Emil Agyekum broke the 44-year-old German record in the 400m hurdles at the Diamond League meeting in London, clocking 47.45 seconds. The SCC Berlin athlete surpassed the mark of 47.48 seconds set by Harald Schmid in 1982. The event also featured a new world record in the mile by Josh Kerr and a victory for Sam Kendricks over Armand Duplantis in the pole vault.
Emil Agyekum Erases Harald Schmid’s Longstanding Record
Emil Agyekum ended one of the longest-standing marks in German athletics history at a sold-out London Stadium. The 27-year-old runner from SCC Berlin finished the 400m hurdles in 47.45 seconds, shaving 0.03 seconds off the national record. According to the German Athletics Association (DLV), the previous record of 47.48 seconds was established by Harald Schmid on September 8, 1982, in Athens.
Schmid had equaled that specific time again during the 1987 World Championships in Rome, where he finished third, but the DLV officially recognizes the 1982 Athens mark as the record date. Agyekum’s performance placed him second in the race, finishing behind Norway’s Karsten Warholm, who set a meeting record of 46.61 seconds.
Josh Kerr Sets New World Record in the Mile
British athlete Josh Kerr delivered the meeting’s headline performance by breaking the world record for the non-Olympic mile (1,609 meters). Kerr completed the distance in 3:42.66, surpassing the previous world best of 3:43.13 set by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj on July 7, 1999, at the Golden League meeting in Rome.
The 28-year-old Kerr had publicly announced his intention to target the record on March 28 as part of a self-titled “Project 222.” For breaking the 27-year-old mark, Kerr earned a $50,000 bonus. Robert Farken finished fourth in the race, setting a German record of 3:46.82.
Malaika Mihambo Secures Victory with Season Best
Olympic long jump champion Malaika Mihambo overcame a difficult start to win her event. After recording four consecutive fouls, Mihambo produced a jump of 7.05 meters on her fifth attempt. This mark represents her best performance of the season.
The effort was sufficient to beat U.S. athlete Claire Bryant, who finished second with 6.94 meters, and Italy’s Larissa Iapichino, who took third with a jump of 6.82 meters.
Sam Kendricks Defeats Armand Duplantis in Pole Vault
In a rare defeat for the dominant Armand Duplantis, the American Sam Kendricks took first place in the pole vault. Both Kendricks and Duplantis, along with third-place finisher Kurtis Marschall of Australia, cleared 5.95 meters.
Duplantis, a two-time Olympic champion, suffered his second loss of the season after opting not to attempt his sixth and final jump. The Swedish athlete cited thigh problems as the reason for skipping the final attempt.
| Athlete | Event | Result | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emil Agyekum | 400m Hurdles | 47.45s | New German Record |
| Josh Kerr | Mile (1,609m) | 3:42.66 | New World Record |
| Malaika Mihambo | Long Jump | 7.05m | Season Best / 1st Place |
| Sam Kendricks | Pole Vault | 5.95m | 1st Place |
The Diamond League circuit continues its global series of elite track and field competitions. Official updates on qualifying standings and upcoming meeting schedules are available through the Diamond League official communications channels.
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