A whole host of Olympic and world champions will descend on Monaco this Friday for the tenth leg of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League.
Here are five things to look out for at Meeting Herculis EBS.
Can Kipyegon bounce back?
Kenyan legend Faith Kipyegon suffered her first Diamond League defeat in four years when she lost to Nikki Hiltz in the women’s mile in Eugene, ending a winning streak of 15 consecutive competitions in athletics’ premier one-day series. The 32-year-old will be hoping to bounce back straight away when she takes on the 3000m in Monaco, going up against Australia’s Jessica Hull and in-form Ethiopians Freweyni Hailu and Birke Haylom. She has already shown form in the long distance events this year with victory in the 5000m at the season opener in Shanghai/Keqiao in May.
Russell’s world record dream
Whenever Masai Russell has stepped onto the track this season, there has been talk of a potential world record. Since her 12.14 at the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen earlier this season, the Olympic 100m hurdles champion is just 0.02 seconds off Tobi Amusan’s mark from 2022, and the American has made no bones about her desire to break the record. In Eugene, she beat Amusan with an impressive meeting record of 12.24, and in Monaco, she will once again be hoping to threaten that all-important figure of 12.12.
Thomas returns
Olympic champion Gabby Thomas will make her first Diamond League appearance in two years in the women’s 200m in Monaco after suffering an Achilles injury last season. The American sprint star is already in formidable form, having clocked 21.70 in Texas last month, then a world lead and still the second-fastest time in the world this year. She faces a tough test in Monaco, going up against world leader Adaejah Hodge, fellow US star Anavia Battle and Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, who is unbeaten outdoors this season.
Seville launches title campaign
Oblique Seville’s charge to the world title last season began with a July Diamond League victory in London, and the Jamaican will be hoping for something similar when he kickstarts his Diamond League title charge in earnest in the 100m in Monaco. Seville finished a surprise second behind Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi in a non-Diamond League race in Eugene, but he will be a firm favourite when he takes on Letsile Tebogo, Marcell Jacobs and Emmanuel Eseme in Monaco.
Tentoglou v Furlani
Olympic long jump champion Militiadis Tentoglou claimed his first Diamond League win in two years in Xiamen earlier this season, beating world champion Mattia Furlani in the process. The two top-ranked jumpers in the world go head to head once again in Monaco in the latest chapter of an enthralling rivalry. Tentoglou has won 16 of their 24 meetings so far, but Furlani has emerged on top in five of their last six clashes on the runway.
