The Albany Gazette - Five events to watch at Monaco Diamond League

AFP Sport looks at five events guaranteed to catch the eye at the ninth Diamond League meet of a season that will reach a peak with the world championships in Budapest on August 19-27.

Men's 400m hurdles

It was originally billed as the first race of the three medallists from the Tokyo Olympics, but American Rai Benjamin was a late withdrawal. That leaves world and Olympic champion Warholm up against Brazilian Alison Dos Santos in the latter's first hurdles race of the season.

The Norwegian has been the dominant performer this season, but world champion Dos Santos will be hoping to offer up some real competition.

Women's 400m

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world and Olympic champion at 400m hurdles, has dominated the one-lap race on the flat this year and it would take a brave punt against the American not winning in Monaco.

Likely contenders for podium places will be Britton Wilson and Rhasidat Adeleke, respectively third and fourth in the global ranking. Also in the running will be Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek, reigning European number two, and Kenyan Mary Moraa, the world bronze medallist at 800m in Eugene last year.

Women's 200m

The lineup is worthy of a major championships final with Gabby Thomas, Shericka Jackson, Dina Asher Smith and Julien Alfred all in contention.

Reigning world champion Jackson from Jamaica has hit a rich vein of form, boasting a world leading 10.65sec over 100m, the fifth fastest performance of all time.

However, she will have to outpace Thomas, who cut an impressive dash by running 21.60sec at the ever-demanding US trials. Also vying for the top spots will be Alfred as well as English sprinters Dina Asher-Smith, bronze medallist in Eugene, and the in-form Daryll Neita, who has just improved on her personal best with a 22.23sec clocking.

Men's pole vault

When one speaks of dominance, never is it more prominent than in the men's pole vault.

US-born Swede Mondo Duplantis is completely dominant in the event, often joining the competition when half the field have already bailed out.

The world record holder has already cleared 6.12m this year and will be looking to Filipino Ernest Obiena and the American trio of Christopher Nilsen, KC Lightfoot and Sam Kendricks for some real competition.

Women's mile

Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, a two-time Olympic 1500m gold medallist and twice world champion, turns her attention to the mile, having set world records in the 1500m and 5,000m in June.

Monaco's Stade Louis II is a venue she knows well, having missed out on the world 1500m record by just three tenths of a second last year.

The world record for the mile was set by Ethiopian-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan in Monaco in 2019 (4:12.33).

Up against Kipyegon is an armada of talent: Briton Laura Muir, the Olympic 1500m silver medallist, Freweyni Hailu, fourth at the last worlds over 1500m, and Konstanze Klosterhalfen, European 5,000m champion.

(Y.Berger--BBZ)