A quintet of current world record-holders top the billing with double world record holder Faith Kipyegon being a major attraction.
The Diamond League in Monaco has attracted some of the greatest athletes who will descend on Stade Louis 2 stadium on Friday night, hoping to make a statement and have a significant build-up ahead of the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary from August 19 to 27.
A quintet of current world record-holders top the billing with double world record holder Faith Kipyegon, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Yulimar Rojas, Mondo Duplantis, and Karsten Warholm are some pre-race favourites.
16:10 - 19.07.2023
ATHLETICS Stanley Waithaka announces return to the track in Monaco after injury plaque
The injury also forced the 23-year-old to miss out on the World Championships National Trials.
Commonwealth Games champion Mary Moraa and Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala will also be in action when the event gets underway.
Two-time World champion Kipyegon has proven to be in the form of her life, breaking two world records in a span of one week.
She became the first woman to crack 3:50 for the 1500m as she set a new global standard of 3:49.11 in Florence and then followed up with an even more impressive run precisely one week later in Paris, when she brought down the 5000m world record, clocking 14:05.20.
Now she turns her attention to the mile, where her personal best of 4:16.71 was set in 2015. The mile world record stands at 4:12.33, set by Kipyegon’s long-time rival Sifan Hassan in the same stadium in 2019 and Kipyegon might just be going for it this time.
06:59 - 19.07.2023
ATHLETICS Eliud Kipchoge set to increase number of marathons per year
The only WMM he is yet to compete in is the New York City Marathon and if all goes well, he might be headed there during next year’s edition.
The 29-year-old will face strong opposition from Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir, Oceanian record-holder Jessica Hull of Australia, and US 1500m champion Nikki Hiltz.
Another fine men’s 5000m field has been assembled this year with Nicholas Kimeli, Stanley Waithaka, and Jacob Krop being headliners.
09:11 - 19.07.2023
ATHLETICS Dancing Queen Mary Moraa issues plea to her fans about late mum
Moraa has been vocal about losing her parents, Tom Basweti and Margaret Otwori when she was only two years old.
The trio will be up against this year’s world leader Berihu Aregawi and a high-class quartet of his compatriots Telahun Bekele, Hagos Gebrhiwet, Samuel Tefera, and Kuma Girma. Uganda’s world cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo will also be in the mix.
The men’s 800m has five of the six fastest men this year, including youngster Emmanuel Wanyonyi (world leader with 1:43.27), Wycliffe Kinyamal and Olympic and world champion Emmanual Korir, in-form Canadian Marco Arop, as well as the Algerian duo of Slimane Moula and Djamel Sedjati, who have both run well under 1:44 this year.
10:00 - 20.07.2023
OPINION: Kenya must invest in youth and grassroots football to become a regular World Cup and AFCON side. This is why
If Harambee Stars is to qualify for its first ever World Cup and always go far at the AFCON, this is why it must invest in youth and grassroots football.
Kenya’s Commonwealth champion Abraham Kibiwot (8:05.51 this year) leads a solid 3000m steeplechase field, which also features former world and Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto who will be seeking redemption after missing out on Team Kenya to the World Championships.
World 400m hurdles champion and record-holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will continue her flirtation with the flat 400m in Monaco and she will be up against in-form Moraa who also set a national record during the World Championships National Trials.
17:59 - 18.07.2023
HARAMBEE STARS Ex Kenyan international prods FKF to get quality opponents for Harambee Stars 'even if we get trounced 6-0'
Harambee Stars do not play until November and have lately come up against very lowly ranked opposition.
The men’s 100m has an African flavour, with Omanyala taking on Akani Simbine of South Africa and Botswana’s world U20 champion Letsile Tebogo.
The Jamaican trio of Yohan Blake, Ackeem Blake, Kishane Thompson, and USA’s Courtney Lindsey will give the Kenyan a run for his money.