XIAMEN, China (02 September) — Grenada’s Kirani James just edged out USA’s Quincy Hall in an exciting men’s 400m dash at the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League meeting here on Saturday. The race saw James and Hall finishing neck-and-neck in an intense battle, both clocking in at 44.38 seconds, but it was Grenadian who narrowly claimed victory with a season-best and meeting record.
“I feel great. My execution today is good,” said James, who was disqualified in the final at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, last month.
“The audience and the stadium is fantastic. It feels pretty good to have my SB here. For the future, I will just have to compete from the best what I can. It is fun to compete with all the young athletes.”
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Rusheen McDonald finished strongly down the home straight but ran out of real estate and third with a time of 44.82 seconds.
Vernon Norwood of the United States followed McDonald in fourth place at 44.99 seconds.
Read more: How to watch Xiamen Diamond League live, schedule, results, start lists
Who is the men’s 400m Diamond League Leader?
Norwood currently leads the Diamond League Qualifiers Standing with 26 points. Gilles Biron of France and Attila Molnár of Hungary also put up strong performances, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.
Race Analysis
James maintained a consistent pace, covering the 50m, 100m, 150m, and 200m marks in 6.20, 11.20, 16.40, and 21.60 seconds, respectively. Hall, on the other hand, had a slightly slower start but caught up impressively, especially in the last 100m.
The Road Ahead
With this event marking the sixth of seven qualification meetings, the competition is heating up. Vernon Norwood leads with 26 points, followed by Wayde van Niekerk with 24 points and Zakithi Nene with 20 points.
2023 Xiamen Diamond League Results List
- 1st Place: Kirani James (GRN) – 44.38 seconds (MR, SB)
- 2nd Place: Quincy Hall (USA) – 44.38 seconds
- 3rd Place: Rusheen McDonald (JAM) – 44.82 seconds
- 4th Place: Vernon Norwood (USA) – 44.99 seconds
- 5th Place: Gilles Biron (FRA) – 45.10 seconds
- 6th Place: Attila Molnár (HUN) – 45.19 seconds
- 7th Place: Yuki Joseph Nakajima (JPN) – 45.19 seconds
- 8th Place: Zandrion Barnes (JAM) – 45.29 seconds
- 9th Place: Alex Haydock-Wilson (GBR) – 45.34 seconds
Denotes
- MR: Meeting Record
- SB: Season Best
For more information, visit Wanda Diamond League’s official website.
