Kennedy and Co to Harness Hayward Magic | Diamond League Final Preview
Published Fri 15 Sep 2023
10 Australians, four World Championship medallists, one reigning world champion. Whichever way you want to look at it, a track and field frenzy awaits at the Diamond League Final in Eugene as Nina Kennedy leads the way for a star-studded cast.
With US$30,000 on the line for first place in each event and the chance to become a Diamond League champion, the stakes are high at Hayward Field which has been reserved for only the best throughout this year’s Diamond League season.
Australian viewers can tune in live and free via the Diamond League YouTube channel from 4:00am AEST on both Sunday the 17th and Monday the 18th of September.
For full start lists and more information, CLICK HERE.
Day 1 (Sunday 17th September AEST):
4:00am AEST – Women’s Javelin – Mackenzie Little
Kick-starting the Diamond League Finals event in Eugene, Oregon is World Championships bronze medallist Mackenzie Little (Angus McEntyre), who will be seeking to set the tone early for the 10 Australians competing over the two-day Diamond League Final.
Currently word rank number two, Little has posted podium performances in three out of her four Diamond League appearances in 2023, headed by a win in Lausanne and silver in both Paris and Silesia.
With the third best throw in the world this year (65.70m), the Olympic finalist is set to build on her World Championships success, taking on world leader Haruka Kitaguchi (Japan) who extended her buffer with a 67.38m throw last week.
The trip is Little’s last after a long season of accumulating frequent flyer points, travelling between Australia and overseas for each competition while completing her final year of medicine studies.
5:26am AEST – Women’s Pole Vault – Nina Kennedy
As the reigning world champion and reining Diamond League champion, Nina Kennedy (Paul Burgess) is not one to miss in the Women’s Pole Vault, returning to a happy hunting ground to add polish to her decorated season.
The recent Zurich Diamond League saw Kenndey continue her success story by adding another national record to her name, this time claiming the indoor pole vault record (4.91m) and claiming another win.
Kennedy has achieved three podium finishes throughout the 2023 Diamond League season, including two wins and one third place finish. With no question marks surrounding her form, the 26-year-old has proved she is capable of anything in this Diamond League Final, entering as the ninth highest women’s vaulter in history.
5:51am AEST – Women’s 1500m – Jessica Hull and Linden Hall
Eugene, Oregon will have the privilege of hosting Australia’s two fastest women in 1500m history as Linden Hall (Ned Brophy-Williams) and Jessica Hull (Simon Hull) touch down at Hayward Field This season has witnessed both women set career-best times, now turning their attention to a world-class final.
Hall has shown strong late-season form finishing third in her most recent performance at Xiamen Diamond League (3:57.92). Only 0.65-seconds off her personal best on that occasion, she may be ready to lower the national record for the second time this year.
Hull has been heavily involved in this year’s Diamond League, with six starts from a possible eight in the qualification meetings. The versatile Australian who finished seventh in the Women’s 1500m Final in Budapest has posted top-five finishes in all Diamond League appearances this year, returning to Oregon where she attended college to chase the renowned Hayward Magic.
The field will be led by world recrod holder, Faith Kipyegon (Kenya, 3:49.11). Both Australians are proven contenders and will be up for the challenge as they seek to continue their success this season.
6:50am AEST – Men’s Mile – Stewart McSweyn
Fresh off setting a new Australian record over the 2000m, Stewart McSweyn (Nic Bideau) is ready to launch into the prestigious Prefontaine Mile, named in honour of the great US distance runner Steve Prefontaine. A return to form saw McSweyn drop the eighth fastest time in history over the 2000m distance (4:48.77), ensuring his last-ditch qualifying effort was a success.
The King Island product is no stranger to the mile distance, with the second fastest Australian time to his name (3:48.37). In a star-studded field, Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:46.46) can be expected to dictate terms as he often does, fresh from breaking the 2000m world record in Brussels.
The current Australian record (Oliver Hoare, 3:47.48) could also come under siege, as McSweyn’s form and a strong field look to be brewing the perfect storm for the 28-year-old.
Day 2 (Monday 18th September AEST):
4:30am AEST – Women’s High Jump – Nicola Olyslagers
Nicola Olyslagers (Matt Horsnell) enters the Diamond League Final as the equal world lead in 2023, eager to hold onto the title in what is arguably the biggest threat to her 2.02m best for the remainder of the year.
The 2023 season has featured only two defeats out of 11 competitions, with the most recent of those ending in a bronze medal performance at the World Championships in Budapest.
This season, Olyslagers’ competition expertise has been prominent at the Diamond League level with three diamond league wins to her name, qualifying fourth despite only featuring in four of the seven qualification meetings.
Olyslagers will be coming up against Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Ukraine), reigning world champion and equal world leader. Last year, the 26-year-old Australian claimed bronze in the Diamond League final in Zurich.
4:40am AEST – Men’s Discus – Matthew Denny
Allora product Matthew Denny (Dale Stevenson) will throw with a vengeance in Eugene after finishing fourth at the World Championships in Budapest.
Launching an Australian record of 68.24m on that occasion, Denny’s shiny new personal best ranks him as the third man in the field of six, behind the 70m+ duo of Daniel Stahl (Sweden) and Kristjan Ceh (Slovenia).
The Australian’s best result of his three Diamond League appearances to date this year came in London where he finished in second place with 66.77m, but the 27-year-old is forging a strong track record of producing his best when it counts.
The two-time Olympian returns to Hayward Field for the first time since finishing in sixth place of the 2022 World Championships, while Denny will also be out to improve on finishing sixth in last year’s Diamond League Final in Zurich.
5:57am AEST – Men’s Pole Vault – Kurtis Marschall
World Championships bronze medallist Kurtis Marschall (Paul Burgess) will be out to bounce back from a slow showing at last week’s Brussels Diamond League, with his breakthrough season destined and deserving of a grandstand finish.
The star-studded field of seven is headed by Swedish world record holder Armand Duplantis (6.21m) but Marschall’s best of 5.95m, which he has cleared twice this year, gives him a license to compete with the biggest of names.
The global medallist meets both men who defeated him in Budapest in the form of Duplantis and Ernest John Obiena (Philippines), while the USA’s Christopher Nilsen will also contest the coveted title after sharing bronze with Marschall on countback in Budapest.
Further local challengers await with Sam Kendricks (6.06m) and KC Lightfoot (6.07m) determined to win on home soil, while Marschall continues to edge ever closer to becoming the fourth Australian man in history to clear six-meters.
6:42am AEST – Women’s Long Jump – Brooke Buschkuehl
Australian record holder Brooke Buschkuehl (Russell Stratton) is poised to jump at second biggest opportunity of her year, qualifying in fourth place for the Diamond League Final after bouncing out of the World Championships prematurely.
A small field of five ensures the form jumpers of 2023 will battle it out for the US$30,000 prize, with reigning world champion and world leader Ivana Vuleta (Serbia) the favourite to take home the crown.
Buschkuehl finds herself nestled amongst the rest of the field who have not cracked the seven-metre barrier this year, with the fierce competitor eager to improve on her 6.77m seasons best to cap off a consistent season across the board.
The Australian’s best Diamond League result came in London with a second-place finish topping her four Diamond League appearances, as the two-time Olympian builds back towards her best of 7.13m.
7:19am AEST – Women’s 800m – Catriona Bisset
It’s a field that features the entire World Championships Women’s 800m podium, but Catriona Bisset (Ned Brophy-Williams) can race with confidence after her best Diamond League series yet – qualifying in second place just one-point off the top spot.
Reigning world champion Mary Moraa (Kenya) will be joined by reigning Olympic champion Athing Mu (USA) and Keely Hodgkinson (Great Britain) at the front of the field, while Bisset enters in strong form after claiming second place in Brussels last week – the clock reading 1:58.77.
Setting an Oceania record of 1:57.78 at the London Diamond League, Bisset became the first Australian woman to shatter the 1:58 barrier – a feat she will likely be forced to emulate if she is to land on the podium in Eugene.
Breaking two-minutes in 10 of her 15 races outdoors in 2023, the 29-year-old has taken a leap forward in consistency on the world stage – now locked and loaded to deliver a fitting finish to the year.
By Hugh Parrott and Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 15/9/2023
