Day 1 Preview for the Eugene Diamond League - Prefontaine Classic 2023

Saturday, 16 September 2023

The world of athletics is set to light up this weekend as the 2023 Diamond League Final descends upon the historic city of Eugene, commencing with the prestigious Prefontaine Classic on Friday, September 16. Athletes from all corners of the globe will vie for supremacy in their respective disciplines, and by Sunday, September 17, the creme de la creme will be crowned, clutching the coveted Diamond Trophy in their hands. As anticipation builds, we present a detailed preview of the events scheduled for day 1, offering insights and forecasts into the intense competitions ahead.

Men’s 100 metres:

Noah Lyles is fresh from a triple gold medal in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100 relay in Budapest. Lyles set the world seasonal lead with a PB of 9.83 in the World Championships in Budapest and won his third consecutive 200m world title in 19.52. In his three Diamond League competitions this year Lyles won in the 100 metres in Paris in 9.97, in the 200 metres in London in 19.47 and in Zurich in 19.80.

Lyles won four Diamond League titles in the 200 metres in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022. The US sprinter is seeking his second Diamond League Trophy in the 100 metres after his triumph over this distance in 2019 and his sixth overall title.

With a victory in the 100 metres at Hayward Field Lyles would be a win away from equalling Renaud Lavillenie and Christian Taylor’s record of seven Diamond Trophies.

Ferdinand Omanyala became the first Kenyan sprinter to win a Diamond League race in the 100 metres in 9.92 in Monaco. Omanyala won at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi in a seasonal best of 9.84 and in Zagreb in 9.94 into a headwind of -0.9 m/s.

Letsile Tebogo finished second at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco in 9.93 before winning the world silver medal in Budapest in 9.88.

Christian Coleman finished second in the US Championships final in 9.96 and sixth in the World Championships final in Budapest in 9.92. The US sprinter won the 100m at the Xiamen Diamond League meeting equalling the world seasonal best with 9.83. Marvin Bracy Williams won the world silver medal in Eugene in 9.88 in 2022.

The Jamaican contingent is represented by Ackeem Blake, who won at the Los Angeles meeting with 9.89 beating Coleman, Kishane Thompson, second at the Xiamen meeting in his lifetime best of 9.85. and Yohan Blake, world champion in Daegu 2011 and Olympic silver medallist in the 100m and 200m in London 2012.

The only European sprinter in the line-up is Joshua Hartmann, who broke the German record in the 200 metres with 20.02 at the National Championships in Kassel.

Women’s 100 metres:

Sha’Carri Richardson followed her US title in Eugene with her first world gold medal in the 100m in Budapest with a world seasonal best of 10.65. This performance has made Richardson the joint-fifth fastest in history. The US star also won the gold medal in the 4x100 relay in 41.03 and the bronze medal in the 200 metres in 21.92.

Richardson will make her attempt to win her first Diamond Trophy on home soil on the first day of the Diamond League Final. She won three 100 metres races in the circuit this summer in Doha in 10.76, Chorzow in 10.76 and Zurich in 10.88.

Shericka Jackson won the bronze medal in Eugene 2022 in 10.73 and the silver medal in Budapest 2023 in 10.72 in the past editions of the World Championships. Jackson improved her PB to 10.65 at the Jamaican Trials in Kingston and finished second to Richardson twice in the Diamond League races this year in Doha in 10.78 and in Chorzow in 10.85.

Marie Josée Ta Lou won four Diamond League races in the 100 metres in Florence in 10.97, in Oslo in 10.75, in Lausanne in 10.88 and London in 10.75 and finished fourth in the World Championships in Budapest in 10.81.

Five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson Herah returned to her best form after a tough season by improving her seasonal best three times to 11.00 in Zurich, 10.92 in Bellinzona and 10.84 in Brussels. Thompson Herah returns to the Hayward Field track where she set the second fastest time in history with 10.54 at the Prefontaine Classic in 2021.

Dina Asher Smith set her seasonal best of 10.85 in the Diamond League meeting in London last July and finished third in Doha in 10.98 and in Brussels in 10.97.

The line-up also features Jamaica’s Natasha Morrison, second in Zurich in 11.00 and in Brussels in 10.95, USA’s Twanisha Terry, world champion in the 4x100 relay, Imani Lansiquot from Great Britain, who improved her PB to 10.99 in Bellinzona, and Zoe Hobbs, Oceanian record holder with 10.97 this year.

Men's Bowerman Mile:

Ingebrigtsen had to settle with second place at the World Championships behind Josh Kerr in the 1500 metres in Budapest one year after finishing second to another British athlete Jake Wightman in Eugene. Ingebrigtsen bounced back with his second consecutive world gold medal in the 5000 metres beating Mohamed Katir in a thrilling sprint.

During a very successful Diamond League season Ingebrigtsen set two world records in the 2 miles in Paris with 7:54.10 and in the 2000 metres with 4:43.10 in Brussels and improved his European record to 3:27.14 in Chorzow. The Norwegian star will be aiming to win his second consecutive Diamond League title one year after his triumph at last year’s edition in 3:29.02 in Zurich.

Ingebrigtsen won two editions of the Bowerman Mile in 2021 with 3:47.24 and in 2022 with 3:49.76.

Yared Nuguse won two Diamond League competitions this year in the 1500 metres in London in 3:30.44 and in Zurich in 3:30.49 and the US Championships in Eugene in 3:34.90. The US middle distance runner finished fifth in the World Championships in Budapest.

The Kenyan challenge is led by Abel Kipsang, fourth at the World Championships in Budapest in 3:29.89 and second at the Diamond League meeting in Chorzow with his PB of 3:29.11, and Reynold Kipkorir Cheruiyot, world under 20 champion in Cali 2022 and eighth at the World Championships in Budapest 2023.

The line-up also features Narve Gilje Nordas from Norway, who won the world bronze medal in Budapest in 3:29.68 and improved his PB to 3:29.47 in Oslo, George Mills from Great Britain, who improved his PBs to 3:30.95 in the 1500 metres in Zurich and to 3:49.64 over the mile distance in Pfungstadt, Niels Laros from the Netherlands, who won the world under 20 titles in the 3000m and the 5000m in Jerusalem and finished 10th at the World Championships in 3:31.25 in Budapest, Stewart McSweyn from Australia, Oceanian record holder in the mile with 3:48.37, Cole Hocker from the USA, seventh at the World Championships in Budapest, Azeddine Habz from France, European Indoor bronze medal in Istanbul 2023, Mario Garcia from Spain, sixth at the World Championships in 3:30.26, and Elliot Giles from Great Britain, fourth in the 1500m at the London Diamond League meeting with 3:30.92.

Men’s 400 metres:

Matthew Hudson Smith from Great Britain reached the podium at the past two editions of the World Championships finishing third in Eugene in 44.66 and second in Budapest in 44.31 after improving Thomas Scheoenlebe’s European record to 44.26 in the semifinal.

The other medallist of the World Championships in Budapest in the line-up is Quincy Hall, who finished third in the 400 m in 44.37 and first in the 4x400 relay in 2:57.31.

Three-time Olympic and world 400 metres medallist Kirani James won the Xiamen Diamond League race in 44.38 bouncing back from the disappointment at the World Championships in Budapest, where he crossed the finish-line in fifth place, but he was later disqualified due to a lane infringement. He will make his fourth appearance at the Diamond League Finals after finishing second in 2021 and first in 2011 and 2022.

Vernon Norwood leads the Diamond League standings with 26 points ahead of Van Niekerk (24) thanks to a second place in Rabat in 45.11 and two third places in Oslo in 44.51 and London in 44.46.

The line-up also features Alexander Ogando from Dominican Republic, who set his seasonal best with 44.93 in Brussels and won the 4x400 mixed relay gold medal at the World Championships in Eugene 2022, Bryce Deadmon, US champion in 2023 in 44.22 and second at the London Diamond League meeting in 44.40, Rusheen McDonald from Jamaica, who set his seasonal best with 44.03 in Szekesfehrvar and won in Brussels with 44.84, Leungo Scotch from Botswana, who won in the Lausanne Diamond League in 44.94, and Gilles Biron, world silver medallist in the 4x400 relay in Budapest.

Men’s 400 metres hurdles:

Karsten Warholm is seeking his third Diamond League Trophy after claiming two titles in 2019 in 46.92 and 2021 in 47.35. Warholm set two Diamond League records to 46.52 in Oslo and 46.51 in Monaco and claimed his third world title in 46.89 in Budapest. The Norwegian athlete suffered a rare defeat against Kyron McMaster, who prevailed in Zurich by just 0.03 in 47.27. McMaster set the second fastest time of his career with 47.23 in Banska Bystrika and won the world silver medal in 47.34.

Warholm and McMaster will renew their rivalry against US hurdler Raj Benjamin, who won the Diamond League meeting in Doha in 47.78, the US title in 46.62 in Eugene and the bronze medal in Budapest in 47.56.

Alison Dos Santos from Brazil returns to the Hayward Field track, where he won the world title in 46.29 in 2022. Dos Santos won six Diamond League races last year, including the final in Zurich. The Brazilian athlete set his seasonal best with 47.38 in the semifinal of the World Championships in Budapest with 47.38 before finishing fifth in 48.10 in the final. He performed consistently during the 2023 season after a knee injury finishing second in Monaco in 47.66, third in Zurich in 47.62 and first in Bellinzona in 47.50.

CJ Allen leads the Diamond League standings after a solid season in which he collected a win in Paris in 47.92, two second places in Doha in 47.93 and Oslo in his PB of 47.58, a third place in Monaco in 47.84 and a fourth place in Zurich in 48.28.

The other top contenders are Trevor Bassitt and Wilfried Happio, third and fourth at the World Championships in 47.39 and 47.41, Ludvy Vailliant from France, who finished fourth in the Monaco Diamond League meeting in 47.85 and won the world silver medal with the 4x400 relay with 2:58.45, and Rasmus Magi from Estonia, seventh in the World Championships in Budapest in 48.33 and national champion in 48.04.

Women’s 1500 metres:

Faith Kipyegon broke three world records in the 1500 metres, in the mile and the 5000 metres during a sensational 2023 season. The double Olympic and world champion became the first woman to break the 3:50 barrier in the 1500 metres clocking 3:49.11 in Florence. She followed one week later with her world record of 14:05.20 in the 5000 metres in Paris. Last July Kipyegon set her third world record over the mile distance with 4:07.64 at the Monaco Diamond League meeting. She won two world gold medals in the 1500 metres with 3:54.87 and in the 5000 metres with 14:53.58 in Budapest. Kipyegon won five times at the Prefontaine Classic in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022 and her third world gold medal in Eugene in 2022.

Olympic silver medallist and double European champion Laura Muir placed sixth at the World Championships in Budapest 3:58.58. The Scottish middle-distance runner won two Diamond League in the 800 metres in Zurich in 1:57.71 and in the 1500 metres in Brussels in 3:55.34, the fourth fastest time of her career.

Clara Mageean is looking to continue her excellent season after finishing second in Brussels in a national record of 3:55.87. Mageean broke Sonia O’Sullivan’s Irish record clocking 4:14.58 in the Monaco Diamond League meeting.

The line-up is the Ethiopian quartet formed by Diribe Welteji, world silver medallist in the 1500 metres in Budapest with 3:55.29 and fourth in the 800 metres in 1:57.02 in Eugene, Freweyni Hailu, winner in the 1500 metres in the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen in 3:56.56, reigning world under 20 champion Birke Haylom, who broke the world under 20 record over the mile distance in Oslo in 4:17.13 and second in the 1500m in Chorzow in 3:54.93, Hirut Meshesha, winner at the Diamond League meeting in 3:54.87 and Worknesh Mesele, who clocked 3:57.00 in Chorzow, Australian middle distance runners Jessica Hull and Linden Hall, who set Oceanian records with 3:57.29 in Florence and 3:57.27 in Chorzow this year.

Women’s 3000 metres steeplechase:

The women’s 3000 metres steeplechase reunites the top seven finishers from the World Championships in Budapest.

Winfred Yavi Mutile followed her first world gold medal in 8:54.29 with a win in the Diamond League meeting in Zurich in 9.03.19. Yavi also won another win in the Diamond League meeting in Doha last May.

Yavi will clash against world silver medallist Beatrice, who broke the world all-time best time in the 2000 metres steeplechase in Zagreb, Faith Cherotich, world bronze medallist in Budapest, Jackline Chepkoech, world under 20 champion in Nairobi 2021, Commonwealth Games gold medallist in Birmingham 2022 and winner at the Diamond League meeting in London last July with 8:57.35, Zerfe Wondemagegn from Ethiopia, fourth at the World Championships in Budapest, and reigning Olympioc champion Peruth Chemutai from Uganda.

Men’s 3000 metres steeplechase:

In the absence of Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali and world record holder Lamecha Girma the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase race is going to wide open. Abraham Kibiwot, world bronze medallist in Budapest will take on Simon Kiprop, who won the Kenyan Trials and at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco, Getnet Wale from Ethiopia, Diamond League champion in 2019 and second placer in Rabat in 8:05.15, Ryuji Miura. Japanese record holder with 8:09.21 in Paris in 2023 and George Beamish from New Zealand, Oceanian record holder with 8:13.26 in Monaco.

Women’s javelin throw:

Haruka Kitaguchi from Japan won the world gold medal with 66.73m and claimed three Diamond League wins in Paris with 65.09m, in Chorzow with 67.04m and Brussels with a national record of 67.38m. Kitaguchi said after her win in Brussels that her next target is to break the 68 metres barrier.

Kitaguchi will take on Australia’s Mackenzie Little, winner in Lausanne with 65.70m, Victoria Hudson from Austria, second with 64.65m in Brussels, USA’s Maggie Malone, who won at the Zagreb Continental Tour Gold with 63.71m, Tori Peeters from New Zealand, national record holder with 63.26m.

Men’s javelin throw:

India’s Neeraj Chopra added the world gold medal to his Olympic title in Tokyo 2021. Chopra became the first Indian athlete to win a Diamond League title last year in Zurich. The Asian javelin thrower won two Diamond League competitions in Doha with 88.67m and in Lausanne with 87.66m and finished second in Zurich with 85.71m.

Jakub Vadlejch won two back-to-back Diamond League competitions in Monaco with 85.95m and Zurich with 85.86m and finished third at the World Championships in Budapest with 86.67m.

Anderson Peters, double world champion in Doha 2019 and Eugene 2022, will be looking to end a tough season with a good result. Peters finished third in the opening competition in Doha with a seasonal best of 85.88m, but he did not get through to the final at the World Championships in Budapest.

The line-up is completed by Oliver Helander from Finland, seventh at the World Championships in Budapest, Andrian Mardare from Moldavia, seventh at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, and US thrower Curtis Thompson, US champion with 80.92m.

Women’s triple jump:

Olympic and world champion Yulimar Rojas started her Diamond League campaign with 14.86m. She followed with a meeting record of 15.18m in Chorzow and her third consecutive win at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich with 15.18m. She will be seeking her third Diamond League Trophy. Rojas won her third consecutive world title with 15.08m in her sixth attempt.

The other Budapest World Championships medallist in the line-up is Leyanis Perez Hernandez, who won the bronze medal in the Hungarian capital with her PB of 14.98m.

Shanieka Ricketts, Diamond League winner in Zurich 2019 ,finished fourth at the World Championships in Budapest with 14.93m and won three consecutive competitions in Rovereto with 14.92m, in the Brussels Diamond League meeting with a PB of 15.01m and in Zagreb with 14.53m.

The line-up also features four more finalists of the World Championships in Budapest: Thea Lafond from Dominica (fifth with a national record of 14.90m), Liadagmis Povea from Cuba (sixth with 14.87m), Kimberly Williams from Jamaica(seventh with 14.38m), European indoor silver medallist Dariya Derkach from Italy (eighth with 14.36m).

Men’s high jump:

US high jump star Ju’Vaughn Harrison starts as a favourite in the men’s high jump in the absence of Olympic champions Gianmarco Tamberi (winner in the past two editions in Zurich) and Mutaz Barshim. Harrison won the world silver medal in Budapest with 2.36m and claimed three wins in Doha with 2.32m and Florence with 2.32m and London with 2.35m. Harrison finished second behind Tamberi with 2.34m on countback in last year’s final of the Diamond League final in Zurich.

The biggest opponents are Sanghyeok Woo from South Korea, world indoor champion in Belgrade and world silver medallist in Eugene 2022 with 2.35m, Hamish Kerr from New Zealand, world indoor bronze medallist in Belgrade 2022 and winner at the Diamond League meeting in Stockolm with 2.24m on a rainy day.

The line-up also features Andiy Protsenko from the Ukraine, world bronze medallist in Eugene 2022 with 2.33m and Diamond League champion in Zurich in 2019, Luis Enrique Zayas from Cuba, fourth at the World Championships in Budapest with 2.33m, Thomas Carmoy from Belgium, European indoor bronze medallist in Torun 2021, and Norbert Kobielski from Poland, fifth at the European Under 23 Championships in Gavle 2019.

Women’s pole vault:

Co-World champions Katie Moon and Nina Kennedy and three-time world Sandi Morris will headline the women’s pole vault.

Two athletes shared the gold medal in the women’s pole vault for the first time in the history of the World Championships. Both Moon and Kennedy cleared 4.90m at the World Championships in Budapest, but neither jumped the next height of 4.95m. They decided to share the gold medal.

One week after the World Championships Kennedy took the win at the Weltklasse meeting in Zurich setting the world leading performance with 4.91m. The Australian pole vaulter is aiming to defend her 2022 Diamond League title.

Moon is seeking the first Diamond League title of her career. The US star won three Diamond League competitions this year in Doha with 4.81m, Florence with 4.71m and Lausanne with 4.82m and finished second in London with 4.80m.

Morris is returning to her best shape and finished third in Zurich with 4.76m. A few days later the US vaulter set a seasonal best of 4.80m at the Galà dei Castelli City Event in Locarno with 4.80m. She finished second to Moon at the US Championships in Eugene.

Sandi Morris: “I have rediscovered the beast within me”.

Wilma Murto won the first Diamond League competition in London with 4.80m beating Moon on countback. The Finnish athlete won two gold medals at the European outdoor Championships in Munich with 4.85m and the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul with 4.80m and the world bronze medal in Budapest with 4.80m.

Tina Sutej won the world indoor bronze medal in Belgrade with 4.75m, the European outdoor bronze medal with 4.75m and finished fourth at the World Championships in Budapest with 4.80m.

Italy’s Roberta Bruni finished fourth at last year’s Wanda Diamond League Final with 4.61m in Zurich. Bruni recently improved her Italian record by 1 cm to 4.73m in Chiari.

Women’s triple jump:

The other Budapest World Championships medallist in the line-up is Leyanis Perez Hernandez, who won the bronze medal in the Hungarian capital with her PB of 14.98m.

Women’s shot put:

Chase Ealey won the world outdoor title in Eugene with 20.43m in front of her home fans last year. Ealey claimed five Diamond League wins in Doha, Oslo, Stockolm, Chorzow and Zurich to win her first Diamond League Trophy. This year the US shot putter faced a tougher opposition from world and European indoor champion Auriol Dongmo and Budapest world silver medallist Sarah Mitton and managed to win her only Diamond League competition in Brussels with 20.05m last week.

Dongmo won the opening two competitions in Rabat with 19.28m and Paris with 19.72m. Mitton took the victory in Oslo with 19.54m and finished second in Brussels with 19.76m.