31st March 2020

DIAMOND LEAGUE DIARIES - 2015 JULIUS YEGO TAKES JAVELIN MEETING RECORD IN BIRMINGHAM

In 2015, Birmingham was treated to a throwing masterpiece from Kenya’s Julius Yego, who broke the meeting record with victory courtesy of a 91.39m effort.

Yego had taken an early lead courtesy of a first-round 85.95m, backed up by an 86.53m effort, keeping him in the lead until the final round, when Vitezslav Vesely launched the implement out to a season’s best 88.18m to take top spot.

The powerful Kenyan stepped onto the runway and launched the javelin well beyond the original sector markings and out past the 90.00m mark, the eventual distance measured at 91.39m.

However, the mark was not initially deemed a legal throw, granting Vesely of the Czech Republic the win, however around 20 minutes after the meet had concluded and all spectators had gone on their way home, the original decision was reversed following the sector line being extended and Yego was crowned winner.

His effort saw him break the African record and Diamond League record, along with setting the world lead on his way to claiming his maiden world championship title in Beijing in 2015, in another African record of 92.72m.