Day 2 Preview for the Eugene Diamond League - Prefontaine Classic 2023
Following a thrilling kickoff, the Diamond League final in Eugene is poised to deliver more exhilarating moments on its concluding day. As the competition resumes on Sunday, 17 more coveted Diamond League titles await, promising fierce contests and potentially unforgettable performances from the world's premier athletes.
Men’s 200 metres:
Erryion Knighton won the first Diamond League of his career in Brussels in 20.07 into a strong headwind last year and picked up where he left off by winning two Diamond League races in Florence in 19.89 and in Oslo breaking Usain Bolt’s Bislett Games meeting record with 19.77. After claiming the US Championships title in Eugene in 19.72 Knighton won the silver medal in 19.75 at the World Championships in Budapest and finished second in the Zurich Diamond League meeting behind Lyles in 19.87.
Zharnel Hughes showed his excellent form last July when he won at the British Championships in Manchester in a wind-assisted 19.77. Hughes finished third at the Diamond League meeting in London in 19.73 missing Pietro Mennea’s European record by one hundredth of a second. The British sprinter won the bronze medal in the 100m in 9.88 and finished fourth in the 200 metres in 20.02 in Budapest. He placed third in Zurich in 19.94 and second in Brussels in 19.82.
Kenny Bednarek, Olympic silver medallist in Tokyo in 19.68 and Diamond League winner in the 200 metres in Zurich in 19.70 in 2021, placed fifth at the World Championships in Budapest in 20”07 and won in Brussels in 19.79.
Letsile Tebogo won his first Diamond League race in Lausanne in 20.01 and finished second in London in 19.50 improving the long standing African record held by Frankie Fredericks since 1996 with 19.68.
Olympic champion André De Grasse, who finished second at the Diamond League final in Zurich in 19.70 in 2021, returned to sub-20 form setting a seasonal best of 19.89 in the Brussels Diamond League meeting. Aaron Brown, world 4x100 relay champion in Eugene last year, clocked the second fastest time of his career with 19.98.
The line-up also features Alexander Ogando, fifth in the World Championships final in Eugene 2022 in 19.93, Joseph Fahnbulleh, fifth at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 19.98 and fourth at the World Championships in Eugene in 19.84, Kyree King, fourth at the Diamond League meeting in London in 20.01 and winner in Zagreb in 20.10.
Women’s 200 metres:
Shericka Jackson from Jamaica returns to the Hayward Field track where she won her first 200m world title in 21.45. Jackson won her second world gold medal in Budapest in 21.41 missing Florence Griffith Joyner’s world record by just 7 hundredths of a second. Jackson set the fourth fastest time with 21.48 at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels on 8 September. Jackson is aiming to break Griffith Joyner’s world record this year. Jackson leads the Diamond League standings with 32 points after winning three more races in Rabat in 21.98, in Monaco in 21.86 and Zurich in 21.80.
Shericka Jackson: “My coach and I have spoken and we are going after the world record this year. I hope to get it”.
Daryll Neita is ranked second in the Diamond League standings with 24 points. The British sprinter showed her consistency by finishing fifth in the World Championships final in her lifetime best of 22.16 and second in Zurich in 22.25.
Dina Asher Smith won the world gold medal in the 200 metres in Doha 2019 and the world bronze in Eugene 2022. Asher Smith finished seventh at the World Championships in Budapest in 22.34, second in Stockolm in 22.58, third in Monaco in 22.23 and fourth in Paris in 22.57.
The line-up also features Anthonique Strachan, second in Rabat in 22.15 and Brussels in 22.31, and Kayla White, third in Zurich in 22.33.
Women’s 400 metres:
Marileidy Paulino won last year’s Diamond League final in Zurich in 48.99 in 2022 and lived up to her role as defending champion with three 400 metres wins in Doha (50.51), Paris (49.12) and Xiamen (49.36). The Olympic silver medallist improved her PB twice to 48.98 at the Los Angeles Grand Prix and to 48.76 she won her first world gold medal in Budapest.
Paulino will face a tough opposition from Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, who won three Diamond League races in Florence in 50.41, Chorzow in her PB of 49.48 and Monaco in 49.63. The Polish athlete won the world silver medal in Budapest in 49.57 behind Paulino.
The podium of the World Championships is completed by Sada Williams from Barbados, who won the bronze medal in Budapest with 49.60.
Lieke Klaver from the Netherlands finished sixth in 50.33 after clocking 49.87 in the semifinal and won the gold medal in the 4x400 relay at the World Championships in Budapest. The Dutch also finished second to Kaczmarek in Chorzow improving her PB to 49.81.
Cynthia Bolingo became the first Belgian 400m specialist to dip under the 50 seconds barrier with 49.96 in the semifinal before finishing fifth in the final at the World Championships in Budapest. Bolingo won her first Diamond League race in Brussels in 50.09 in front of her home fans.
The line-up also features Candice McLeod from Jamaica, seventh at the World Championships in Budapest, Victoria Ohuruogu from Great Britain, semifinalist at the World Championshipsin Budapest, Lynna Irby Jackson, who finished third at the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen in 50.45, and Allyah Abrams from Guyana, who set a seasonal best of 50.20.
Men’s 110 metres hurdles:
Defending Diamond League champion Grant Holloway will be seeking his second consecutive Diamond Trophy one year after winning in the Zurich final in 13.02. Holloway claimed three wins in Florence in 13.04, Paris in 12.98 and London in 13.01 and his third world gold medal in Budapest in 12.98.
Holloway will renew his rivalry against Hansle Parchment, who won the world silver medal in Budapest in 13.07 and claimed two wins at the Diamond League meeting in Xiamen in 12.96 and in the Continental Tour meeting in Zagreb in 13.13.
The entire podium of the World Championships is completed by Daniel Roberts, who won the bronze medal in Budapest in 13.09 and finished second in Xiamen in 13.03.
Shunshuke Izumyia from Japan performed well this year placing fifth in the World Championships in Budapest in 13.19. The Japanese hurdler won his first Diamond League race in Lausanne in 13.22 and finished second in London in 13.06.
European indoor champion Jason Joseph improved his Swiss record to 13.10 and equalled it in Madrid. Joseph improved his record twice more to 13.08 in Zurich and 13.07 in Basel.
The other top names are US hurdlers Freddie Crittenden, fourth at the World Championships in 13.18, Jamal Britt, third at the London Diamond League meeting in 13.25, US rising star Cordell Tinch, who improved his PB to 12.96 and finished third at the US Championships in Eugene, and European bronze medallist Just Kwaow Mathey, who improved his PB to 13.09 at the Paris Diamond League meeting.
Women’s 100 metres hurdles:
Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho Quinn is aiming to win her first Diamond League Trophy. The Puerto Rican hurdlesr won the two Diamond League races in Doha in 12.48 and Lausanne in 12.40 and finished second in the World Championships final in Budapest in 12.44. She clinched wins in her most recent races in Bellinzona in 12.56 and Zagreb in 12.47.
Danielle Williams won her second world gold medal in 12.43 in Budapest beating Camacho Quinn by one hundredth of a second and claimed two consecutive wins in Zurich in 12.53 and in Berlin in 12.71.
Kendra Harrison won the world bronze medal in Budapest in 12.46 and performed well on the Diamond League circuit by finishing second in Chorzow in 12.35 and Monaco in 12.31.
Nia Ali won the US Championships title in 12.37 and at the Monaco Diamond League meeting improving her PB to 12.30.
Tobi Amusan returns to Hayward Field where she won the world gold medal in a wind-assisted 12.06 after breaking the world record with 12.12 in the semifinal. The Nigerian hurdler won two Diamond League races in Stockolm in 12.52 and Chorzow in 12.34 before finishing sixth in the World Championships in Budapest in 12.62.
The line-up is completed by US hurdlers Alaysha Johnson, third in Monaco in 12.39 and second in Zurich in 12.58, and Tia Jones, fifth at the US Championships in 12.50 and fourth in Monaco in 12.39 and in Zurich in 12.62, Pia Skrzyszowska from Poland, European champion in Munich in 12.53, and Megan Tapper from Jamaica, Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo.
Women’s 400 metres hurdles:
Femke Bol is seeking her third consecutive Diamond Trophy after winning the past two editions of the Diamond League Finals in Zurich in 2021 in 52.80 and in 2022 in 53.03. Bol won her first world title in the 400 metres hurdles in 51.70 and anchored the Dutch 4x400 team to gold medal in 3:20.72. The Dutch star won five Diamond League races this year setting the meeting record in each of these competitions in Florence (52.43), Oslo (52.30), Lausanne (52.76), London (51.45 European record) and Brussels (52.11).
Bol will line up against Shamier Little, who won the US title in Eugene last July and her second world silver medal in Budapest in 52.80.
Jamaica will be represented by Rushell Clayton, world bronze medallist in Budapest 2023 in 52.81, and two-time Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell, who finished second in London in 53.75 and Brussels in 53.80.
Ayomide Folorunso is looking to finish her season on a high note after a successful season, in which she broke the Italian record with 53.89 in the semifinal of the World Championships before finishing sixth in the final in 54.19. Folorunso went on to finish fourth in Xiamen in 54.08 and fifth in Brussels in 54.42 to qualify for the Diamond League final.
The line-up features Anna Cockrell, fifth in the World Championships final in Budapest in 53.34, Anna Ryzhykova and Viktoria Tkachuk from the Ukraine and Gianna Woodruff from Panama, who finished fifth, sixth and seventh respectively at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Women’s 800 metres:
Global medallists Keely Hodgkonson, Mary Moraa and Athing Mu will clash against each other in a thrilling 800 metres. Hodgkinson and Moraa won the past two editions of the Diamond League final respectively in 2021 and 2022 in Zurich. Moraa beat Hodgkinson in the 800 metres final at the World Championships in Budapest.
Mu won at the Prefontaine Classic setting a 800 metres North Aremican record in 2021 a few weeks after her gold medal at the Olympic final ahead of Hodgkinson. One year laster the US athlete beat Hodgkinson and Moraa in the final of the World Championships in Eugene 2022.
The line-up also features Jemma Reekie, who finished fifth at the World Championships in Budapest in 1:57.72 and won the raod mile race in New York, Jamaican record holder and Olympic finalist Natoya Goule and Oceanian record holder Catriona Bisset from Australia.
Men’s 800 metres:
Marco Arop won the world title in Budapest beating 2021 world under 20 champion Emmannuel Wanyonyi in a thrilling final sprint at the World Championships. Wanyonyi avenged this defeat by beating his Canadian rival in another final sprint at the Diamond League meeting. Arop and Wanyony have drawn 3-3 in their six head-to-head races.
The line-up features two-time Commonwealth Games champion Wycliffe Kinyamal, who won in Monaco in 1:43.22 and finished second in Doha and Rabat, Djamel Sedjati, winner in Stockolm in 1:44.59 and Brussels in 1:43.60, and Benjamin Robert from France, who clocked 1:43.48 in Monaco and 1:43.68 in Xiamen.
Men’s middle distance races:
Jakob Ingebrigtsen will compete in both the men’s mile and the 3000 metres at the Prefontaine Classic. The traditional Bowerman Mile will be the final race of the first day on Saturday. The 3000 metres race is scheduled on Sunday at 13.17 local time.
Ingebrigtsen is entered as a global wildcard for the 3000 metres and will not be eligible in this event for the prize money available as a Diamond League final.
Men’s 3000 metres:
The men’s 5000 metres in the Diamond League has been replaced with a 3000 metres race. The line-up features five of the six athletes, who have run under 12:45 in the 5000 metres at Diamond League races in 2023: Berihu Aregawi (winner in Lausanne with 12:40.45), world 5000m and 10000m record holder Joshua Cheptegei (second in Lausanne with 12:41.61), Yomif Kejelcha (winner in Oslo with 12:41.73), Hagos Gebrhiwet (winner in Monaco in 12.42.18) and Telahun Haile Bekele (second in Monaco in 12:42.70).
Jakob Ingebrigtsen set the previous European record in the 5000 metres with 12:48.45 and won the 3000 metres European indoor gold medal with 7:24.00 in Istanbul and his second 5000 metres world title in Budapest.
Cheptegei won two consecutive world gold medals in the 10000 metres in Eugene and Budapest.
Kejelcha won the 5000 metres in Zurich in 12:46.91 beating his compatriot Selemon Barega (12:54.17).
The other athletes to watch are Louis Grijalva from Guatemala, fourth in the 5000 metres at the World Championships in Budapest in 13:12.50 and national record holder with 12:52.97, and USA’s Grant Fisher, third in the 5000m in Zurich and winner in the 3000m in Rovereto in 7:33.32.
Women’s 5000 metres:
Defending Diamond League champion Beatrice Chebet will chase her second consecutive Diamond Trophy in the 5000 metres. Chebet will take on Gudaf Tsegay, world champion in the 5000m in Eugene in 2022, and world gold medallist in the 10000m in Budapest 2023, Ejgayehu Taye, world indoor 800m silver medallist Freweyny Hailu, Medina Eisa from Etiopia, second in Brussels in 14:28.54, Australia’s Jessica Hull, seventh in the 1500 metres in Budapest in 3:59.54, USA’s Alicia Monson, fifth in the 10000m at the World Championships in Eugene, and Lilian Rengeruk from Kenya, winner in Brussels in 14:26.36.
Men’s pole vault:
World, Olympic and European champion Armand Duplantis is aiming to win his third Diamond League Trophy after winning two consecutive finals in Zurich in 2021 with 6.06m and in 2022 with 6.07m. Duplantis returns to Eugene where he won his first world outdoor gold medal setting the world record of 6.21m. The Swede improved it to 6.22m in Clermont Ferrand.
At the World Championships Duplantis won his second gold medal in Budapest with 6.10m and had three attempts at 6.23m coming very close to clearing the bar.
At last week’s Diamond League meeting in Brussels Duplantis won with 6.10m before failing to break the record by the smallest of margins.
Duplantis won twice at the Prefontaine Classic in 2019 with 5.93m and 2022 with 5.91m.
Armand Duplantis: “I really believe that I should have made it in Brussels. I had it in me to jump the world record and I really thought that I was going to do it. It is a shame”.
Ernest Obiena won the bronze medal at the World Championships with 5.94m in Eugene becoming the first athlete from the Philippines to reach the podium at this event. Obiena cleared 6.00m for the second time in his career to claim the world silver medal in Budapest.
Christopher Nilsen and Kurtis Marshall shared the world bronze medal with 5.95m in Budapest. Nilsen won the US title in Eugene with 5.91m and the Diamond League meeting in Monaco with 5.92m.
Double world champion Sam Kendricks finished fourth at the US Championships, but he bounced back in the final part of the season by finishing second in Zurich with 5.95m and Brussels with 5.92m.
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.
Men’s long jump:
The men’s long jump is wide open. Olympic and world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou has decided to end his season after winning his first world gold medal and at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich.
Tajay Gayle from Jamaica won the world gold medal in Doha 2019 with 8.69m and the world bronze medal in Budapest with 8.27m.
Simon Ehammer from Switzerland returns to Hayward Field, where he won the world bronze medal with 8.16m. Ehammer became the first Swiss athlete in history to win a Diamond League in Oslo with 8.32m, missing his national record by 13 cm.
The line-up features LaQuan Nairn from the Bahamas, winner in Lausanne with 8.11m, Jarrion Lawson, fourth at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016, Yuki Hashioka from the Bahamas, world under 20 champion in Tampere 2018 and sixth at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021, William Williams, US indoor champion in Albuquerque with 8.20m in 2023, Radek Juska from Czech Republic, seventh at the World Championships in Budapest.
Women’s long jump:
World and European champion Ivana Vuleta from Serbia will be seeking her sixth Diamond League title after lifting the trophy in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2022. Vuleta won her first world gold medal in Budapest setting the world seasonal best with 7.14m. The Serbian athlete won her most recent Diamond League competitions in Xiamen with 6.88m and Brussels with 6.74m.
Larissa Iapichino, who won three Diamond League competitions this year in Florence, Stockolm and Monaco, announced that she will not compete in the Diamond League Final due to a muscle strain.
Larissa Iapichino: “Due to a muscle strain, which will not be fully recoverable by Sunday, I will reluctantly be unable to participate in the Diamond League final at the Prefontaine Classic. Unfortunately it's part of the game and my 2023 season ends here. I can only be grateful for this year full of satisfactions and magnificent experiences. Now it's time to rest and get back on track to start preparing for next year in the best possible way. Thank you all. We will see each other soon".
The line-up features Quanesha Burks, fourth at the World Championships in Eugene 2022 and winner at the Diamond League meeting with 6.98m in London, Jazmin Sawyers from Great Britain, European Indoor gold medallist in Istanbul 2023 with a national indoor record of 7.00m, Ese Brume from Nigeria, world silver medallist in Eugene 2022 with 7.02m, and Brooke Bushkuhel, seventh at the World Championships in Eugene.
The line-up will be completed by the US trio formed by two-time Olympic and world silver medallist Will Claye, Donald Scott, world indoor bronze medallist in Belgrade 2022 and US champion this year with 17.22m, and Chris Benard, sixth at the World Championships in London 2017.
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 high jump:
Yaroslava Mahuchik is seeking her second consecutive Diamond League Trophy after winning the gold medal in Budapest with 2.01m. The Ukrainian star continued her successful season after Budapest with two consecutive Diamond League wins in Xiamen with 2.02m and Brussels with 2.00m.
Mahuchik will face Nicola Olyslagers and Iryna Geraschenko, who both beat the Ukrainian athlete during this year’s Diamond League season.
Olyslagers won in Paris with 2.01m, Lausanne with 2.02 and Monaco with 1.99m and the world bronze medal in Budapest with 1.99m.
Geraschenko finished second in Lausanne with 2.00m and in Monaco with 1.96m and won in Chorzow with 1.98m. The Ukrainian athlete took the win at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene with 1.98m beating Vashti Cunningham after a jump-off.
Angelina Topic from Serbia cleared 1.97m twice during the Diamond League season in Paris and Brussels and won the European Under 20 gold medal in Jerusalem last August. Topic clinched the European bronze medal at senior level in Munich 2022 and finished seventh at the World Championships in Budapest with 1.94m.
Morgan Lake from Great Britain returns to Eugene, where she won two world under 20 titles in the high jump and in the heptathlon in 2014. Lake broke the British record with 1.99m at the indoor high jump meeting in Hustopece and finished fourth at the World Championships in Budapest with 1.97m.
The line-up is completed by Vashti Cunningham, world indoor champion in Portland 2016, and 2017 world silver medallist Yulya Levchenko from the Ukraine, who finished third in Chorzow with a seasonal best of 1.98m.
Men’s shot put:
Double Olympic and world champion Ryan Crouser is aiming his Diamond League title two years after his triumph in Zurich. Crouser broke the world record with 23.56m. Crouser narrowly missed his world record by 5 cm when he won the world gold medal with 23.51m in Budapest. Crouser clinched three Diamond League wins in Lausanne with 22.29m, Chorzow with 22.55m and London with 23.07m.
Leonardo Fabbri from Italy won his first Diamond League with 21.71m in his home city Florence and went on to clinch the world silver medal in Budapest with his PB of 22.34m. Fabbri threw over the 22 metres barrier for the second time in his career with 22.14m in Arzignano, where he finished second to Joe Kovacs (22.36m).
Kovacs won last year’s Diamond League final in Zurich with his lifetime best of 23.23m. The two-time world champion recently showed his good form when he threw 22.40m in Padua. Kovacs won the world bronze medal with 22.12m behind Crouser and Fabbri.
Tom Walsh, world champion in London 2017 and two-time Olympic bronze medallist, finished fourth at the World Championships in Budapest with 22.05m and won at the Continental Tour meeting in Zagreb with 22.46m. Walsh holds a seasonal best of 22.58m at the London Diamond League.
The line-up also features Payton Otterdahl, fifth at the World Championships with 21.86m, and Filip Mihljevic, European champion with 21.88m and seventh at the World Championships in Budapest with 21.57m.
Men’s discus throw:
Kristjan Ceh, world champion in Eugene last year, won the first three Diamond League competitions of the season in Doha with 70.89m, Rabat with 70.32m and Stockolm with 69.83 extending his winning streak to eight consecutive victories following his five wins in 2022. Ceh was beaten by Olympic champion Daniel Stahl in Stockolm. Ceh and Stahl went head to head ten times and are tied 5-5 this year. Stahl won the world gold medal in Budapest setting the third best performance of his career with 71.46 to Ceh’s 70.02m in an exciting battle. Ceh leads the world seasonal best of 71.86m in Johvi last June.
The line-up also features Matthew Denny from Australia, fourth at the World Championships in Budapest with the Oceanian record of 68.24m, Andrius Gudzius from Lithuania, world champion in London 2017, Lawrence Okoye from Great Britain, European bronze medallist with 67.24m in Munich, and Sam Matitis, US champion with 65.93m.
Women’s discus throw:
Valarie Allman is seeking her third consecutive Diamond League title following her two consecutive titles in Zurich in 2021 and 2022. Allman won two Diamond League competitions last June in Florence with 65.96m and Paris with 69.04m. The US discus thrower won the US title with 67.66m, the world silver medal with 69.23m, the ISTAF in Berlin with her seasonal best of 70.47m and the Galà dei Castelli in Bellinzona with 69.09m.
Allman will try to avenge her defeat against her compatriot Laulaga Tausaga, who won a surprising world gold medal with 69.49m in Budapest.
Jorinde Van Klinken won the NCAA title in Eugene and her first Diamond League competition in Oslo beating Allman.
Six-time Diamond League champion Sandra Perkovic won in Stockolm with 64.49m. Perkovic bounced back from her fifth place at the World Championships in Budapest with a second place in Xiamen with 67.32m and her win in Zagreb with her seasonal best of 67.71m in front of her home fans
Feng Bin won her first Diamond League competition of the season in front of her home fans in Xiamen with 67.41m.
