Stockholm: Five things to look out for

For two years now, Yaroslava Mahuchikh has been the woman to beat in the women's high jump. The Ukrainian has swept to the Diamond League title in both of the last two seasons, consistently delivering when push came to shove at the business end of the season. Stockholm will be her first appearance in this year's Wanda Diamond League as she attempts to claim a third successive title in 2024, and her first competition outdoors in a potentially career-defining Olympic season. After Serbian rival Angelina Topic surged to the top of the qualfiication standings with two wins in two earlier this month, Mahuchikh will be hoping to reassert her status as firm favourite for both Olympic gold and the Diamond Trophy this year.

"For me, the Stockholm Diamond League is always going to be special," said pole vault world record holder Mondo Duplantis in an interview with the Wanda Diamond League earlier this year. The Swedish star has certainly delivered some stellar performances at his home meeting over the past few years, foremost among them the then outdoor world best of 6.16m in 2021. This time around, weather permitting, the Swedish fans will be hoping for something even more impressive. Duplantis opened his Diamond League season with a world record of 6.24m in Xiamen and came close to hitting 6.25m in Ostrava this month. Whether or not he can set an eighth career world record in Stockholm remains to be seen, but the men's pole vault will undoubtedly be greeted with bated breath on Sunday.

Brittany Brown's stunning victory in the women's 200m was one of the highlights of the Bislett Games in Oslo on Thursday, as the American stunned heavyweights such as Jamaica's Shericka Jackson, Ivory Coast's Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith and Great Britain's Daryll Neita with a breathtaking final 50 metres in lane eight. The American is back in action in Stockholm, and is down to run in both the 100m against Ta Lou-Smith and the 200m against Jackson. While the veteran champions look to bounce back from their defeat in Oslo, Brown will be hoping to cement her status as a serious contender for the Diamond Trophy with back-to-back wins. 

So far this season, the women's 400m hurdles has been a largely Jamaican affair, with Rushell Clayton winning the first race of the season in Marrakech and heading up a Jamaican 1-2-3 in Oslo last weekend. That might change in Stockholm, as the reigning Wanda Diamond League champion takes to the stage for the first time this season. Femke Bol has dominated the Diamond League in her discipline like fewer other athletes over the past four years, and as she eyes a first ever Olympic title in 2024, Stockholm will be a key litmus test for her outdoor form.

Almost exactly a year ago, Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma made history at the Wanda Diamond League in Paris as he stormed to 7:52.11 in the men's steeplechase and claimed the world record before his more fancied Moroccan rival Soufiane El Bakkali. 354 days on, Girma is back in Diamond League steeplechase action for the first time this season as he takes on Hillary Bor, Samuel Firewu and Getnet Wale in Stockholm. Another world record may be too much to ask for, but Girma will be keen to return to winnning ways after a streaky season in the Diamond League so far. Following his opening 5000m win in Xiamen, the Ethiopian has since slumped to a fourth-place finish in the 1500m in Marrakech and a 13th place shock defeat in the mile in Eugene last week.