Armand “Mondo” Duplantis. The US-born Swedish athlete pulled out due to a recurring tightness in his leg, an issue that had troubled him during last week’s meet in Zurich. Duplantis admitted to pushing through the discomfort perhaps too much and stated that he would have refrained from competing if the irritation had resurfaced during warm-up.

Duplantis expressed uncertainty about his participation in next week’s inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where a $10 million prize pool is at stake. “I don’t have the answer right now,” he said regarding his fitness for the event.

Adding to Duplantis’s disappointment, Greek pole vaulter Emmanouil Karalis triumphed in the pole vault competition with a meet record of 6.12 meters, surpassing Duplantis’s previous mark of 6.11 meters set earlier this year.

The Diamond League finals in Brussels continue Saturday, concluding the season with the top-tier track and field athletes competing for final honors and significant prize money.