The Lausanne Diamond League will provide our second slice of action post Tokyo. A star-studded field will head to Switzerland hoping to show off their form. Here’s our preview for all the action taking place this Thursday 26th August.
What is the schedule for the Lausanne Diamond League?
Here’s the schedule for the Lausanne Diamond League on 26 August. Shown live on the BBC this isn’t one to miss. All times are in local Swiss time.
Who is competing in the Lausanne Diamond League?
Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Mondo Duplantis, Mutaz Essa Barshim, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Karsten Warholm will all feature in Lausanne.
The events to watch?
Womens’s 100m
The Women’s 100m looks stacked with Tokyo’s top three dueling for Diamond League honours. Elaine Thompson-Herah will be favourite and is competing in Paris two days later. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will give her a good run for her money as will bronze medallist Shericka Jackson. Marie-Josée Ta Lou, the Tokyo fourth placer, Ajla Del Ponte (5th) and Mujinga Kambundji round out a stacked 100m.
Men’s 200m
Fred Kerley over 200m as well as Steve Gardiner stepping down adds intrigue to Lausanne. Kenny Bednarek will hope to prove himself a cut above over the distance.
Women’s Triple Jump
It’s difficult to see anything but a Yulimar Rojas win. Check out our piece on her to learn more of her rise to the top. Patricia Mamona of Portugal will aim to close the gap, having jumped over 15m for the first time in Tokyo.
Women’s High Jump
The Tokyo top-three make up a stacked high jump field. Mariya Lasitskene, Nicola McDermott and Yaroslava Mahuchikh may jump something silly because the pressure’s now off.
Women’s 400m Hurdles
Lausanne is missing only Sydney McLaughlin is what is otherwise the best hurdling field around. Dalilah Muhammad will build on her victory over the weekend in Eugene.
Men’s Pole Vault
Mondo Duplantis will be gunning for at a minimum the stadium record. Currently held by the Pole Piotr Lisek (6.01) we may see the newly minted Olympic Champ head for a world record attempt.
Women’s 1500m
Linden Hall, Freweyni Gebreezibeher and Hirut Meshesha head up a field that will also see Jemma Reekie step up to 1500m
Men’s 3000m
Could Jakob Ingebrigtsen break the European record (7.26.62)? He will certainly try. He’ll have elite level company with Stewie McSweyn, Muktar Edris, Jacob Kiplimo, Selemon Barega, Mo Ahmed and Paul Chelimo all there to provide a weighty challenge.
Men’s 400m
This non-DL event could be the meet highlight as Lausanne and the world get to see just how fast Karsten Warholm can run without hurdles. He boasts a 44.87 personal best from 2017 but having run 45.94 in Tokyo over the hurdles that looks set to be revised. Will we see a truly world class 400m from Norway’s phenomenon? Wil London, Isaac Makwala and Vernon Norwood will provide some decent opposition but dare I say it challengers to make him look good.
Women’s 400m
Marileidy Paulino (second in Tokyo) heads up a depleted 400m field which also features Britain’s Jodie Williams (6th in Tokyo, the USA’s Quanera Hayes (7th)
Men’s 800m
All the Tokyo finalists bar Nijel Amos are in Lausanne with Emmanuel Korir heading up the lot. Marco Arop got the better of most of them in Eugene to get over the disappointment of not making the final in Tokyo.
Men’s Shot Put
Tokyo and Rio’s identical top three find themselves in Lausanne. Ryan Crouser broke the meeting record in Eugene and he will have Joe Kovacs and Tomas Walsh for company in Switzerland. Darlan Romani, Payton Otterdahl, Darrell Hill and Filip Mihaljevic all feature in a contest that should prove stronger than even the Olympic final. Could we see something ludicrious? Quite possibly!
Men’s Javelin
Johannes Vetter may not be the Olympic Champion but it is hard to say anyone in the world is capable of throwing further. His ninth place in Tokyo was one of the biggest shocks of the games and he will be eager to make a point in the absence of Olympic Champ, Neeraj Chopra.
Women’s Long Jump
No Malaika Mihambo but a competitive field nonetheless. Ese Brume and Ivana Spanovic, 2rd and 4th in Tokyo will be challenged by a competitive field.
Enjoy our Lausanne Diamond League preview? Check out the rest of our athletics content.
Featured image “DSC00446.jpg” by greg leyh is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
