The 2017 Diamond League Season Ends in Brussels with Four American Champions

By Adam Kopet

The 2017 Diamond League season ended Friday in Brussels at the Memorial Van Damme and four more Americans were crowned Diamond League champions.

Noah Lyles only ran in one other Diamond League meeting this year, running the 200 meters in Shanghai in May. He won that race in then a world-leading 19.90.

However, Lyles' season nearly ended when he withdrew from the USATF Outdoor Championships in June with an injury.

Lyles, now 20, was able to return for one last race, the Diamond League 200 final. Running in lane 9, Lyles transitioned well off the turn into the home straight and came away the narrow winner over Ameer Webb in 20.00.

Darrell Hill was the first Brussels winner this year, using a big personal best to prevail in the men's shot put, held Thursday, with a mark of 73-7.5 (22.44m). His previous best coming into the competition was 71-10.75 (21.91m).

Dalilah Muhammad recovered from an up-and-down year that saw her at times unbeatable and other times struggling to finish in races to win the Diamond League title in the 400 hurdles. She narrowly beat Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic with a time of 53.89.

The early rounds of the men's triple jump hinted at the possibility of an upset as Pedro Pablo Pichardo of Cuba held an early lead, but Christian Taylor found his rhythm and won with a leap of 57-4.75 (17.49m). Will Claye ended up second with a jump of 56-11.25 (17.35m).

In all, five Americans were crowned Diamond League champions this year, with Sam Kendricks earning that honor in Zurich last week in the pole vault.

Additionally, Shaunae Miller-Uibo won her second 2017 Diamond League title, capturing the 400 in a world-leading 49.46. Miller-Uibo previously won the 200 crown in Zurich.