Rome Diamond League Golden Gala Event by Event Preview

Posted by: Watch Athletics

Wednesday, 03 June 2026

The 46th edition of the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea will feature 43 Olympic or World champions and more than 80 global medalists when the Wanda Diamond League returns to the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on June 4.

Men's 100 Metres

The men's 100 metres is one of the marquee events of the Golden Gala, led by Olympic champion Noah Lyles.

Lyles returns to Rome seven years after finishing second in the 200 metres in 19.72, matching the time of Pietro Mennea, whose name the meeting now bears. The American owns eight World Championship gold medals, Olympic gold in the 100 metres from Paris 2024 and a North American record of 19.31 in the 200 metres. Last year he won world gold in Tokyo and claimed a record-extending sixth Diamond League title.

Home favourite Marcell Jacobs returns to the stadium where he ran 10.11 in 2020 before his Olympic triumph in Tokyo. The Italian opened his season with a wind-assisted 10.01 in Savona and will use Rome as preparation for the European Championships.

World indoor champion Jordan Anthony makes his Diamond League debut after running 9.91 for 100 metres and 20.05 for 200 metres this season.

The international field also includes African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala, who has broken 10 seconds five times in 2026, two-time Golden Gala winner Akani Simbine, Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, Diamond League Final champion Ackeem Blake and European indoor champion Jeremiah Azu.

Women's 200 Metres

The women's 200 metres promises to be one of the highlights of the evening, with Shericka Jackson's meeting record of 21.91 potentially under threat.

Three-time world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden leads the field after her remarkable 2025 season, in which she won world titles in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres relay. Her personal bests of 10.61 and 21.68 rank among the fastest performances in history.

Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred arrives as the world leader with 21.86. The Saint Lucian star also owns Olympic silver in the 200 metres and a personal best of 21.71.

Great Britain's Amy Hunt returns after finishing second in Rome last year. Hunt claimed world silver in Tokyo 2025 and lowered her personal best to 22.08.

The race also features defending champion Anavia Battle, European Team Championships winner Jael Bestué, Nigeria's Favour Ofili and Britain's Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita.

Women's 5000 Metres

Nadia Battocletti will be one of the biggest attractions for the home crowd as she chases the first Diamond League victory of her career.

The Italian star won European 5,000m and 10,000m gold medals in Rome in 2024 before earning Olympic silver and two World Championship medals in Tokyo. Last year she improved her Italian record to 14:23.15 and now targets Sifan Hassan's European record of 14:13.42.

Olympic steeplechase champion Winfred Yavi steps up in distance after winning in Rome two years ago and owns a 5,000m best of 14:41.99.

Freweyni Hailu arrives in strong form after her recent Diamond League victory in Rabat and has finished runner-up at the last two Golden Gala editions.

Ireland's Sarah Healy returns after winning the 1500 metres in Rome last year and enters the race as European indoor 3000m champion.

The field also includes Diamond League champion Fantaye Belayneh, world U20 champions Medina Eisa and Marta Alemayo, Ethiopia's Likina Amebaw and Australia's Linden Hall.

Women's Pole Vault

The women's pole vault brings together an outstanding field led by Olympic champion Nina Kennedy of Australia. Kennedy returned from injury in style with a victory at the Rabat Diamond League, clearing 4.80m. She also won in Rome in 2024 with 4.83m, just weeks after capturing Olympic gold in Paris with 4.90m. The Australian star shared the world title with Katie Moon in Budapest 2023 and owns an Oceanian record of 4.91m.

Four-time world silver medallist Sandi Morris returns after victories at the Golden Gala in 2022 and 2025. The American has won 11 Diamond League competitions and the overall Diamond League title in 2022.

World indoor champion Molly Caudery heads to Rome after claiming consecutive world indoor titles in Glasgow 2024 and Torun 2026. The British athlete set a national outdoor record of 4.92m in 2024.

Angelica Moser returns to the stadium where she won European gold in 2024 with 4.78m. The Swiss star improved her national record to 4.88m and narrowly missed an Olympic medal in Paris, finishing fourth with 4.80m.

Tina Sutej arrives in Rome after winning outdoor world bronze in Tokyo 2025 and indoor world silver in Torun 2026. The Slovenian record holder owns a best of 4.81m.

Other contenders include world indoor medallists Amalie Svabikova and Imogen Ayris, New Zealand's Olivia McTaggart, and Italy's Elisa Molinarolo.

Women's 400 Metres

Olympic 800 metres champion Keely Hodgkinson will test her speed over one lap in Rome.

The British star broke the world indoor 800m record with 1:54.87 in Liévin before adding world indoor gold in Torun. Hodgkinson won Olympic gold in Paris in 1:56.72 and European gold in Rome 2024. She owns 400m bests of 51.49 indoors and 51.61 outdoors.

European champion Natalia Bukowiecka returns to Rome after winning gold there in 48.98 before claiming Olympic bronze in Paris. The Polish star improved her national record to 48.90 and recently opened her season with victory in Bydgoszcz.

Henriette Jaeger continues her rise after becoming the first Norwegian woman to win a Diamond League race. She lowered her national record to 49.49 and helped Norway win 4x400m relay gold at the World Relays.

World indoor champion Lurdes Gloria Manuel returns after an impressive comeback from injury. The Czech athlete won the world indoor title in Torun with a personal best of 50.76 after missing most of 2025.

European bronze medallist Lieke Klaver, Jamaican record holder Nickisha Pryce, world indoor champion Amber Anning, NCAA champion Aaliyah Butler and Italy's Anna Polinari complete a deep field.

Men's Shot Put

The men's shot put features a showdown between Joe Kovacs and Rajindra Campbell, winners of the first two Diamond League meetings of the season.

Kovacs arrives in Rome after throwing a world-leading 22.56m in Rabat, breaking Ryan Crouser's meeting record. The American is a three-time Diamond League champion and ranks second on the world all-time list with 23.23m.

Crouser returns to Rome two years after winning here with a meeting record of 22.49m. The three-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion owns the world record of 23.56m and remains one of the sport's greatest throwers.

Campbell became the first Jamaican to throw beyond 22 metres when he set a national record of 22.34m to win in Xiamen. The Olympic bronze medallist will look to continue his breakthrough season.

Four-time world indoor champion Tom Walsh returns after winning the Golden Gala in 2025, while Italy's Leonardo Fabbri will have strong home support. Fabbri won European gold in Rome in 2024, later captured the Diamond League title and improved his Italian record to 22.98m.

The field also includes Zane Weir, Uziel Muñoz, Jordan Geist, Roger Steen and Adrian Piperi.

Men's Long Jump

Although world champion Mattia Furlani has withdrawn with a hamstring injury sustained in Xiamen, the men's long jump remains one of the strongest events in Rome.

Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou returns to the stadium where he won European gold in 2024 with a personal best of 8.65m. The Greek star, winner of 11 major international titles, opened his season with victories in Xiamen and Limassol, where he jumped 8.49m.

European indoor champion Bozhidar Saraboyukov arrives in excellent form after winning world indoor bronze in Torun and setting a personal best of 8.45m earlier this year.

Jamaica's Wayne Pinnock, Olympic silver medallist in Paris and world silver medallist in Budapest, leads a strong Jamaican contingent that also includes world champion Tajay Gayle and world indoor medallist Carey McLeod.

The field is completed by world indoor champion Gerson Baldé, defending Golden Gala champion Liam Adcock, Diamond League champion Tobias Montler and Italian hope Gabriele Chilà.

Men's Triple Jump

Andy Diaz will target a third Golden Gala victory after winning in Florence in 2023 and Rome in 2024. The Olympic bronze medallist and two-time world indoor champion is one of seven reigning Diamond League champions competing in Rome.

Diaz claimed his third Diamond League title in Zurich last year and successfully defended his world indoor crown in Torun with 17.47m.

His main rivals include Cuba's Lazaro Martinez, world indoor champion in 2022 and world outdoor medallist in Budapest and Tokyo, Jamaica's Jordan Scott and Jaydon Hibbert, and Algeria's Yasser Triki, silver medallist at the World Indoor Championships.

Scott arrives with the world lead of 17.66m, while Hibbert remains one of the sport's brightest young talents after setting a world U20 record of 17.75m.

Men's High Jump

The men's high jump once again features a world-class field.

World indoor champion Oleg Doroshchuk returns to Rome after winning European bronze here in 2024. The Ukrainian added European indoor gold in Apeldoorn and world indoor gold in Torun this season.

World bronze medallist Jan Štefela leads the Czech challenge after clearing 2.31m at the World Championships in Tokyo.

Two-time Golden Gala champion JuVaughn Harrison returns alongside world indoor silver medallist Erick Portillo, who became the first Mexican athlete to win a global medal in a vertical jumps event.

Italian fans will be eager to see Matteo Sioli, who won European indoor bronze and European U23 gold during a breakthrough 2025 season.

Also in the field are Romaine Beckford, Romaine Richards and Poland's Mateusz Kołodziejski.

Men's 110m Hurdles

Jamal Britt arrives in Rome after victories in Keqiao, Xiamen and Bydgoszcz, establishing himself as one of the world's most consistent hurdlers this season.

The American will face compatriot Trey Cunningham, world silver medallist in Eugene and world indoor bronze medallist in Torun.

Jamaican pair Orlando Bennett and Tyler Mason, silver and bronze medallists respectively at the 2025 World Championships, add further quality to the field.

Japanese record holder Rachid Muratake and world indoor champion Jakub Szymański will also be among the leading contenders.

The European challenge is led by Enrique Llopis, Just Kwaou-Mathey and defending Golden Gala champion Jason Joseph.

Women's 100m Hurdles

European stars Nadine Visser and Pia Skrzyszowska headline a strong women's hurdles field alongside former world record holder Kendra Harrison.

Skrzyszowska won European bronze in Rome and has collected world indoor bronze medals in Glasgow and Torun. Visser arrives after a third-place finish in Rabat and owns a Dutch record of 12.28.

Harrison, the former world record holder at 12.20, is joined by fellow American Tonea Marshall, who ran a personal best of 12.24 last season.

Two-time world champion Danielle Williams and Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper provide a strong Jamaican challenge.

Italy will be represented by national record holder Giada Carmassi and teenage sensation Alessia Succo, who recently equalled the European U18 record with 12.86.

Women's 1500 Metres

Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell returns to Rome, where she won European silver in 2024. The British star later lowered the national record to 3:52.61 and added world indoor silver in Torun.

She will face fellow Briton Laura Muir, the Olympic silver medallist and multiple European champion, who has twice reached the podium at the Golden Gala.

Ethiopia's Birke Haylom has enjoyed a strong start to the season with victories in Keqiao and the World Indoor Tour. Australia's Abbey Caldwell also arrives in excellent form after wins in Xiamen and a personal best of 3:56.12.

The field also includes European indoor champion Agathe Guillemot, US champion Nikki Hiltz, Portugal's Salomé Afonso and Italy's Ludovica Cavalli and Gaia Sabbatini.

Men's 800 Metres

Although not a Diamond League scoring event, the men's 800 metres could be one of the fastest races of the evening.

Former world champion Donovan Brazier continues his comeback after winning the US title last year in a personal best of 1:42.16. Fellow Americans Bryce Hoppel and Nathan Green add further depth.

World 1500m champion Isaac Nader arrives after another strong Diamond League performance in Rabat, while European champion Gabriel Tual returns to the stadium where he won gold in 2024.

Italian rising star Francesco Pernici will make his third Diamond League appearance after lowering the Italian U23 record to 1:43.84 last season.

Meeting record holder Mark English, Australia's Peyton Craig and Poland's Filip Ostrowski and Patryk Sieradzki round out a quality field.

Men's Javelin Throw

The men's javelin returns to the Golden Gala programme for the first time since 2017.

Olympic champion Thomas Röhler headlines the field alongside world champion Keshorn Walcott and two-time world champion Anderson Peters, who won in Rabat with 86.08m.

The podium from the 2025 World Championships will be reunited, with Peters, Walcott and American bronze medallist Curtis Thompson all competing.

Other leading contenders include African record holder Julius Yego, Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch, world leader Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, India's Sachin Yadav and Italian champion Giovanni Frattini.