The Slovakian is world-leading 52.30 in the 400m hurdles at the Diamond League in Qatar as she underlines her status as favorite for the European Championships in Birmingham this August.
Emma Zapletalova produced the performance of the night at the Diamond League in Doha on Friday (19 June), clocking a world-leading 52.30 in the women’s 400m hurdles and further establishing herself as a leading contender for European gold this summer.
The Slovakian’s winning mark not only improved her national record, but also moved her to No. 6 on the world all-time list, making her the fastest European at this year’s event by a significant margin.
After the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham in August, Zapletalova’s latest display cements her position as the athlete to beat. The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough campaign and delivered another performance in Doha, going clear in the closing stages to set one of the fastest times ever by a European athlete.
While Zapletalova stole the headlines, several other athletes had notable performances in Qatar. Olympic champion Marilidy Paulino won the women’s 400m with a speed of 48.91.
In the women’s triple jump, Cuba’s Davislady Velasco jumped 15.13m, the best world mark since 2023 and one of the standout field performances of the season.
Addison Wiley also impressed in the women’s 800m with a well-judged run to secure victory in a personal best of 1:57.43. The American took a strong lead through the final corner before coming up the straight, canceling out Ethiopia’s Tsigi Duguma and continuing the excellent form she has shown all season.
Wiley’s performance underlined his emergence as one of the leading middle distance athletes in the Diamond League this year and his latest victory will further boost his confidence ahead of the summer’s major championships.
Emmanuel Karalis won the men’s pole vault with a best clearance of 5.92m. The Greek birdie was the only athlete to clear the height, showing impressive consistency throughout the competition.
Karalis, who won bronze at the Olympic Games in Paris last year, continues to establish himself among the world’s elite pole vaulters. His success in Doha adds another major title to his growing collection and provides further momentum heading into the European Championships in Birmingham.
The meeting in Doha formed the seventh stop of the 2026 Diamond League circuit and served as another important marker ahead of the summer, which will conclude with the European Championship in Birmingham and the Diamond League final in Brussels.
