The 2023 Diamond League Final was held on American soil at the Hayward Field in Eugene. The American track and field athletes were flared up with excitement as they competed in front of a home crowd. Many of these athletes had recently won the world title in Budapest and were eager to best their rivals on their home turf. One such athlete was Chase Ealey, who has been enjoying her best season. But her best was yet to come.

Chase Ealey won gold at the world championships in Budapest. Entering the Diamond League Finale in Eugene, the legendary athlete had a little more in her eyesight than just the winner’s title.

Chase Ealey wins the Diamond League Finals and shatters the American record

When Chase Ealey learned that the finale would be held at Hayward Field, she could not hide her excitement. She said, “There’s something about this stadium that brings it out of me” and knew that the added home-field advantage would be a game-changer for her. The legendary athlete was focused on setting her name in stone in the record books. She came close to doing this in Budapest but ultimately fell two millimeters short of the American record of 20.63m/67-8.25.

Michelle Carter made the record in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and since then, many have tried to break it, but none have succeeded. The record finally went down when Chase Ealey put the orb out to 20.76m during the Diamond League finals. NBC Olympics and Paralympics celebrated the moment on X, writing, “Chase Ealey wins the Diamond League women’s shot put title with a 20.76m throw!”

Chase Ealey also made the leading mark for this season. In that same event, she surpassed the meet record holder, Valerie Adams. The shot put champion from New Zealand had held the meet record of 20.15m for the last ten years until Ealey came along. Even before she entered the field, Ealey had proclaimed her intentions to her coach in private.

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Chase Ealey setting expectations

After the event, Chase Ealey spoke to the media to reveal a secret conversation she had with her coach. She said, “I held it off, didn’t I — but I’ve been wanting to do it all season and I told my coach I was gonna do it this meet”. The shot put champion was eager to follow through on her promise and entered the field with a determined mindset.

She wanted to end the season on a high note after a rib muscle injury forced her to abandon most of the early competitions this year. Her coach had helped her recover in time for the remainder of the season. She wanted to show her gratitude with this record-breaking victory.

Chase Ealey was the only American athlete to make the podium, with Canada’s Sarah Milton and Portugal’s Auriol Dingo securing the runner-up positions. Ealey has been training relentlessly for months, pushing herself to the limit in order to regain her strength. Her training has finally paid off, as she has been able to revive her incredible form from last year to become a winner at the Diamond League Finals 2023.

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