At the Paris Diamond League meeting on Sunday, Marileidy Paulino and Malik James-King both secured podium finishes, displaying their exceptional form just weeks before the start of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

 Paulino, the reigning world champion, continued her dominance in the 400m. Although she fell short of her goal to break the 48-second barrier, Paulino's performance was nothing short of impressive. She won the 400m with a season's best time of 49.20 seconds, pulling away from Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek, who finished second in 49.82 seconds, and Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 World Champion, who took third with the same time. Despite not achieving her target, Paulino's victory reaffirmed her readiness to contend for Olympic gold in Paris.

Speaking at the pre-meet press conference on Saturday, Paulino had expressed her desire to run under 49 seconds. "I feel very well prepared. My main ambition is to do the best possible time and to have an optimal race execution. For me, a time of 48'' would be ideal," she said. Her performance on Sunday, while just shy of this mark.

Meanwhile, James-King, fresh off his massive personal best at the Jamaica National Championships, delivered another remarkable performance in the 400m hurdles. Arriving in Paris only 12 hours before the race, James-King clocked an impressive 48.37 seconds to secure third place. This follows his stunning victory in Kingston, where he dethroned national record holder Roshawn Clarke with a lifetime best of 47.42 seconds.

Brazil's Alison dos Santos, the pre-race favorite, won the 400m hurdles in 47.78 seconds, followed by Estonia's Rasmus Magi, who finished second in 47.95 seconds. James-King's podium finish against such a competitive field highlighted his potential for further success on the international stage.

The Paris Diamond League meeting was packed with thrilling performances, including a world record in the women's high jump and a world-leading time in a sensational 800m race. Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati topped the 800m with a lifetime best, world lead, and national record of 1:41.56. He narrowly edged out Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who ran a lifetime best of 1:41.58, and Frenchman Gabriel Tual, who set a national record and lifetime best of 1:41.61. The depth of competition was evident, with the next three runners all finishing under 1:43 and achieving personal bests.

One of the highlights of the meet came in the women’s high jump, where Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh broke Stefka Kostadinova’s long-standing world record of 2.09m, set in 1987. Mahuchikh, facing strong competition from world indoor champion Nicola Olyaslagers, who had matched her at 2.01m, went on to clear 2.03m and then 2.07m before soaring to a new world record of 2.10m, surpassing her own meet record and world lead of 2.04m.

Serbia Angelina Topic set a new national record of 1.98 for third.

Notably, Jamaica’s Lamara Distin was fourth with 1.95.

The other came in the 1500m where Faith Kipyegon broke her own the 1500m world record running an incredible 3:49.04 eclipsing her previous mark of 3:49.11 set last year. She dragged the field to outstanding performances with Australia’s Jessica Hull benefitting the most with a new lifetime best of 3:50.83, an Area Record. Laura Muir of Great Britain was third in a new personal best and national record of 3:53.79.

The next five runners all ran personal best times as the meet came to its conclusion.

As the penultimate Diamond League meet before the Olympics, the performances in Paris have set the stage for an exciting and highly competitive Games. 

Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson is among 11 athletes nominated for Women’s World Athlete of the Year.

The athletes were selected by an international panel of athletics experts, comprising representatives from all six continental areas of World Athletics.

In what has been another memorable year for the sport, the nominations reflect some of the standout performances achieved at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, one-day meeting circuits, Label road races and other events around the world.

In August, Jackson, 29, won her second 200m title at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest where she also won silver medals in the 100m and 4x100m relay. She capped off her impressive season by winning Diamond League trophies in both 100m and 200m at the season-ending meet in Eugene, Oregon.

The impressive list of nominees also includes Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, winner of the Berlin marathon winner and who set the world marathon record this past season.

Femke Bol of the Netherlands won the 400m hurdles in Budapest and set a world indoor 400m record during the season.

The strong favourite to walk away with the award this year is Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, the World 1500m and 5000m champion, who set world records 1500m, mile and 5000m in 2023.

Japan’s Haruka Kitaguchi is the World champion at the javelin. She is also the Diamond League champion.

Also among the nominees is Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine who is the World champion and Diamond League champion at the high jump.

Spain’s Maria Perez is the World 20km and 35km race walk world champion, who established a new world record at the 35km race walk.

Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay is the World 10,000m champion, who won the Diamond League 5000m title with a new world record.

The USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson is the newly crowned World champion at 100m and bronze medallist at 200m.

Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas won her fourth consecutive world title at the triple jump and also added the Diamond League title to her extraordinary exploits during the season.

Bahrain’s Winfed Yavi is the 3000m steeplechase World champion, who also won the Diamond League title with a world-leading performance.

A three-way voting process will determine the finalists.

The World Athletics Council and the World Athletics Family will cast their votes by email, while fans can vote online via the World Athletics social media platforms. Individual graphics for each nominee will be posted on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube this week; a 'like' on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or a retweet on X will count as one vote.

The World Athletics Council’s vote will count for 50 per cent of the result, while the World Athletics Family’s votes and the public votes will each count for 25 per cent of the final result.

Voting for the World Athletes of the Year closes at midnight on Saturday 28 October. At the conclusion of the voting process, five women and five men finalists will be announced by World Athletics on 13-14 November.

The winners will be revealed on World Athletics’ social media platforms on 11 December.