It’s now or never for many athletes as the Wanda Diamond League touches down in Lausanne this week for the penultimate stop on the Road to the Final. Here are five things to look out for at Athletissima:
Hodgkinson back with a bang
British 800m star Keely Hodgkinson delivered one of the comebacks of the century in Silesia on Saturday, posting a world lead of 1:54.74 in her first race in more than a year. Plagued by hamstring issues since she won gold at the Olympics in Paris last year, Hodgkinson’s emphatic return in Poland was proof if any was needed that she remains among the favourites to win both the world and Diamond League titles in 2025. Lausanne will be her first chance to earn points on the Road to the Final, and while it may be too late to qualify via the usual route, appearing in a Diamond Discipline will at least give the British star a chance to reach the Wanda Diamond League Final on an international wild card. It is also a chance to flex her championship-winning muscles once again, as she takes on a world-class field which includes compatriot Georgia Hunter Bell, South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso and the USA’s Addison Wiley.
Lyles out for revenge
Revenge was a dish best served cold for Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson this week, as he beat Olympic champion Noah Lyles in their first meeting since a dramatic photo finish in the 100m final at Paris 2024 last season. Lyles, on the other hand, will be hoping to serve his vengeance piping hot when he lines up against Thompson’s compatriot Oblique Seville in Lausanne on Wednesday. Like Hodgkinson, the American star began his season later than expected due to injury problems, and he has endured a mixed bag of results in the Diamond League so far. After beating Letsile Tebogo over 200m in his first race of the campaign, Lyles then suffered defeats to Thompson in Silesia and Seville in London. Thompson will no longer be on the startlist in Lausanne, but Seville will be, meaning Lyles still has a chance to land a counter-blow in his ongoing battle with his Jamaican rivals.
Paulino takes on the 200m
Olympic 400m champion Marileidy Paulino’s win in Silesia was the 19th Diamond League victory of her career and secured her qualification to a fifth successive Diamond League Final. The Dominican Republic star is not about to rest on her laurels, however, and having secured qualification in the 400m, she will change it up in Lausanne with a rare appearance in the 200m. Paulino has dabbled in the shorter distance on regular occasions over the past few years, but this will be her first ever Diamond League 200m. She faces a field that will take no prisoners, with two-time world champion Shericka Jackson, reigning Diamond League champion Brittany Brown and Ivorian legend Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith.
Final spots up for grabs
In several disciplines, Lausanne will be the last chance to earn points on the Road to the Final and the last chance to grab one of a dwindling number of qualification spots. That means there will be competitions within competitions, as even second or third place finishes could make all the difference to the overall standings. In the women’s high jump, Imke Onnen, Yuliia Levchenko and Christina Honsel will engage in a three-way battle for the two remaining qualification places. In the men’s shot put, there are only three places up for grabs, with six men – Tom Walsh, Leonardo Fabbri, Zane Weir, Adrian Piperi, Chukwuebuka Cornnell Enekwechi and Roger Steen – all still hoping to qualify.
Clash of the titans in the 800m
The men’s 800m has been one of the most enthralling disciplines of this year, as multiple athletes have relentlessly chased David Rudisha’s 13-year-old world record. After several bitterly fought battles on the Road to the Final, it promises to be another fierce scrap in Lausanne. Eight of the top ten in the world rankings are in action at Athletissima, with only reigning Olympic and Diamond League champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi having already secured qualification for the final. Canada’s Marco Arop is in particular need of a victory, as he currently sits three places short of a final spot in the standings. The others will be hoping to keep him at bay and secure their ticket to Zurich, while also attempting to inflict a rare defeat on Wanyonyi. And then there’s the world record, of course…
