Wanyonyi storms to Diamond League Final 800m title, Duplantis faces fitness scare

Mondo Duplantis withdrew from the London Diamond League due to a recurring leg issue that has plagued him throughout the latter part of the season. This concern over his fitness arises as he prepares for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest. The Swedish athlete experienced a minor leg injury at the Diamond League event in London in July and the same problem persisted during the meet in Zurich last week.

The trouble resurfaced again in the season-ending meet in Brussels, casting doubts on Duplantis' readiness for the upcoming championships. Despite addressing the crowd in Brussels, Duplantis admitted he pushed through the issue, likely due to irritation during his warm-up. He emphasized that pulling out of a competition is the worst scenario for an athlete and tried to maintain a calm and positive outlook.

Emmanouil Karalis, Duplantis' closest competitor, capitalized on Duplantis' absence by setting a new Diamond League record, jumping 6.12m to claim the championship title. The Ultimate Championships, featuring a high-profile showdown between middle-distance stars Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, promises to be a star-studded event with a record-breaking $10m in prize money, including $150,000 for each individual champion, the largest reward in track and field history.

However, Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles also withdrew from the Championships due to an injury, causing a significant blow to the fledgling tournament. Lyles, who won the 100m at national championships before pulling up in the 200m, announced that he would end his 2026 season due to the injury. Despite the setback, Lyles plans to attend the event as an audience member and expressed his excitement to watch the competition and witness future developments.