Monaco welcomes the tenth leg of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League on Friday, as the Herculis Meeting International d’Athletisme greets the world’s finest track and field exponents in Monte Carlo.
Below is an event-by-event guide, detailing which athletes to watch out for in the 16-discipline competition.
Women’s 100m –
Having improved from 11.14 to 10.91 this season, Tori Bowie the USA is enjoying a stellar breakthrough campaign.
The 23-year-old was victorious in Rome and New York, and won the 200m in Eugene but she will face the Ivory Coast’s Murielle Ahoure and Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in a tantalising battle here.
Ahoure – the world 100m and 200m silver medallist – has sped to 10.98 this summer and placed second in Lausanne and third in Rome, whilst Fraser-Pryce – the two-time Olympic champion and world 100m winner – returned from injury to take the honours in Glasgow last weekend.
Men’s 200m –
Glasgow 100m winner, Nickel Ashmead won the half-lap in Doha in addition to taking the runner-up spots in New York and Lausanne, so the 24-year-old Jamaican looks set to claim the top spot in the Stade Louiss stadium.
His countryman, Rasheed Dwyer has clocked a 20.04 lifetime best this season and other notable entrants include American duo, Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay.
It will be interesting to see whether Gatlin – the 100m winner in Shanghai, Eugene, Rome and Lausanne – has the speed endurance to match, whilst Gay – having recently returned from a one-year doping suspension – continues his comeback following a second place finish in Lausanne.
Men’s 400m –
The USA’s LaShawn Merritt has notched up victories in Doha, Rome and New York, and the 28-year-old world champion has a fine 43.92 season’s best to his name.
The 2008 Olympic champion will not, however have the race all his own way as Botswana’s Isaac Makwala is entered.
Makwala – the winner in Glasgow – has improved from 45.25 to 44.01 this summer, and the pair will also face the Dominican Republic’s Luguelin Santos – the Olympic silver and world bronze medallist who was fourth in Glasgow.
Women’s 800m –
Following dominant wins in Doha, Rome, Oslo and Lausanne, Kenya’s Eunice Sum will start as the favourite.
The 25-year-old world champion has a 1:58.43 season’s best and she will be challenged by 2012 world junior champion, Ajee Wilson.
The 20-year-old American was victorious in Glasgow and placed runner-up in Oslo and third in Rome, and she also goes up against Russia’s Yekaterina Poistogova – the Olympic bronze medallist and winner of the European Team Championships in Braunschweig.
Men’s 800m (non-Diamond League event) –
It is like he was never away from the track. Kenya’s world record holder, David Rudisha continues his impressive return from injury here, following a swift 1:43.34 season’s best to win in Glasgow.
The 25-year-old Olympic champion was also the winner in New York, and he will face Bostwana’s Nijel Amos – the Olympic runner-up.
The 20-year-old has run 1:43.63 this summer and has the Eugene win and second place finished in Doha and Paris under his belt.
Other names to watch include the USA’s Duane Solomon – who placed third New York and fourth in Rome – and Ethiopia’s world indoor and outdoor champion, Mohamed Aman – who took the top spot in Doha, Eugene and Rome.
Men’s 1500m –
At this event last year, Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop scorched to a superb 3:27.72, and the two-time Olympic champion is back in Monaco looking for the win once again.
The 25-year-old 2008 Olympic champion – who has a 3:29.18 season’s best – finished first in Doha and third in Rome, but he will face stiff opposition from his team-mate, Silas Kiplagat.
The 2011 world silver medallist was the winner in Rome and Glasgow, and has impressive consistency following second place finishes in Doha, Eugene and Lausanne.
Djibouti’s 21-year-old, Ayanleh Souleiman – who has a recorded a 3:30.16 personal best this season – was victorious in Eugene and Oslo over the mile distance and finished second in the metric mile in Rome, so the world indoor champion and world 800m bronze medallist is also expected to feature highly.
Women’s 5,000m –
World indoor 3,000m champion, Genzebe Dibaba clocked a fine 14:34.99 lifetime best en route to the win in Rome, and the 23-year-old Ethiopian goes up against her countrywoman, Almaz Ayana.
World bronze medallist, Ayana finished just behind Dibaba in Rome with 14:37.16, whilst Kenya’s Mercy Cherono – the world runner-up – took the two-mile event in Eugene and won the 3,000m in New York and Lausanne.
Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase –
Following wins in Rome, Oslo and Lausanne, 21-year-old Jarius Birech starts as the favourite.
The Kenyan – who has registered a 8:02.37 personal best this season – races his team-mates, Brimin Kipruto and Paul Koech here.
Kipruto – the 2008 Olympic champion, who was the runner-up in Doha and Rome – has been evenly matched with Koech – the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist and 2013 world fourth palcer – who finished third in Doha.
Men’s 110m Hurdles –
Pascal Martinot-Lagarde took the honours in Eugene, Oslo and Lausanne, and was second in Paris so the 22-year-old Frenchman will be keen to continue his strong form.
With a 13.05 lifetime best under his belt this season, the world indoor 60m hurdles silver medallist should make light work of the field which includes Cuba’s Orlando Ortega – who finished third in Paris – and Russia’s world bronze medallist, Sergey Shubenkov – the winner in Braunschweig and runner-up in Doha and Lausanne.
Women’s 400m Hurdles –
Following wins in Eugene, Rome and Oslo, and the runner-up position in Doha, Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer starts as the one to beat.
The 27-year-old world indoor 400m silver medallist and Olympic fourth placer has a 53.41 season’s best, and her closest challenger is likely to be Kori Carter of the USA.
Second in Eugene, the 2009 world youth runner-up will also be joined by the Czech Republic’s world champion and Olympic bronze medallist, Zuzana Hejnova, who makes her eagerly-anticipated return from injury.
Men’s High Jump –
Arguably the year’s most exciting event continues its quest for a world record clearance, as four of the world’s finest high jumpers gather together in this mouth-watering contest.
Leading the way might be Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim – the world indoor champion and world runner-up – who was victorious in Doha and Rome and boasts a 2.42m lifetime best from this spectacular season for the discipline.
The 23-year-old Olympic bronze medallist placed second in New York behind Ukraine’s Bogdan Bonderenko – who has additionally leapt a 2.42m personal best this season – and the pair are set to create fireworks once more.
His 24-year-old rival – the world champion and winner in Lausanne also – had to settle for the runner-up spot in Rome, whilst Russia’s Olympic champion, Ivan Ukhov should also be in the mix.
The world indoor silver medallist – with a 2.41m lifetime best this year – placed third in Lausanne and the USA’s Derek Drouin should also feature highly, following the Olympic and world bronze medallist’s second place in Doha and fourth position in Rome.
Men’s Long Jump –
China’s world indoor silver medallist, Jinzhe Li has recorded a fine 8.47m personal best this season, and the 24-year-old finished third in Lausanne and fourth in New York.
His nearest challengers could be Great Britain’s Chris Tomlinson – the 2008 world indoor runner-up – who has leapt 8.23m this summer and Michael Hartfield of the USA, who placed second in Glasgow.
Women’s Pole Vault –
New York and Glasgow winner, Fabiana Murer of Brazil is the woman to beat, and the 33-year-old 2011 world champion’s season’s best is 9cm clear of the rest of the field at 4.80m.
World indoor record holder, Jenn Suhr of the USA finished second in New York and fourth in Glasgow, and the 32-year-old Olympic champion will be joined by Cuba’s world indoor champion and Olympic runner-up, Yarisley Silva – the winner in Rome and second place finisher in Doha.
Women’s Triple Jump –
Colombia’s world champion, Caterine Ibarguen notched up wins in Rome and Lausanne, and the 30-year-old Olympic runner-up has a solid 14.87m season’s best.
World indoor champion, Yekaterina Koneva of Russia – with a 14.83m lifetime best this season – claimed the honours in Braunschweig and finished in the second place spot in Rome and Lausanne, and another who could challenge is Jamaica’s Kimberly Williams – the world indoor bronze medallist who won in New York.
Women’s Shot Put –
New Zealand’s Valerie Adams will be determined to extend her 52 finals winning streak, and the 29-year-old two-time Olympic champion should emerge the winner once again here.
With a 20.46m season’s best, the four-time world outdoor and three-time world indoor champion is looking to add to her victories in Doha, Rome, New York and Lausanne.
Her opposition will arrive in the form of Germany’s Christina Scwhanitz – the winner in Braunschweig and runner-up in Rome – and the world indoor and outdoor silver medallist will be joined by the USA’s world fourth placer, Michelle Carter, who finished second in New York and third in Lausanne.
Men’s Discus Throw –
Poland’s Piotr Malachowski – the two-time world silver medallist and winner in Lausanne – looks the man to beat with the 31-year-old’s 69.28m season’s best and runner-up spots from Rome and New York.
Other notable entrants include Sweden’s Daniel Stahl – the 21-year-old who has improved by five and half meters this season – and Cuba’s world and Olympic finalist, Jorge Fernandez who has thrown a 66.50m personal best this summer when finishing second in Lausanne.
Women’s Javelin Throw –
Two-time Olympic champion, Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic claimed the first place position in Rome, Lausanne and Braunschweig, and the 33-year-old has a strong 66.72m season’s best.
Her closest rival is likely to be Australia’s Kimberley Mickle, who has unleashed a 66.83m lifetime best this year and the world silver medallist placed second in Doha and third in both Rome and Lausanne.
Germany’s Linda Stahl – the winner in New York and athlete who took the third place position in Braunschweig – has registered a 67.32m lifetime best this season, and the Olympic bronze medallist and world fourth placer is another to watch.
