Mondo Duplantis goes clear over 6.15m at the first attempt too!

Game on.

Image source, EPA

What an effort this is from Emmanouil Karalis.

The Greek must have taken a decent hit when he missed the landing mat earlier in the session, but he has since cleared 6.05m at the final attempt to keep the competition alive - and then raise the bar for Armand Duplantis to 6.15m at the first attempt.

Duplantis has another huge battle on his hands here.

We were treated to a spectacular conclusion to the regular Diamond League season in Zurich last month, with two world records falling in quick succession.

Not long after Alison dos Santos clocked a stunning 45.80 seconds in the men’s 400m hurdles, American Masai Russell ran 12.09 for the women’s 100m hurdles.

It's not quite as fast this evening from Russell, but it's enough to take the Ultimate title!

She wins in 12.22 seconds ahead of former record holder Tobi Amusan.

Over in the women's long jump, Jazmin Sawyers failed with her first attempt and needs to produce something on her second to stay in the competition...

The European and Commonwealth medallist stays alive with a 6.59m jump!

Italy's Larissa Iapichino leads with a best leap of 6.90m.

Image source, Getty Images

Keely Hodgkinson has been speaking to BBC Sport after her 800m semi-final win.

On Veronica Vancardo's fall: "This season we've had a fair share of people falling over, but she's still got all her teeth so she'll be ok.

"That's one of my worst nightmares, touchwood it hasn't happened to me so far. It's part of racing unfortunately."

On her race: "I'm happy with that, I'm glad to be back running. It was a lot of fun.

"It's been a month since I last raced so it's nice to get that run out through the legs, hopefully go a bit better tomorrow."

Image source, Reuters

Armand Duplantis has taken charge of the pole vault final, again going clear at the first attempt at 6.05m.

It's no longer going so smoothly for Emmanouil Karalis, however.

The Greek misses his second attempt - and misses the crash mat on his way down. Ouch.

Duplantis looks over in concern and puts a thumb up as he enquiries whether Karalis is good. He's on his feet, but not moving great...

Image source, Reuters

Emma Middleton
BBC Sport in Budapest

2,000 litres. That’s how much.

I’m talking about the amount of black paint that was required to coat the entire infield.

World Athletics say the paint is a "water-based formulation", which eliminates harsh chemical solvents and toxic compounds.

Will the grass ever go green again? Yes - it’ll just grow out in time.

Image source, Getty Images

Class above.

Audrey Werro stretches away to win a slower semi-final in one minute 59.05 seconds, ahead of Femke Broeders-Bol who is far enough ahead to have no need to follow the European champion.

The event's current Big Three go through, with Keely Hodgkinson topping the qualifiers on her return to action.

That final takes place tomorrow. Don't miss it!

How will Keely Hodgkinson's rivals fare?

The Briton can sit back and relax as Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol attempt to join her in the 800m final.

This should be straightforward enough for them...

Emmanouil Karalis continues to push Armand Duplantis this season.

The pole vault has been dominated by Duplantis for so long, so it's been a fun, fresh dynamic to see the Swede really have to work for his wins this year.

Karalis goes well clear at 5.95m, and Duplantis also follows at the first attempt.

Image source, Reuters

Steve Cram
BBC athletics commentator

Keely Hodgkinson goes to the front, maybe just to control it.

It's pretty steady, Keely just made sure it was a decent, honest pace.

Image source, Getty Images

Keely Hodgkinson takes charge of her semi-final early on and eases away from the field well before the closing stages.

As comfortable a victory as you will see at this level of 800m running.

The Olympic champion announces herself in Budapest, clocking one minute 57.57 seconds.

There's a nasty fall for Switzerland's Veronica Vancardo behind and she will appeal that after appearing to be tripped.

Image source, Getty Images

It was billed as one of the races of the year - and it delivered.

But, in the end, it was Switzerland's Audrey Werro who claimed European gold, ahead of Keely Hodgkinson and the fast-improving Femke Broeders-Bol.

Since then, Hodgkinson chose to skip the Diamond League Final because her body had not recovered physically from her efforts in Birmingham.

Werro remains favourite, having run the third, fourth and fifth fastest times in history during a stunning season which has brought her within reach of athletics' longest-standing world record.

Behind, Broeders-Bol, the world 400m hurdles champion who only moved up to the 800m this season, continues to produce personal bests in her debut campaign.

Hodgkinson goes in the first semi-final, while her her two main rivals in the second.

It's all happening now.

The first of the women's 800m semi-finals is about to start, and Keely Hodgkinson is ready for action.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Jazmin Sawyers is here - and so too, you would expect, is her lucky blanket. Especially given she has painted her nails to match it.

Just two weeks after completing her remarkable recovery from serious injury to win the Commonwealth Games title in Glasgow, long-jumper Sawyers clinched European silver in Birmingham.

Others may have been disappointed by going so agonisingly close to gold - Sawyers missed out by just one centimetre.

But, having only returned to action last year after a devastating Achilles rupture on her take-off leg ended her Olympic hopes, the Briton was delighted and appears to have returned as strong as ever.

Can she come up with another special performance this evening? The women's long jump final is now under way.

Image source, Getty Images

Hopefully Jakob Ingebrigtsen has saved enough energy to contest another final this weekend, because World Athletics have used exceptional invitations to ensure one of the sport's most compelling rivalries can be staged at its new championship.

Ingebrigtsen only returned from injury last month but wasted no time returning to the top of the podium - and reigniting his war of words with Josh Kerr.

After Ingebrigtsen criticised Kerr's decision to miss the European Championships, instead targeting the mile world record and Commonwealth glory on home soil, Kerr had his say in the lead-up to this weekend.

"When you boil it down, I'm very happy that he's back racing. I think it's great for our distance.
He's one of the best 1500m and 5,000m runners of all time," Kerr said on Ingebrigtsen, who he beat to the world title in Budapest in 2023.

"I'm not going to lose, but I'm excited to go out there and race."

Kerr added: "A championship 1500m or 5,000m is very different to what he's used to right now, coming off a long-term injury. So I first foresee some struggling from his side."

Steve Cram
BBC athletics commentator

Oh my word, Jakob Ingebrigtsen has done what he's done for so many years.

Where did he get that from? Love that. I love watching him race.

Whenever you think he's down, he's back up.

The confidence to sit and be patient. He waited, and waited, and waited.

Incredible!

Everyone is sitting and waiting, and waiting... But there goes Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The Norwegian is unstoppable when he makes his decisive move.

He storms clear in the closing stages to win in 12 minutes 59.24 seconds, with Cole Hocker finishing well for second.

Image source, Getty Images