Duplantis opens Diamond League in Xiamen amid Grand Slam Track rivalry

Diamond League launches 2025 season in China as new Grand Slam series by Michael Johnson sparks competition.

Sweden's Armand Duplantis competes in the men's pole vault final at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, eastern China, on March 22, 2025. Photo by Wang Zhao/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Armand “Mondo” Duplantis leads a world-class lineup in Xiamen this weekend as the 2025 Diamond League season gets underway, drawing global attention to China and putting a spotlight on a growing rivalry in the athletics world. While Duplantis prepares to soar in the pole vault, the sport itself finds new friction between the long-established Diamond League and Michael Johnson’s recently launched Grand Slam Track series.

The season opener in Xiamen is not only a celebration of elite athleticism but also a moment of reflection on the evolving structure of track and field. As Duplantis returns to competition, expectations are high that the Diamond League remains the pinnacle of international competition outside the Olympic and World Championship cycles. 

Petr Stastny, CEO of the Diamond League, emphasized the circuit’s stature as the “backbone” of global athletics, citing its global reach, high-caliber athletes, and a record-breaking US$9.2 million in prize money available across 15 meets.

"You will get the most comprehensive coverage on the highest possible level of competition in our sport," Stastny said. "Great arenas, great big crowds."

The Diamond League prides itself on its global format, with events staged across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. According to Stastny, 142 countries were represented in the last season’s entries—a number unmatched by any other series, including Johnson’s ambitious newcomer.

Former sprinting legend Michael Johnson unveiled his Grand Slam Track series earlier this month in Kingston, Jamaica. The concept is bold: four high-profile meets that focus exclusively on sprint and hurdle events, with no space for field events like pole vault, high jump, or shot put.

Designed to inject energy into athletics during non-Olympic years, the Grand Slam Track is built around showdowns between elite sprinters, driven by a substantial US$30 million in private funding. However, the inaugural event in Kingston, while successful in terms of performance, struggled to fill the stands. Vast sections of the stadium remained empty across all three days.

Despite the fanfare, some of the sport’s biggest names, including Olympic 100m champions Noah Lyles and Julien Alfred, were notably absent, leaving a talent vacuum that the Diamond League is more than happy to fill.

A source of friction between the two series has already emerged. The second meet of the Grand Slam Track is scheduled for May 2-4 in Miami, directly clashing with the Diamond League’s Shanghai/Keqiao event.

Stastny expressed disappointment over the scheduling overlap, saying, “We do establish our calendars well in advance, the main reason being that we allow other organisers to look for dates which don’t clash. In this case, we have one clash. There’s not much we can do about it.”

While Stastny welcomed competition in general, he emphasized that the Diamond League’s reputation, reach, and variety made it the sport’s premier circuit between major championships.

Back on the track, attention now turns to the athletes who chose Xiamen over other opportunities. Armand Duplantis, widely regarded as the greatest pole vaulter of his generation, brings star power to the opening meet. The Swede will attempt to begin his 2025 campaign with yet another victory, continuing his dominance in the discipline.

Joining him in Xiamen are a host of world champions and Olympic medalists. Norway’s Karsten Warholm will compete in the 400m hurdles, while the USA’s Grant Holloway, another global superstar in hurdles, is also set to compete. Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana brings sprinting speed to the Asian circuit.

In the women’s events, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon—three-time Olympic gold medalist—will headline the 1,000m, with her compatriot Beatrice Chebet facing off against Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay in a highly anticipated 5,000m duel. Tsegay, the world record holder in the event, adds significant prestige to the lineup.

The absence of field events in the Grand Slam Track series has been noted by many athletes and fans. For Duplantis and his peers, field events represent not just tradition but a vital component of track and field’s appeal.

"We feel strongly that the sport is more than just track," said Stastny. "We will continue growing the sport and not just a part of it."

While Johnson’s Grand Slam Track may offer lucrative rewards and showcase headline-making races, its limited scope could restrict its global appeal. Meanwhile, the Diamond League continues to spotlight a more holistic view of the sport.

As the Diamond League calendar unfolds, attention will shift to other major venues including Oslo, Rome, Doha, and Zurich, culminating in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. The journey from Xiamen to Tokyo will be filled with pivotal performances and perhaps a few surprises.

For athletes like Duplantis, the Diamond League remains the ideal stage for world-record pursuits and legacy-building moments. His presence in Xiamen signals that, despite emerging competition, the Diamond League still holds the highest prestige.

Meanwhile, Grand Slam Track will aim to refine its formula ahead of its second meet in Miami. Whether it will grow into a long-term fixture or remain a novelty experiment depends largely on fan reception, athlete participation, and logistical coordination with established circuits.

The 2025 athletics season begins not just with great performances, but with a new chapter in the politics of sport. Duplantis’s presence in the Diamond League opener in Xiamen reinforces the circuit’s dominance, while the emergence of Grand Slam Track poses a challenge that could reshape how athletes compete—and where fans tune in.

One thing is certain: from the stadiums of China to the sprints of Miami, track and field is entering one of its most intriguing eras in recent memory.

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