100m men (21:45): Two European champions vs. four top ten sprinters of all time
European champions James Dasaolu (GBR/100m) and Adam Gemili (GBR/200m), will challenge some very fast overseas opponents, including four top ten sprinters of all time – Richard Thompson (TTO, 9th), Nesta Carter (JAM, 5th), Asafa Powell (JAM, 4th), and Tyson Gay (USA, 2nd) – and US champion Michael Rodgers. The race promises to be gripping, its outcome is uncertain.
200m men (8:31 pm): A win may yield more than double points
Two-time Diamond League meeting winner Nickel Ashmeade (JAM/20.33) won again in Birmingham on Sunday, beating Alonso Edward (PAN/20.35) by 2 hundredths. In the Diamond Race, relay world champion Ashmeade is now three points ahead of 2009 world championship silver medallist Edward. Therefore, if one of them wins the race at Letzigrund Stadium, he will snatch the Diamond Trophy from the other. Christoph Lemaitre, European championship silver medallist in the 100m and the 200m might want a say in the outcome of Thursday’s 200m race, however. And Swiss national champion Alex Wilson is determined to build on his strong performances at the Europeans, where he was the anchor of the 4x100m relay team who came in fourth in the final.
400m men (8:50 pm): LaShawn Merritt wants to win for the third time
If he competes in Zurich, world champion LaShawn Merritt (USA) will definitely collect a diamond. Nevertheless, he will have do more than run a relaxed honorary lap on Thursday, if he wants to win his third Weltklasse Zürich race (after 2009 and 2013): African record holder Isaac Makwala (BOT) proved that he feels comfortable on Swiss terrain with a win in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 44.01. And European champion Martyn Rooney (GBR) will give his best to maintain the proud British tradition in the quarter mile.
800m men (9:08 pm): The Who’s Who of middle distance running meets for a showdown
Eight lanes for the eight fastest 800m runners in the world: The race will be an exciting running spectacle! World record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha (KEN) leads the Diamond Race. He will be challenged by world champion Mohammed Aman (ETH), Olympic silver medallist and world leader Nijel Amos (BOT), 1500m world champion Asbel Kiprop (KEN), European champion Adam Kszczot (POL), and European leader Pierre-Ambroise Bosse (FRA). The French national record holder has a score to settle at Letzigrund Stadium: He had been the top favourite at the Europeans, but ended up placing eighth instead of collecting a medal.
5000m men (9:24 pm): Galen Rupp and the runners of East Africa
Ethiopia vs. Kenya: Another duel of the world’s leading running nations. Ethiopia sends Diamond Race leader Yenew Alamirew and its very young world leader Muktar Edris (20) to run in the season’s final race. And Kenya will be represented by two potential winners of the Diamond Race: 3000m world indoor champion Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku and Edwin Cheruiyot Soi. The only white athlete, who manages to challenge the East African reign in long distance running, is Galen Rupp (USA), Olympic silver medallist in the 10000m. His European colleague, Andy Vernon (GBR) just won silver in the 10000m and bronze in the 5000m at the Europeans. With his forceful running style, he stands out in every long distance race. All top 10 runners of the world will be in the race!
400m hurdles men (8:05 pm): A local hero and the world’s hurdling elite
For Switzerland, Kariem Hussein’s run for gold was no doubt the highlight of the European Athletics Championships. 45 years after Philippe Clerc (200m), the host country could finally celebrate another track champion. Now, the new local hero gets to return to his home arena to line up against the finest 400m hurdlers of the world. The 25-year-old medical student will be running against 37-year-old Olympic champion Felix Sanchez (DOM) and 22-year-old world champion Jehue Gordon (TTO). The outcome of the race will also determine the winner of the diamond trophy: Olympic and world championship silver medallist Michael Tinsley (USA/17 points) is in the lead, ahead of Olympic silver medallist and current world leader Javier Culson (PUR/15 points).
Triple jump men (8:00 pm): Claye vs. Taylor in the Diamond Race
Olympic silver medallist Will Claye (USA/14 points) leads the Diamond Race by only two points. Olympic champion Christian Taylor (USA/12 points) will definitely try to seize the opportunity and snatch the trophy in the final competition. If there is a level score, Claye will still be the one collecting the diamond, as he has won more IAAF Diamond League competitions. All three medallists of the Europeans, Benjamin Compaoré (FRA), Lyukman Adams (RUS), and Aleksey Fedorov (RUS), will try to jump onto the podium in Zurich once again. Local athlete Alexander Hochuli is eyeing the 16m barrier, which he had missed by only 5 centimetres at Zürich 2014.
Shot put men (6:10 pm): The strongest shot putters from both sides of the Atlantic
Three wins, one second, and one third place: A diamond is definitely on the cards for Reese Hoffa (USA). However, world and European champion David Storl (GER) and US national champion Joe Kovacs (so far the only athlete to have thrown farther than 22m in 2014), could still collect the trophy by winning at Weltklasse Zürich. Unless Hoffa places second. The top five athletes at Zürich 2014, including Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski (POL), and the world’s top five athletes – the strongest shot putters from both sides of the Atlantic – will all be in the competition.
Javelin throw men (8:25 pm): Can Abdelrahman retain his lead?
Who would have thought that an Egyptian athlete will be both world leader and leader in the javelin throw Diamond Race this year? But world champion Vitezslav Vesely (CZE), European champion Antti Ruuskanen (FIN), and former world champion Tero Pitkämäki (FIN) are all determined to try and snatch the Diamond Trophy from Ihab Abdelrahman. In addition, Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott (TTO), who just set a new personal best in Glasgow (85.23m) will try to prevail in the strong Weltklasse Zürich line-up.
Wheelchair race men/women (7:25 pm): Catch me if you can!
Swiss wheelchair athlete Marcel Hug, who won three European titles in Swansea last week, will be challenged by strong opponents – both male and female. In a 3000m pursuit race, he will try to catch up with the women who will have to cover 2600m only. The women’s entry list features Manuela Schär, four-time European champion. How much ground will the men be able to make up?
At the IAAF Diamond League final events, athletes can score double points. 8 points will be awarded to the winner of a Diamond Race, 4 points to the athlete placing second, and 2 points to the athlete placing third. At level score and the same number of wins, the better result at the final event will count. Athletes are required to compete at the Diamond League final events in Zurich or Brussels to win a Diamond Race.
(as at Wednesday, 27 August, 9 am)
27 August, 2014
