ZURICH, Switzerland – A 26 feet, 10 inch (8.18) long jump victory for Razorback Wayne Pinnock at the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League on Thursday secured enough points to qualify for the Diamond League final next weekend.
“My result today shows what I can do,” stated Pinnock. “My victory today is not like a revenge. I came out here with my best, that is all.
“I have one more year in college, but after the 2024 NCAA season I signed professional. So, I’ll finish my finance studies online and get my degree. I really want to long jump on a professional level.”
Jumping in wet conditions at Letzigrund Stadium, Pinnock delivered his winning leap in the second round into a -0.9 headwind. The effort produced eight points for Diamond League final qualifying, moving Pinnock into third place with 15 points.
Finishing behind Pinnock was Olympic champion Miltiadis Tenoglou of Greece with a mark of 26-3.75 (8.02) while Simon Ehammer of Switzerland placed third with a 26-2.25 (7.98) mark.
The top six among points qualifying will compete in the Diamond League final, which will be held in Brussels on the September 13-14 weekend. Pinnock entered the Zurich meet with seven points from a runner-up finish at Lausanne and he was previously in seventh place.
While Carey McLeod did not jump in Zurich, the Arkansas alum has enough points to qualify for the Diamond League final as well. McLeod ranks fourth with 15 points.
“I think I’ll be in Brussels,” noted Pinnock. “Recently I’ve been a bit lazy with my jumps. Today, my coach told me to feel the energy from the back, and it was as easy as that to achieve 8.18m in that weather.”
Ryan Crouser claimed the shot put with a toss of 74-4.25 (22.66) over Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri, who hit a mark of 71-8.75 (21.86).
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Anna Cockrell and Shamier Little ran in adjacent lanes and placed second and third with times of 53.17 and 54.07 behind the winning effort of 52.97 by Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon.
