The new champions will line up against 26 Olympic medallists, 8 reigning world champions and 16 champions of the recent European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam. The impressive Weltklasse Zürich entry lists suggest another edition of «Olympic Games in one night» and a unique athletics experience for 25 000 stadium visitors.
16 winners of the Diamond Trophy will be determined. In the final leg of each Diamond Race, points are doubled. Therefore, the winners of the final in Zurich will be awarded 20 points, a factor that could shake up the race in more than one case.
200m women: a summit of sprint legends
The meeting’s 200m women is a sparkling gem in the 2016 programme of events: New Olympic champion Elaine Thompson (Jamaica), world champion Dafne Schippers (Netherlands), Allyson Felix (USA), and Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) have won a total of as many as 25 titles at Olympic Games and world championships, including twelve in individual events.
Zurich is looking forward to this summit of four of the greatest female sprinters of all times. Dafne Schippers is the one leading the Diamond Race by an uncatchable margin. Lining up next to them will be Swiss national record holder Mujinga Kambundji.
Kendra Harrison, 100m hurdles record holder, has left a very strong impression in the IAAF Diamond League meetings this summer. The American won as many as five of her races. After missing out on the Olympic Games, she triumphed again in Lausanne and Paris, and is considered the top favourite for the race on Thursday.
"Mister Diamond League" Renaud Lavillenie
World record holder Renaud Lavillenie has also already forged an uncatchable margin in the Diamond Race. He will be the first athlete to win the trophy for the seventh consecutive time in Zurich. “Mister Diamond League” is about to make athletics history: No pole vaulter has ever been able to steal the Diamond League crown from him so far.
In addition, the French Olympic silver medallist is ready for a rematch with Olympic champion Thiago Braz (Brazil). The star-studded field also includes Olympic bronze medallist Sam Kendricks (USA), Piotr Lisek (Poland) and Jan Kudlicka (Czech Republic), who both placed fourth in Rio.
Can world record holder Ruth Jebet crown her season with a Diamond Trophy?
With her impressive world record run in Paris, Ruth Jebet (Bahrain) has cemented her role as current 3000m SC dominator. It will be interesting to see, whether she can run a similar time in Zurich, and whether she will be able to defend her lead in the Diamond Race against Olympic silver medallist and world champion Hyvin Kiyeng (Kenia).
Ruth Jebet has collected only four points more than her strongest opponent and must avoid mistakes at all cost. Only then she can crown the season that already earned her an Olympic title and a world record with a Diamond Trophy. The task is not an easy one, as she will be challenged by a strong field, including the five fastest finalists of the Olympic Games and Swiss national record holder Fabienne Schlumpf.
Selina Büchel vs. the eight fastest runners of Rio
The women’s 800m race will feature another all-star cast. Switzerland’s European indoor champion Selina Büchel, who placed ninth in Rio, will be running against the eight Olympic finalists. It will be a perfect opportunity for the 25-year-old athlete to prove that she belongs with the world’s best.
Lining up next to her will be Olympic champion Caster Semenya (South Africa), who will be running her first race since the Olympic final. She has collected 40 points in the Diamond Race. But winning the Trophy will be no walk in the park: Olympic silver medallist Francine Niyonsaba (Burundi) is breathing down her neck – with 38 points.
Six Swiss athletes and the Zürich Trophy
The Zurich Trophy, a women’s 4x100m relay race, will conclude the night at Letzigrund Stadium. The Swiss national record holders will run against teams from the USA, Jamaica, Ukraine, and Germany.
As many as six other local heroes will compete in the international programme of events: European championship bronze medallists Mujinga Kambundji (200m) and Lea Sprunger (400m h), 2015 winner and former European champion Kariem Hussein (400m h), national record holders Selina Büchel (800 m) and Fabienne Schlumpf (3000m SC), and Dominik Alberto (pole vault) are all looking forward to compete in front of their home crowd.
New Olympic champions at Weltklasse Zürich (14/as at 29 August, noon):
- Elaine Thompson (JAM/100m, 200m; will compete in the Weltklasse Zürich 200m race)
- Caster Semenya (RSA/800m)
- Faith Kipyegon (KEN/1500m)
- Ruth Jebet (BRN/3000m SC)
- Ruth Beitia (ESP/high jump)
- Ekaterini Stefanidi (GRE/pole vault; Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station)
- Tianna Bartoletta (USA/long jump)
- Sandra Perkovic (CRO/discus throw)
- Omar McLeod (JAM/110m h; will run in the Weltklasse Zürich 100m race)
- Kerron Clement (USA/400m h)
- Thiago Braz (BRA/pole vault)
- Christian Taylor (USA/triple jump)
- Ryan Crouser (USA/shot put)
- Thomas Röhler (GER/javelin throw)
Swiss athletes in the Weltklasse Zürich international programme of events:
- Mujinga Kambundji (200m)
- Selina Büchel (800m)
- Lea Sprunger (400m h)
- Fabienne Schlumpf (3000m SC)
- National 4x100m relay team (4x100m women)
- Kariem Hussein (400m h)
- Dominik Alberto (pole vault)
- Nicole Büchler (pole vault; Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station)
- Angelica Moser (pole vault; Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station)
<link internal-link internal link in current>Entry Lists Weltklasse Zürich 2016
