The meeting in the city on the shores of Lake Geneva has a reputation for producing magnificent performances, thanks to the fact that it frequently enjoys perfect conditions for sprinting, middle distance running, jumps and throws.
The 40th anniversary edition promises to be very special indeed, with Diamond Race leaders and world and Olympic champions battling it out to add more points to their season totals in the race to Brussels and Zurich.
Retrospective…
As you’d expect from a meeting that has frequently taken place in the middle of the season around the time that athletes are in peak condition, there have been some performances right out of the top draw in Lausanne since the IAAF Diamond League began back in 2010.
Indeed, Diamond League records that still stand were set in the Swiss city, one of which was set in that very first year of the series. Bershawn Jackson sped to a 47.62 clocking in the 400m hurdles on his way to taking that year’s Diamond Trophy, while Yohan Blake ran the 100m in 9.69 in 2012. That performance was the joint third fastest time ever and the joint quickest time ever recorded outside of a major championships.
Only last year Grenada’s Kirani James and USA’s Lashawn Merritt went head to head over 400m and both went sub-44 in a great race, with the 2012 Olympic Champion establishing a new Diamond League record of 43.74.
Diamond Race Leaders
With the business end of the IAAF Diamond League season now approaching and some events appearing for the fifth time this season in Lausanne, athletes are keen to ensure that they maintain their positions in the Diamond Race.
To that end, Diamond Race leaders or joint leaders compete in 14 of the 16 Diamond Race events on the Lausanne programme.
Beginning proceedings is one of only two athletes with a 100% record from across every Diamond League meeting of the year so far – Sandra Perkovic in the discus. The Croatian thrower will be seeking her fourth Diamond Trophy in a row and victory on Thursday would be huge step towards achieving that goal.
In every other event, the gap at the top of the leaderboard looks considerably tighter.
Tianna Bartoletta (long jump), David Storl (shot put), Ruth Beitia (high jump), Renaud Lavillenie and Konstantinos Filippidis (pole vault), Virginia Nyambura (steeplechase), Pedro Pablo Pichardo (triple jump), Alonso Edward (200m), Hagos Gebrhiwet and Thomas Longosiwa (5000m), Sifan Hassan (1500m) and Nijel Amos (800m) all compete knowing that anything other than victory and four points could see their leads surrendered or reduced significantly.
Indeed, in the men’s 5000m and pole vault, two joint leaders compete knowing that finishing behind their rivals will mean being replaced.
In the women’s 400m, neither Francena McCorory, the leader with 12 points, nor Stephanie Ann McPherson, the current second placer with eight, are present, meaning that Sanya Richards Ross and Shaunae Miller, who each have two, can narrow the gap.
Jonny Dutch, who has a slender one point lead over 2012 and 2013 champion Javier Culson, stands to lose his lead if the Puerto Rican can finish in the top two. Doha victor Bershawn Jackson, the 2010 Diamond Trophy winner, is also in the race and can go top with victory.
