Nova Scotia’s Sarah Mitton made history in Brussels, winning her first Diamond League Trophy in the shot put event with a 20.25-metre throw.
The Brooklyn, N.S., native beat two-time defending champion Chase Jackson of the U.S., whose best effort was 19.90 metres.
Mitton’s victory marks her as the first Canadian woman in a field event to secure the Diamond Trophy.
She follows in the footsteps of Canadian athletes like hurdler Priscilla Lopes-Schliep and sprinter Andre De Grasse, who previously claimed the prestigious title. In addition to the trophy, she earned $30,000 in prize money.
After fouling out in the shot put final at the Olympics last month, Mitton used the three-week break to reset and focus.
She credited the frustrations of the past few weeks for driving her performance in Brussels, where her third throw ultimately sealed the win.
Despite the success, Mitton believes she could have gone further. “I am happy with the win,” she said, adding that she’s looking forward to building on this achievement next season.
