This year is no different, with Diamond Race leaders lining up in 14 of the 16 events on show and the best athletes in the world heading to the Stade Louis II, all looking to record season’s best marks and, with them, more points on the way to taking this year’s Diamond Trophies.
Retrospective…
Monaco has long been seen as a venue where world class performances can be achieved, the Prinicpality being formerly a venue for the IAAF’s World Athletics Final.
In recent seasons this reputation has become even stronger and the last two editions of Herculis have seen some truly remarkable results.
Just last year Ukraine’s Bohdan Bondarenko leapt 2.40m in the high jump and Colombia’s Caterine Ibarguen recorded a personal best and Diamond League record 15.31m in perfect conditions in the triple jump. Those jumps were, not surprisingly, meeting records.
It wasn’t just in the field that sparks flew in 2014, as Nijel Amos scorched to an 800m meeting record 1:42.45, while USA’s Ajee’ Wilson came of age in the 800m, edging out Diamond Trophy winner and World Champion Eunice Sum 1:57.67 to 1:57.92.
A year earlier the middle distances were again noteworthy, as Edwin Soi set a meeting record 12:51.34 in the 5000m and an astonishing 1500m race saw Mo Farah set a European record 3:328.81 behind an imperious Asbel Kiprop, who ran 3:27.72.
Other meeting records include 7:53.64 in the steeplechase for Brimin Kipruto, 12.93 over 110m hurdles for Aries Merritt and 69.45m in the javelin by Barbora Spotakova.
Diamond Race Leaders
Many of the athletes who competed in Lausanne return eight days later for more Diamond League action.
David Storl (shot put), Tianna Bartoletta (long jump), Bershawn Jackson (400m hurdles), Nijel Amos (800m), Dawn Harper-Nelson (100m hurdles), Virginia Nyambura (steeplechase) and Sifan Hassan (1500m) all won in Switzerland to extend or reclaim their overall leads and will look to do the same in Monaco.
Renaud Lavillenie (pole vault), Sandra Perkovic (discus), Ruth Beitia (high jump), Vitezslav Vesely (javelin) and Pedro Pablo Pichardo (triple jump) all picked up some points last week, but not the maximum and will seek a return to winning ways.
Pichardo in particular will be eying Christian Olsson’s meeting record 17.63 and, more importantly, a victory over his rival Christian Taylor who won in spectacular fashion in Lausanne.
In the 400m Francena McCorory was so dominant earlier in the season that despite not competing in the Diamond League for two meetings, she retains a lead in the standings and can extend on Friday, while Mo Farah, leader in the 3000m/5000m, elects to run in a non Diamond Race 1500m.
In the absence of Allyson Felix, Jeneba Tarmoh can regain the Diamond Race lead with four point sin the 200m, while Just Gatlin, who competed in a non Diamond Race 100m last week, can extend his lead in Monaco, with Friday’s race part of the Diamond League program.
Dean Hardman for the IAAF Diamond League
