While the British ‘home’ wins were deservedly celebrated, a Wanda Diamond League record from Mykolas Alekna (LTU) was one of many international highlights – and one of five meeting records – at the 2025 Novuna London Athletics Meet.
Alekna, the discus world record holder with an incredible best of 75.56m from April 2025, took an early lead in the competition with 66.97m, but former world champion Kristjan Ceh (SLO) bettered it in round two with 68.37m. Alekna responded with one of the best throws of his life – and the best throw ever produced at a Wanda Diamond League meeting – sending his discus out to 71.70m for victory.
“I felt very confident with my throws and my technique,” said the Olympic and world silver medallist post-event. “It is my biggest throw ever in this stadium. People have been saying I only throw big outside of stadiums, but now I have thrown big inside one. I was a little bit nervous because this is my first big meet of the year in front of a huge crowd, so I really enjoyed it. It took me until the third round to feel comfortable, but I think the support really pushed us all on, so by that third round, it all came together and that is when the big throw came.”
Elsewhere, the sell-out London crowd was treated to meeting records from Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) in the men’s 800m (1:42.00); Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech (KEN) in the men’s 1500m (3:28.82); Julien Alfred (LCA) in the women’s 200m (21.71); and Gudaf Tsegey (ETH) in the women’s mile (4:11.88).
In the much-hyped men’s 800m, Olympic and world champion Wanyonyi had looked strong through 600m before briefly relinquishing his lead to Canada’s 2023 world champion Marco Arop who took command on the final bend. As the Canadian faded slightly, Wanyonyi responded with a final burst to take the win in 1:42.00. Arop was rewarded with a season’s best time of 1:42.22, while the home crowd celebrated a personal best for Max Burgin (GBR) in third with 1:42.36 – a time good enough for third on the British all-time list.
British hopes were high going into the men’s 1500m with former world champion Josh Kerr (GBR) attracting significant media attention in advance of the race, but after a straight shoot-out between Kerr and Koech (after Kerr’s fellow Brit George Mills had taken a heavy fall), Koech had the edge and stretched away to win in 3:28.82 to Kerr’s 3:29.37. Portugal’s Isaac Nader – who went on to become world champion in Tokyo two months later – finished third in 3:31.55.
Olympic 100m champion Alfred was a dominant 200m winner in a personal best and national record of 21.71 (-0.6m/s). Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) finished second in 22.25 with British teammate Amy Hunt in third in a 22.31 personal best. Hunt memorably went on to win world 200m silver in Tokyo.
Tsegay – former world 5000m and 10,000m champion – also produced a dominant run to win the women’s mile. Australia’s Olympic 1500m silver medallist Jessica Hull had closed the gap at the bell, but Tsegay impressively kicked to victory with a national record and the second-fastest time in history (4:11.88). Hull was second in 4:13.68 – an Oceanian record – with Ireland’s Sarah Healy third in a personal best of 4:16.26.
In addition to their meeting records, Alfred and Tsegay produced two of the three world-leading marks on the day (in addition to the Great Britain women’s 4 x 100m relay team).
The Novuna London Athletics Meet will return to the London Stadium on Saturday 18 July 2026. Buy your tickets now.