Three Olympic queens at Zurich Main Station
The world’s top pole vaulters, including three Olympic champions and all medallists of Paris 2024, are going to take off at Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station for the fifth time this year. European champion and local hero Angelica Moser would like to use the unique competition in front of her home crowd to make it to the Weltklasse Zürich podium for the first time on Wednesday, 4 September. Three athletes in the line-up already managed to reach the pinnacle of Olympic fame: Katerina Stefanidi (GRE/2016), Katie Moon (USA/2021), and Nina Kennedy (AUS/2024). They will all be there to light the temporary athletics stage at the majestic ticket hall up and let the sound of their favourite music and the particularly vibrant atmosphere inspire their performances.
Paris medallists competing for air sovereignty
Kennedy flew higher than anyone else in 2023 (at Zurich Main Station) and in 2022 (on Sechseläutenplatz). She will no doubt have her eye on a third win at Weltklasse Zürich 2024. Last year, her triumphant airshow drew more than 3’000 fans and onlookers, and Kennedy topped it off with an Oceanian indoor record. The competition for intercontinental air sovereignty will include another duel with co-world champion Moon. But Canada’s Olympic bronze medallist Alysha Newman and European champion Moser, who placed fourth at the Olympics, will both be eager to have some say in the post-Olympic showdown.
Angelica Moser: from UBS Kids Cup to the Olympic final
2024 has been a stellar year for Angelica Moser. She won her first Wanda Diamond League competition in Marrakesh, took European gold in Rome, and placed second while improving the national record twice in Monaco. Angelica’s road to international athletics success had started out on participating in UBS Kids Cup events. Her story shows that great careers do get initiated in Switzerland’s largest youth sports project. Entry to the women’s Weltklasse Zürich pole vault competition is free as always, so that passersby and fans get a chance to experience the fascination of the spectacular athletics discipline from up close. Learn more
A collector of all titles vs. two masters of many athletics trades
Letzigrund Stadium will once again be packed one day after the show at Zurich Main Station, and the famous Zurich crowd will be able to cheer many new Olympic medallists and overall illustrious line-ups. Miltiadis Tentoglou, for instance, is one of just eight Olympians in athletics who were able to defend their individual titles of Tokyo in Paris. At Weltklasse Zürich, the nearly invincible long jumper will clash with all three athletes who shared the podium with him in the Olympics and the European championships – and with two Olympic decathletes.
Without any doubt, Tentoglou is made for major championships. His famous final attempts are widely feared. The Greek athlete currently holds (almost) all titles he possibly could. He is a reigning Olympic, world, world indoor, European, and European indoor champion. The only feat the title collector could not repeat after 2022 was claiming a Wanda Diamond League crown. Las year, Simon Ehammer was the one to triumph at the final of the most prestigious international meeting series. In 2022, the Appenzell-born athlete had been the first decathlete to win a world championship medal in his favourite individual event. One year later, he grabbed the prestigious Diamond Trophy in the same city.
Ehammer out for revenge after 4th place at the Olympics as well
His fourth place in Paris this year was unrewarding and historic at the same time. Just like Angelica Moser, he will try and settle the score and challenge the athletes of the 2024 Olympic long jump podium. Both silver medallist Wayne Pinnock (JAM) and Italian long jump talent Mattia Furlani will compete at Weltklasse Zürich. In addition, former world champion Tajay Gayle has confirmed his appearance.
An invitation that could be considered a coup: Olympic champions Rooth to compete in Zurich
While Ehammer had to make do with fourth place, 22-year-old Markus Rooth (NOR) became the youngest Olympic decathlon king since 1980. At Weltklasse Zürich, he will be holding a summit with the Switzerland’s local hero and indoor world champion at the long jump pit. The newly famous Norwegian star is now in high demand, and it will be his first Wanda Diamond League competition in an individual event. Inviting him represents a real coup for Co-Meeting Director Andreas Hediger.
How will 8-metre jumper Rooth fare in a line-up of long jump specialists? And can decathlon individual event world record holder Ehammer (8.45m) use the support of his home crowd to land a first win at the stadium in which he once launched his athletics career in the UBS Kids Cup? Or will world leader Tentoglou (8.65m) prevail for the third time in a row? There is not much room for clever tactics: As always in Wanda Diamond League competitions, only the three top athletes after five attempts will get another go in the so-called “final three”.
A post-Olympic 100m h final for Ditaji Kambundji
Ditaji Kambundji did not get to cross the hurdle to the Olympic final at the Stade de France. At Letzigrund Stadium, however, the Swiss winner of the Doha Wanda Diamond League meeting will be facing two Olympic champions, a world champion, and a former world record holder. The Olympic medallists – Masai Russell (USA), Cyréne Samba-Mayela (FRA), and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR, 2021 Olympic champion) – as well as former world record holder and Olympic silver medallist of Tokyo 2021 Kendra Harrison (USA) will all line-up alongside Kambundji.
A two-time world champion with extra motivation
And so will Danielle Williams (JAM) – just like in Kambundji’s Olympic heat. The 2015 world champion had claimed her second world championship title in 2023 (defeating Camacho-Quinn, Harrison, and Kambundji, who placed seventh), before she went on to celebrate her seventh and final win at a Wanda Diamond League event so far. Williams, too, did not make the Olympic final and will therefore arrive in Zurich with some extra motivation.
Which stars will compete at Letzigrund Stadium on 5 September? All competitors confirmed for Weltklasse Zürich 2024 are listed here.
