Taking part in one of six finals staged in and around the Sechselautenplatz on the shore of Lake Zurich, ahead of tomorrow’s programme in the Letzigrund Stadium, Kovacs produced a landmark effort of 23.23m - a Diamond League and meeting record.

That shifted Kovacs, who won a second world title in 2019 ahead of Crouser by a centimetre with his final throw, to second on the all-time list behind the world record of 23.37m set by his rival last year.

Next on the list were two previous world records - the 23.12m thrown by Randy Barnes of the United States in 1990, and the 23.06m achieved by East Germany’s Ulf Timmerman two years before that.

Crouser, who said before the competition that he had considered ending his season early after being troubled by long COVID, managed a best of 22.74m.

"I am super excited. I had so many throws this year over 22.80m, so I feel like I was building and building," said Kovacs, who remains unbeaten since his silver medal win behind Crouser at the World Championships in Oregon.

The 33-year-old from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, who regained the Diamond League title after his first win in 2015, inflicted the first outdoor defeat since 2019 on Crouser when they met last month in Lausanne and has also won in Brussels, Silesia and Szekesfehervar.

A total of six Diamond League champions were honoured in front of the Zurich Opera House, earning diamond trophies and first prizes of $30,000 (£26,000/€30,300).

Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi, who had delayed his honeymoon to compete in Zurich, made the most of his decision as he won a hugely competitive men’s high jump on countback after he and JuVaughan Harrison of the United States had cleared 2.34m, a season’s best for both.

Meanwhile on a night of intermittent rain Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim, who shared the Olympic title with Tamberi in Tokyo, had an off day, managing only 2.18m.

Australia’s Commonwealth champion Nina Kennedy won the women’s pole vault with a season’s best of 4.81m ahead of double world indoor champion Sandi Morris of the United States on 4.76m.

Women’s world shot put champion Chase Ealey of the United States won with a best effort of 20.19.

Beatrice Chebet won the women’s 5,000m title in 14min 31.03sec ahead of fellow Kenyan Margaret Chelimo in 14:31.52 and Ethiopia’s world indoor 1500m champion Gudaf Tsegay in 14:32.11.

The men’s 5,000m title also went to Kenya as Nicholas Kipkorir just headed South Sudan’s former refugee athlete Domnic Lobalu, 12:59.05 to 12:59.40, with Grant Fisher of the United States third in 13:00.56.