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• Hingst wants Ballon d'Or to move away from 'superstar' preference after Putellas nomination

  World Cup winner Ariane Hingst believes the Ballon d'Or Feminin must reconsider who merits the global award in order to do "justice to the great football players".

  Former Germany international Hingst, speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal, could not fathom the reasoning behind including the likes of injury-hit Alexia Putellas as a nominee.

  The 30-player list was announced at the start of September, with the winner revealed later in October, as Aitana Bonmati heads to the award ceremony in Paris as the favourite.

  Spain's Nations League success saw five of their players nominated, including Bonmati, while the United States women's national team also had as many nominees after their Olympic success in the French capital.

  Hingst, winner of FIFA's top international competition in 2003 and 2007, believes the Ballon d'Or needs to look further than "superstars", however.

  "It's always interesting to see the nominees of these Ballon d'Ors," Hingst said to Stats Perform. "I think the problem is that you only have the big picture when you have a big tournament going on. 

  "We had the Olympics, but you see all kinds of sports, so you can't just follow the football, so it's hard to follow.

  "What frustrates me the most is, and don't get me wrong, the likes of Alexia Putellas, [she is] a great, great player, but she's been injured for such a long time and is on the list to be the best of this season.

  "This can't be right and I don't think that it does justice to the great football players we have out there if Putellas is on this list as well.

  "We need to get away from the superstars and just recognise the season that has been played."

  Though wanting to stray away from the "superstar" tag for Ballon d'Or selection, Hingst reserved special praise for Chelsea and Australia forward Sam Kerr.

  "The interesting part is, that I always had a problem with just this one big superstar because soccer is a team sport and it took me some time to realise that you need those superstars," Hingst added.

  "Definitely, Sam Kerr is one of them. It took some time for us in Germany to recognise her as much. She became really big when she was in America, an absolute superstar.

  "Now then going to England and it's just tremendous. You need those figures because they are idols. Girls are talking about, 'I want to be Sam Kerr', the boys are talking about her, so you need those big names.

  "For example, now you have Alex Morgan just retiring from the women's game. She was one of those superstars as well. [Megan] Rapinoe from America also retired. So who's the next?"

• Ackeem Blake targeted Diamond League glory to redeem Olympic setback: "I could hear my coach guiding me through every phase..."

  After a disappointing exit in the semi-finals of the 100m at the Paris Olympics in August, Jamaica's Ackeem Blake made it his mission to win the Diamond League title. The 22-year-old sprinter, who had entered the Olympics with high hopes, was left dejected after finishing fifth in his semi-final heat with a time of 10.06 seconds. However, Blake was determined not to let that setback define his season.

  With the guidance of his coach, Michael Frater, Blake refocused his efforts on the Diamond League Final in Brussels. "After a devastating exit in the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics, my team and I decided that we must put all our resources into making and taking the Diamond League Final," Blake revealed on Instagram after his victory.

  The Jamaican sprinter knew that he needed to prove himself on the international stage, and the Diamond League presented the perfect opportunity to do so.

  

  Blake's resolve to rebound from his Olympic disappointment was fueled by the belief that he had more to offer. Earlier in the year, he had shown glimpses of his potential by winning a bronze medal in the 60m dash at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. With a personal best of 9.89 seconds, Blake knew he had the speed to compete with the world's best. What he needed was the mental fortitude to bounce back after a major setback.

  Frater played a crucial role in this mental and physical preparation. Blake credited his coach for guiding him through every phase of his comeback. “In this moment, I was deeply focused,” Blake said. “I could hear my coach guiding me through every phase of the race.” The meticulous planning and intense focus that went into preparing for the Diamond League paid off as Blake stormed to victory in a time of 9.93 seconds, defeating a high-calibre field that included American sprinters Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley.

  Blake's triumph in the Diamond League was not just about the win itself but about redemption and resilience. It was a testament to his determination to overcome adversity and a reminder that setbacks can serve as stepping stones to success.

   

   

   

• Camacho-Quinn, Peters crowned champions as Caribbean athletes end Diamond League finals on high

  Grenada’s javelin thrower Anderson Peters and Puerto Rico’s sprint hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn were on song in their respective events, as they brought the curtains down on the season in champion fashion on day two of the Diamond League finals in Brussels on Saturday.

  While Peters and Camacho-Quinn logged the only victories, it was another positive day all-round for Caribbean athletes, as Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon, Ackera Nugent, and Rajindra Campbell, as well as the Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando, all secured podium finishes to also end their seasons on a high.

  Camacho-Quinn, the Paris Olympic Games bronze medallist, left rivals in her wake to win the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.38s. Dutchwoman Nadine Fisherman (12.54s) and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent (12.55s) secured the other podium spots. Another Jamaican, Danielle Williams (12.62s), was fifth.

  Peters, also a bronze medallist from the Paris Olympics, again demonstrated his rich vein of form with an opening throw of 87.87m that was not to be beaten. India’s Neeraj Chopra (87.86m) kept things interesting but had to settle for second, while Germany’s Julian Weber (85.97m) was third.

  For Salmon (53.99s), a well-paced race proved rewarding as she stayed on for third in the Women’s 400m hurdles, even after stumbling over the final obstacle. The event was won by Dutchwoman Femke Bol (52.45s), who secured a third consecutive Diamond League title, while American Anna Cockrell was second in 53.71s.

  The other Jamaicans, Janieve Russell (55.94s) and Andrenette Knight (56.70s), were seventh and eighth, respectively.

  Brazil’s Alison dos Santos reigned supreme in the men’s 400m hurdles, as he outclassed the field to win in 47.93s. Qatar’s Abderrahman (48.20s) and Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.26s) were second and third, respectively.

  Jamaican duo Roshawn Clarke (49.08s) and Malik James-King (49.37s) were fifth and sixth, respectively, in the men’s 400m hurdles.

  Meanwhile, Ogando (19.97s) placed third in the men’s 200m, which was won by American Kenneth Bednarek in a brisk 19.67s. Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo (19.80s) was well-beaten into second.

  Earlier, Campbell took bronze in the men’s shot put with a best throw of 21.95m. The event was won in fine style by Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri, who threw a meet record of 22.98m. American Ryan Crouser (22.79m) was second.

  Elsewhere in the field, Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford struggled for rhythm in the men’s high jump and had to settle for fourth at 2.22m. Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi finished tops at 2.34m, with Ukraine’s Oleg Doroshchuk (2.31m) and South Korea’s Woo Sanghyeok (2.225m) taking second and third, respectively.