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French
17:00 hrs: Men’s pole vault ***
All eyes will turn heavenwards as the curtain rises in Paris. And with Armand Duplantis part of the cast, it is hard to imagine a better way to kick off the competition. The world record holder (6.31 m) is back in Charléty with his heart set on returning to his winning ways after a single defeat this season, in Stockholm, when Australian Kurtis Marschall put an end to a winning streak that saw him snatch 45 victories in a row. However, there is a long list of rivals keen to outdo the newly wed Swede, starting with Greek jumper Emmanouil Karalis, who has already cleared 6.00 m this year, US recordholder KC Lightfoot and compatriot Sam Kendricks. French athletes Renaud Lavillenie, Thibaut Collet and Baptiste Thiery will naturally be hoping that the inspiring competition will catapult them past the 6 m mark, whilst youngster Zackaria Dia will be keen to excel in this his debut performance in front of an electric Parisian crowd.
17:07 hrs: Women’s pole vault **
At the same time and at the same venue, the female pole vaulters will dish out double the delight for fans of the sport. Reigning Olympic champion Nina Kennedy will be the one to watch, alongside Marie-Julie Bonnin, the world indoor champion in 2025, who is always a firm favourite among French crowds. We can also rely on a cohort of high flyers from New Zealand, led by Eliza McCartney, Imogen Ayris and Olivia McTaggart, all three of them capable of a special performance. Swiss jumper Angelica Moser, Slovenian Tina Šutej and Finnish athlete Wilma Heltelä will also be worth keeping an eye on as Diamond League stalwarts.
17:11 hrs: Women’s shot put **
Dutch star Jessica Schilder has been virtually unbeatable in the shot put circle this season. The only athlete to have thrown in excess of 21 metres for over twelve years (21.09 m), the European champion is currently dominating the event. On her tail is Canadian Sarah Mitton, world indoor champion and winner of several Diamond League competitions over recent seasons, who will be eager to reverse the trend after a slightly more subdued start to the summer. Americans Jaida Ross and Adelaide Aquilla, together with Swede Axelina Johansson, will flesh out a line-up that boasts six throwers who have exceeded 20 metres over the course of their career. Let’s not forget German Yemisi Mabry, who loves Paris having thrown her personal best here two years ago when she took victory in the Olympic Games.
18:03 hrs: Men’s 400 m *
Suffering withdrawal symptoms from Paris 2024? Why not enjoy a remake. Quincy Hall, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Muzala Samukonga, who stepped onto the Olympic podium at the Stade de France in this order, will face off once again, albeit in Charléty this time. They’ll be up against some stiff opposition, including 2025 world champion Collen Kebinatshipi from Botswana, who has already posted 43”92 this season and is sure to give his rivals a run for their money. Frenchman Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, who recently ran a sub-45’’ time in a career first, has chosen the perfect venue to make his Diamond League debut. South African Zakithi Nene and American Chris Bailey top off this awesome starting list.
18:13 hrs: Women’s 800 m ***
This event will doubtless play host to one of the most thrilling duels of the night. Audrey Werro and Femke Bol will come head-to-head for only the second time this season after Ostrava. The Swiss runner arrives in Paris with this line-up’s best time of the season (1’53’’98), the third fastest performance of all time, and will be eager to consolidate her position. Meantime, having previously dominated sprinting in lanes, the Dutch athlete has had a very encouraging start over her new distance and aims to pick up the pace even more. South Africa’s Prudence Sekgodiso and Botswana’s Oratile Nowe are clearly gearing up for a battle royal, as are the French runners Anaïs Bourgoin, Rénelle Lamote and Clara Liberman, as they try to hone their craft for the upcoming European championships.
18:20 hrs: Men’s 100 m ***
All hail the King! Two years on from his electrifying performance at the Stade de France during the Olympic Games, Noah Lyles is back in the French capital with his sights on another prestigious victory to add to his win in 2023. This year’s third best performer (9”88) will compete against the man he beat in Rome, training partner Jordan Anthony. The young American, crowned world indoor champion over the winter, will be looking to treat himself on the eve of his 22nd birthday. Bossing the big meets, South African Akani Simbine and Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala will also be eyeing glory, whilst Italian Marcell Jacobs, Olympic champion in Tokyo, seems to be gradually raising his game again (9”99 early June). Also featuring American Trayvon Bromell, Briton Jeremiah Azu and the fastest Frenchman this season, Pablo Mateo, in the starting blocks, the home straight in Paris promises to be explosive.
18:25 hrs: Women’s javelin **
If the javelin has not been on your radar, now’s the time to get passionate about it. Indeed, this Sunday, the European audience will discover Chinese thrower Yan Ziyi, who has taken the competition by storm since the start of the season. Aged just 18, she has landed in Paris with an incredible throw of 71.74 m, the best performance in the world this year and the U20 world record. Pitted against the Chinese phenomenon, who clearly has Barbora Špotáková’s world record (72.28 m) on the ropes, are Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi from Japan, Serbian Adriana Vilagoš as well as the Pole, Maria Andrejczyk, credited with 71.40 m a few years ago. The latter will all be hoping to channel their wealth of experience and prove that they are still a force to be reckoned with. Joining them, French throwers Alizée Minard and Jade Maraval will be taking on the toughest challenge of their lives to date.
18:32 hrs: Men’s 110m hurdles **
One of France’s specialities, year on year this event is one of the most eagerly awaited races of the night. Victorious last year in a time of 13’’00, American Trey Cunningham is going for the double. Brimming with confidence after running a sub-13’’00 (12’’98) time in Rome, he will still have to keep his wits about him against compatriots Dylan Beard, second last year, Kendrick Smallwood, Freddie Crittenden, and Japanese hurdler Rachid Muratake. Frenchmen Thomas Wilkes, Just Kwaou-Mathey, Erwann Cinna and Romain Lecoeur will also want to show that they can keep pace and potentially earn a spot in the final.
18:39 hrs: Women’s 400 m **
Though Noah Lyles seems to hold the crown in the men’s competition, the Queen of Charléty has to be Marileidy Paulino. Four-time champion in Paris, Olympic champion and the only sprinter to have run under 49 seconds this season (48”91), the Dominican has every intention of continuing her reign on the lap of the Paris track. However, Dutch athlete Lieke Klaver, Pole Natalia Bukowiecka, silver medallist at the Paris Olympics, and Jamaican Stacey Ann Williams have other plans. Facing them will be France’s spring sensation, Isabelle Black, who has lined up the most gruelling race of her career for her Diamond League debut.
18:45 hrs: Men’s 800 m **
For several years, Charléty has become the spot for middle-distance runners. Front and centre of course is Gabriel Tual’s French record of 1’41”61 in 2024. The European champion will be one of the night’s star attractions, though the competition is shaping up to be savage. Canadian Marco Arop, reigning world champion and Olympic medallist, will hit the ground running in Paris having pocketed the fastest time this season. Algerian Djamel Sedjati and Spaniard Mohamed Attaoui, last year’s winner, form a particularly impressive top trio. In their wake, Yanis Meziane and newcomer Louey Ouerrat will want to shake things up. With a 400 m split of 50’’0 on the cards, the event is gearing up for a massive time worthy of a superlative Paris meet.
18:52 hrs: Men’s 1,500 m *
Azeddine Habz, last year’s winner, who set a new French record (3’27”49) on what was an historic night, has big plans once again. Fifth fastest in the world this season, he will have to contend with a powerful line-up, led by the best performer of the season, Australian Cameron Myers (3’29’’85), Holland’s rising talent Niels Laros, and Briton Jake Wightman, gold in Eugene in 2022. In a non-Diamond League ranked event, Frenchmen Paul Anselmini, Flavien Szot and Anas Lagtiy Chaoudar will be chasing personal bests.
19:08 hrs: Women’s 100m hurdles ***
The female contingent in the hurdles has a world final vibe. World record holder, Tobi Amusan will be there. World champion Ditaji Kambundji too. European champion and Olympic silver medallist Cyréna Samba-Mayela is also competing, to the great delight of her fans. Add to that the 2025 winner, Grace Stark, former world record holder Kendra Harrison and Bahamian Devynne Charlton, a familiar figure in world and Olympic finals, and already you have eleven women who have already run under 12’’40 in their career. It is a truly unprecedented line-up and the world record (12’’12) could well fall. Sadly, some big names may well tumble out of contention in the heats.
19:13 hrs: Men’s 3,000 m steeplechase *
All bets are off in this discipline. Indeed, with Soufiane El Bakkali and the new European record holder Frederik Ruppert both absent, the top spot is there for the taking. Edmund Serem and Abraham Kibiwot are leading the Kenyan delegation, whilst Samuel Firewu is the biggest threat from Ethiopia. Behind them, several French runners could have a shot at glory, including Nicolas-Marie Daru, Baptiste Fourmont and Luc Le Baron.
19:27 hrs: Women’s 1,500 m **
The women’s 1,500 m boasts quite the cast with Australian Jessica Hull, Briton Georgia Hunter Bell and Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu, who have all run sub-3’55’’. Positioning will be crucial if they are to avoid getting boxed in when the pace calls for them to dig deep. French runner Agathe Guillemot, boosted by a home crowd, will try to stick with the leading group and further improve on her personal best.
19:41 hrs: Men’s 5,000 m ***
What better way to set Charléty alight one last time than with a French world champion? Just a matter of days after smashing the French 3,000 m record in Montreuil (7’28”67), Jimmy Gressier is back and has given himself a huge challenge: the European 5,000 m record. It is a symbolic goal, since it is currently in the hands of his main rival, Swede Andreas Almgren (12’44”27), who has opened the season in spectacular fashion. American Grant Fisher, Olympic medallist, Kenyan Jacob Krop, double world medallist, as well as Ethiopians Addisu Yihune and Kuma Girma, will be targeting a hellish pace. Behind Gressier, Étienne Daguinos hopes to make the most of this dream scenario to improve on his personal best.