|

[Video/Tide News]

The opening round of the 2026 Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala took place on May 16 at the China Textile City Sports Center in Shaoxing's Keqiao district, with athletes from 48 countries and regions competing across 16 events, drawing nearly 17,000 attendees.

The event yielded one Diamond League record, eight meet records, and saw 37 athletes set or match personal bests. Armand Duplantis, the men's pole vault world record holder, claimed victory with a height of 6.12 meters, breaking the meet record for the third consecutive year.

Chinese athletes also delivered outstanding performances. Chen Yujie ran a personal best of 22.84 seconds in the women's 200 meters, marking the best Chinese result in this event in six years. Wu Yanni achieved her highest-ever Diamond League placement in the women's 100-meter hurdles. Liu Junxi and Xu Zhuoyi placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the men's 110-meter hurdles. Xi Xiaoheng came within a step of breaking the national record in the men's 800 meters, and Shaoxing Keqiao native Xie Zhenye clocked 10.27 seconds in the men's 100 meters.

This event marks the second consecutive year that the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala has been hosted in Keqiao, allowing athletes to experience local culture and participate in community events by visiting markets, ancient towns, and schools.