Where else can fans watch as many medallists of Olympic Games, world championships, and European championships compete in a two-hour programme of events? Therefore, the heroes of Amsterdam and Rio are on top of Co-Meeting Director and Athletes’ Liaison Andreas Hediger’s list. While the Olympic champions will not be determined until mid-August, Hediger has been able to sign no less than 16 newly crowned European champions already (see list below).
Schippers’ return to Zurich
With 50 days to go, the meeting’s entry lists read like a who’s who of European athletics. The stars of the recent championships will give their all when they line up against their colleagues from other parts of the world at Letzigrund Stadium.
This may be particularly true for Dafne Schippers. The Dutch athlete, who had launched her sprint career by winning both the 100m and the 200m at the European Athletics Championships Zürich 2014, will return to the Zurich arena to compete in the 200m. Before that, however, the reigning 200m world champion plans to win Olympic gold in both sprint events in Rio. At Weltklasse Zürich, just as in Amsterdam, Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji will be among her opponents.
The Dutch 4x100m relay team, new European champions themselves, will compete in the traditional Zurich Trophy, facing the Swiss quartet among others.
Several Swiss athletes will get to challenge new European titles holders: 2014 European champion Kariem Hussein, for instance, will compete against reigning European champion Yasmani Copello Escobar (TUR) in the 400m hurdles. European indoor champion Selina Büchel will race outdoor title holder Nataliya Pryshchepa (UKR) again in the 800m, and Lea Sprunger will line up against European champion Sara Slott Petersen (DEN) in the 400m h (additional race, no IAAF Diamond League final event).
The international programme of events of Weltklasse Zürich 2016, one of two IAAF Diamond League finals, includes 19 events. 16 of them will represent the final leg of the Diamond Race. While the men’s pole vault will be held at Letzigrund Stadium, their female colleagues will compete at Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station on the eve of the meeting (31 August).
The following new European champions have confirmed their appearance at Weltklasse Zürich so far:
• Dafne Schippers, (NED/100 m; 200 m in Zurich)
• Nataliya Pryshchepa (UKR/800 m)
• Angelica Cichocka (POL/1500 m)
• Gesa-Felicitas Krause (GER/3000 m SC)
• Cindy Roleder (GER/100 m hurdles)
• Sara Slott Petersen (DEN/400 m hurdles)
• Ivana Spanovic (SRB/long jump)
• Ruth Beitia (ESP/high jump)
• Ekaterini Stefanidi (GRE/pole vault; at Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station)
• Sandra Perkovic (CRO/discus throw)
• Team Holland (4x100 m women)
• Churandy Martina (NED/100 m)
• Martyn Rooney (GBR/400 m)
• Ilias Fifa (ESP/5000 m)
• Yasmani Copello Escobar (TUR/400 m hurdles)
• Robert Sobera (POL/pole vault)
Swiss athletes in the Weltklasse Zürich entry lists so far:
• Mujinga Kambundji (200 m)
• Selina Büchel (800 m)
• Lea Sprunger (400 m hurdles)
• Fabienne Schlumpf (3000 m SC)
• 4x100m national team
• Nicole Büchler (pole vault; Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station)
• Angelica Moser (pole vault; Weltklasse Zürich at Zurich Main Station)
• Kariem Hussein (400 m hurdles)
• Dominik Alberto (pole vault)
