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The thrilling climax to a season of meetings across France and a prequel to the upcoming national and international championships, the Wanda Diamond League Meeting de Paris is a high point for France’s athletes. Let’s take Gabriel Tual, for example. Two years ago, the runner from the Gironde department in south-west France, made the most of the occasion to shatter the French 800 m record in 1’41’’61, a performance that propelled him towards European glory in Rome a few weeks later. He will be on the starting line once again this year, alongside compatriot Yanis Meziane. Over the same distance, Anaïs Bourgoin will take on Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol, in what is sure to be a golden opportunity to improve on her personal best.
Among the regulars of the Diamond League circuit, Agathe Guillemot will be pitted against a stellar cast in the 1,500 m, where three women have posted a sub-3’55’’ time, starting with Australian Jessica Hull. Bérénice Cleyet-Merle is also due to star, as are Flavien Szot and Anas Lagtiy Chaoudar in the men’s competition (non-Diamond League ranking), alongside the former world champion, Briton Jake Wightman and Dutch talent Niels Laros.
Nicolas-Marie Daru boasts a wealth of experience in the 3,000 m steeplechase and will be setting his sights on the entry standard for the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. In the same race, Luc Le Baron and Baptiste Fourmont will be trying to keep pace with him for as long as possible. It will be a similar scenario for Etienne Daguinos, who is competing in the 5,000 m with Jimmy Gressier and a plethora of middle-distance runners accustomed to running sub-3’ times.
Dia to face off against Duplantis
In the high hurdles, Just Kwaou-Mathey will perform to a public he adores and who adore him, alongside Japanese athlete Rachid Muratake, Swiss hurdler Jason Joseph and three Americans who have all run under 13’’. In the women’s competition, Laeticia Bapté and Sacha Alessandrini will try to emulate a number of key players that include world record holder Tobi Amusan, her predecessor Keni Harrison, 2025 winner Grace Stark and Cyréna Samba-Mayela, who is back to the peak of fitness this year.
In the pole vault, Marie-Julie Bonnin and Bérénice Petit will have to give it their all to contend for the win against the world’s best, starting with Olympic and world champion Nina Kennedy. The men’s competition will feature, in addition to the star-studded lineup already announced, the young Zackaria Dia, who just broke the French U20 record with a jump of 5.82 m. Alongside his compatriots Renaud Lavillenie, Thibaut Collet, and Baptiste Thiery, he’ll face the legendary Mondo Duplantis-a newlywed and, most notably, the only athlete to have outperformed him at the same age.
In the pole vault, Marie-Julie Bonnin and Bérénice Petit will have to go all out to secure a win against the world’s elite, starting with the Olympic and world champion Nina Kennedy. Alongside a constellation of French stars that includes Renaud Lavillenie, Thibaut Collet and Baptiste Thiery, the male contingent will include youngster Zackaria Dia, who has just broken the French U20 record with a jump of 5,82 m, earning him second place in the global all-time U20 ranking, Solely the legend and newly-wed Mondo Duplantis has performed better at that age and he too will be competing in Paris.
Dia will not be alone in making his debut in the prestigious Diamond League. Indeed, a number of his fellow compatriots have already competed in promotional events or national races but hope to score their first official points in the race for diamonds on Sunday 28 June. This is true for Louey Ouerrat in 800 m, who ran under 1’44’’ (1’43’’80) just a few days ago in Nice, as well as Paul Anselmini and Adèle Gay in the 1,500 m. 400 m specialists Isabelle Black and Muhammad Abdallah Kounta are also keen to break onto the Diamond League scene, along with javelin thrower Jade Maraval. The latter will be able to count on the experience of Alizée Minard, competing alongside her, who first took part in the Meeting de Paris three years ago. Hailing from Amiens in northern France, Minard is living proof for them all that with patience and determination, great opportunities always come your way.