Monaco Magic | Diamond League Preview

The stars of global athletics will be out in full force at the Monaco Diamond League this Friday night, with six Australians amongst the entries. With fields reminiscent of an Olympic final, the annual Herculis meet is shaping up to be a dress rehearsal for the big dance in Budapest.

Australian audiences can tune in live and free from 4am AEDT on Saturday, 22^nd July via the Wanda Diamond League YouTube channel. Full start lists and more information can be found here.

Men’s Pole Vault (3.10am AEST)

Kurtis Marschall (Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick) is back for his second Diamond League appearance in as many weeks as he continues his quest to etch his name in Australian history books as just the fourth man to clear heights of six-metres.

The 25-year-old has been in phenomenal form of late, clearing heights of 5.95m making him the fourth highest vaulter this year. Despite his success over the European season thus far, the Western Australian won’t be resting on his laurels when vaulting for his first Diamond League podium placing.

Among the stars on show in the men’s pole vault will be Sweden’s world record holder Mondo Duplantis (6.21m) who remains unbeatable in 2023, with the Olympic gold medallist coasting to heights of 6.12m this season.  While the top spot will almost certainly be taken by Duplantis, Marschall’s stiffest competition will come in the form of rising stars and big-stage performers. The most recent member of the six-metre club Ernest John Obiena (Phillippines) joins a star studded line-up that also includes USA’s Tokyo silver medallist Christopher Nilsen (6.00m) as well as London gold medallist Ranaud Lavillenie (6.05m) from France.

Women’s High Jump (3.58am AEST)

A blockbuster affair awaits in the Women’s High Jump, as the four big-hitters of the event come together for a showdown of immense proportions in Monaco.

Throughout the Diamond League series, it’s been Australian and world leader Nicola Olyslagers (Matt Horsnell) who has edged out Ukranians Iryna Gerashchenko (2.00m) and Yaroslava Mahuchick (2.05m) with an almost unblemished record of success and a clearance of 2.02m, but the tables turned last week in Silesia when the trio finished with an equal meet record of 1.98m.

Gerashchenko took the crown on countback, with the Olympic silver medallist settling for equal second place. World champion Eleanor Patterson (Alex Stewart) also made her comeback from injury, finishing with a respectable clearance of 1.89m in her season opener as she builds back to full health.

The Monaco crown could be belong to any of the four, but the pressure will amount for the quartet as they look to solidify themselves as the truest of threats for gold at the Budapest World Athletics Championships just over a month away.  

Men’s 800m (4.25am AEST)

Joseph Deng (Justin Rinaldi) has had a year to remember, first qualifying for the impending World Athletics Championships in just his fifth race of the season and then becoming the first Australian in history to dip under the 1:44 mark to reclaim the 800m record.

With a Budapest and Paris Olympic qualifier already in tow, the talented Queenslander will focus on strategy and tactics to re-assert himself as a key player over two laps but the competition in Monaco will be fierce, with eight other athletes holding faster times.

Deng will be up against five of the top 10 fastest men in the world this year, including current world lead Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:43.27, KEN), Canadian global medallist Marco Arop (1:43.30) and Olympic champion Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir, putting the race on par with a championships final. Deng currently has the eighth fastest time in the world this year.

Women’s Mile (4.35am AEST)

Australian record holder in the Mile, Jessica Hull (self-coached) has accomplished more in the past seven months than many do over their entire athletics career, including officially registering the Australian and Oceania mile record to her name with a run of 4:18.24 for third place at the Oslo Diamond League

In the Norwegian city, it was Ethiopian teenager Birke Haylom who took charge in the open affair but this time around, the field is at top-notch quality, with the likes Diamond League leaders Faith Kipyegon (KEN, 4:16.71), Laura Muir (GBR, 4:18.03) and Ciara Mageean (IRL, 4:19.03) back on the circuit.

Also making an appearance in her first mile since 2021 is Abbey Caldwell (Gavin Burren) who enters the track in career-best form, after registering her first Olympic qualifier in the 800m in Silesia last week. With experience rubbing shoulders and holding her own amongst calibre athletes at previous editions of the Diamond League this year,  Caldwell will no doubt add another inspiring performance to her resume ahead of selection for the Budapest World Athletics Championships.

Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 20/7/2023