USA’s Valarie Allman dominated the Diamond League in Xiamen with a huge third-round discus throw of 68.95 meters.
Cuba’s Yaime Pérez, the 2019 world champion, claimed second place with a best effort of 66.26m, comfortably ahead of reigning world champion Laulaga Tausaga of the USA, who finished third with 64.91m.
Allman expressed satisfaction with her performance while acknowledging the challenges of competing at the highest level.
“68.95 tonight—great place to be this early in the season, and another win,” she said in a post-event interview.
“I feel really excited about it. I loved coming here last year for the first time and just had good energy coming into the meet. But I always get so nervous the first time. The best in the world is always together, so it took me a bit to find my rhythm.”
The American star also highlighted the demanding nature of elite athletics, particularly with back-to-back competitions across different continents.
“A lot goes into it, to be honest,” she admitted.
“It’s exciting to have big performances, but there’s an emotional tax, a physical tax that happens after that. These last two weeks, it was tough to get into a good groove in training. But it’s all about that discipline and consistency to just put in the work and do the things that bring your mind and body back.”
Despite her early-season success, Allman remains focused on fine-tuning her technique ahead of major championships.
“I do feel like there’s some things I can definitely keep figuring out, which to me is so exciting,” she said.
“I’m really looking forward to the World Championships. I’ve come so close to earning the title there, and it just hasn’t been in the cards. I hope to be in good shape and will continue working on the things I can improve all the way through the season.”