In form Marschall to jump in Monaco

Fresh off the back of a personal best performance of 5.73m at the Lausanne Diamond League, South Australian pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall have been given another start against some of the world's best vaulters in the Monaco Diamond League early Saturday morning Australian time.

Marschall, 20, will share the runway with none other than reigning Olympic champion Thiago Braz da Silva (BRA) and world record holder Renaud Lavillenie from France.

The two-time Australian champion who currently sits on seventh on the Australian All-Time rankings list, will use the meet as his last preparation before heading to the Australian team camp for the IAAF World Championships in London.

London will be Marschall's second senior international championships experience after narrowly missing the Olympic final in Rio on countback.

On the track, Sally Pearson will compete in the 100m hurdles, her last preparation before the world championships next month.

It was less than two weeks ago that Pearson set a blazing personal best of 12.48, her fastest time over the hurdles in five years to put her well and truly back in the frame for a world championships medal.

Pearson claimed her world title six years ago in Daegu, setting her personal best of 12.28, which is coincidently the current world lead, a year before claiming Olympic gold in London.

American national champion and world record holder Kendra Harrison, who is the owner of that world leading time, will also feature in the race.

She joins fellow American Jasmin Stowers as the only other woman on the start list who has run under 12.50 in 2017 with a season’s best of 12.47.

2015 Beijing world championships representative Josh Ralph, has also been granted a start in Monaco, and will tackle the 800m.

Ralph ran a season's best time of 1:46.14 in Padua, Italy last week, but will be aiming to lower that time to under 1:45.90, the current world championships qualifier.

Ralph, who finished second to Luke Mathews by a whisker at this year's Australian Athletics Championships, will face world championships bronze medallist Amel Tuka (BIH) as well as Frenchman Pierre Bosse.

Across the continent in a meet in Leige, Belgium, hurdler Nick Hough finally found the breakthrough he was after, posting a world championships qualifier over the 110m hurdles by running 13.44 for the win.

It was sweet relief for Hough, who had been close to the required qualifier of 13.48 on numerous occasions, including runs of 13.50, 13.56, 13.59, 13.59 and 13.62.

Hough, a student at The University of Sydney, represented Australia at the 2015 Beijing world championships and is also listed to start at the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei in late August.

EVENTS TO WATCH AT THE MONACO DIAMOND LEAGUE

Men’s 100m – Bolt still looking for sub 10

Usain Bolt is still yet to break the 10-second barrier this season as he prepares for what is believed to be his last major championships.

Less than a month before the Jamaican attempts to win his unprecedented fourth 100m world crown, the world record holder's season’s best sits at a modest 10.03 seconds.

South African champion Akani Simbine might be a threat and has run fast this season with a best of 9.92 – not far off his personal best of 9.89 set in Hungary last year.

Five men on the start list have run faster than Bolt this season including Christopher Belcher from the US who posted his personal best of 9.93 earlier this year in Eugene before claiming bronze at the NCAA championships.

Men’s 400m – van Niekerk in ominous form

Reigning Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk clocked a jaw dropping 43.62 season’s best with victory in the Lausanne 400m while seemingly easing off in the last section of the race.

This season the South African has run under 10, 20 and 44 seconds for the 100m, 200m and 400m respectively – while also setting a world best over 300m of 30.81 seconds.

Isaac Makwala from Botswana looks the most likely to get close to van Niekerk, with a season’s best of 43.92 that placed him third in Switzerland at the last Diamond League meeting.

Compatriot Baboloki Thebe will also be one to watch with a personal best of 44.02 set this season.

Women’s 800m – Loaded field, but can anyone beat Semenya?

Caster Semenya ran an underwhelming 400m at the Rabat Diamond League earlier this week but will still be the favourite over two laps in Monaco.

The Olympic 800m champion has a season’s best of 1:56.61, which is only just ahead of Francine Niyonsaba best mark for 2017 of 1:56.82 making them the only two women under 1:57 in the field.

Four other starters have dipped under 1:58 this season, including US national champion Ajee Wilson and compatriot Charlene Lipsey who placed second in Sacramento.