Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalova continued her peerless start to the outdoor season with another victory in the 400m hurdles in the Doha Diamond League on Friday (19) evening.
The world bronze medallist won her fourth successive Diamond League meeting in 2026, improving her world lead to 52.30 for another clear-cut victory over Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton (53.05) and Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya (53.67).
The Slovakian becomes the sixth fastest 400m hurdler in history with 52.30, moving ahead of the likes of Russia’s Yuliya Pechonkina - who held the world record between 2003 and 2019 with 52.34 - on the world all-time list.
The only European to have run faster is Femke Bol and with the Dutchwoman now focusing on the 800, Zapletalova is currently the resounding favourite to succeed Bol as champion in the 400m hurdles at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham from 10-16 August.
World all-time 400m hurdles top-10
50.37 – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) – 2024
50.95 – Femke Bol (NED) – 2024
51.58 – Dalilah Muhammad (USA) – 2021
51.87 – Anna Cockrell (USA) – 2024
52.08 – Jasmine Jones (USA) – 2025
52.30 – Emma Zapletalová (SVK) – 2026
52.34 – Yulia Pechonkina (RUS) – 2003
52.39 – Shamier Little (USA) – 2021
52.42 – Melaine Walker (JAM) – 2009
52.46 – Savannah Sutherland (CAN) – 2025
Pichardo opens 2026 season with a world lead
Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo made an excellent season’s debut in a high quality men’s triple jump.
In his first competition since winning gold at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Pichardo - who jumped 18.06m at this meeting back in 2015 - bounded out to a world lead of 17.71m in the second round, displacing Jamaica’s Jordan Scott who opened proceedings with 17.69m.
Pichardo’s lead survived a fourth-round challenge from Algeria’s Yasser Mohammed Triki who jumped a national record of 17.67m before concluding with a mark of 17.65m.
Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis returned to winning ways in the pole vault. He cleared 5.92m on his second attempt to win on countback from United States’ Chris Nilsen and Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen before a very close second attempt at 6.02m.
European U23 champion Matteo Sioli won his second successive Diamond League meeting. After winning on home soil in Rome earlier this month, Sioli cleared 2.29m for victory over three-time world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim who continued his comeback with a 2.27m clearance.
World indoor 60m champion Zaynab Dosso from Italy finished second in the women’s 100m in a wind-assisted 11.01 (+2.5) and 2022 European champion Asier Martinez from Spain was second in the 110m hurdles in a wind-legal 13.27 behind world champion Cordell Tinch from the United States in 13.23.
Reigning European champion Natalia Bukowiecka from Poland also improved her season’s best to 50.10 to finish second in the women’s 400m behind Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino who smashed the meeting record with 48.91.
Photos courtesy of Marta Gorczynska / Diamond League AG