Abbey shines in Diamond League
by ED MUNKS
26th May 2026
OLYMPIC Middle-distance runner Abbey Caldwell has had a huge career breakthrough, taking out her first Diamond League title on May 23 in the 1500m in Xiamen, China.
Caldwell ran a tactically perfect race, winning with a time of 3:57.26 in very humid conditions.
The Warrandyte local finished ahead of fellow Australians Jessica Hull, 5th, Linden Hall, 8th, Sarah Billings, 11th, and Claudia Hollingsworth,13th.
Caldwell was delighted after the race, capping off a huge couple of weeks following her bronze medal performance in the 1500m at the Shanghai Diamond League meet, saying.
“I’m really happy with that.
It was really hot out there; it was a lot harder than last week I think with that extra bit of humidity.
It was tough, and I just wanted to go out and execute a good race.
“The time would have been a PB last week, so I can’t complain at all,”
At the Shanghai meet a week earlier, the Commonwealth bronze medallist produced the run of her life to turn the tables on Olympic silver medallist Hull and Australian champion Hollingsworth in the Women’s 1500m, carving three seconds off her personal best in 3:56.12.
Calwell said the win came as a bit of a surprise.
“I honestly didn’t think, even mid-race, it would be that good.
But to get a PB, I’m absolutely stoked!
I knew I was very fit and I wanted to show that on the track.
We have the luxury of coming off our domestic season in Australia and I knew I was race ready.
“I just needed to put my training into a race, and I executed that, so I’m very happy,”
Caldwell is now heading to Scotland for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow.
Watch all the action on the Seven network from July 23.
Harding sisters dominate national championships
There must be something in the Warrandyte water, as Warrandyte’s own Harding sisters — Shakira, Jamison and Harper — delivered a powerhouse performance at the recent Australian Open and Underage Track and Field Championships held in Sydney and Brisbane.
Sixteen-year-old Jamison Harding shone across multiple events.
Competing against Australia’s best in the open women’s pole vault, she claimed an impressive third place behind Olympic champion Nina Kennedy, clearing 4.22m — just 5cm shy of her personal best set the week prior in Melbourne.
She then secured silver in the U20 pole vault, gold in the U18 pole vault, and capped off her campaign by winning the U20 100m hurdles.
With the U20 events doubling as selection trials for the World U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA, Jamison earned selection in both pole vault and 100m hurdles — a rare and remarkable dual event achievement considering the technical differences of both events.
Older sister Shakira Harding also booked her ticket to Eugene after a breakout season in the 400m hurdles.
Chasing qualification for the World U20 team, she produced a stunning personal best of 58.54 seconds at the national championships, her 5th personal best of the season and more than three seconds quicker than her best of last season, 61.69.
Her performance secured a narrow second place and confirmed her spot on the Australian team.
Not to be overshadowed, 13-year-old Harper Harding stamped herself as the fastest 13/14-year-old in the country.
Competing in the U15 age group, she dominated the sprints and hurdles, winning the blue ribbon 100m, as well as 90m hurdles, 200m hurdles, and contributing to Victoria’s victory in the 4×100m relay.
