Tebogo, Wanyonyi headline a rich cast of reigning Olympic or world champions at Lausanne Diamond League
‘Freshly minted’ Olympic 200m champion, Letsile Tebogo will headline a rich cast of at least 18 reigning Olympic or world champions that will compete on Sunday at the 49th edition of Athletissima, the 11th leg of the 15-leg Wanda Diamond League meetings, athletics’ premier one-day series, the organizers have announced.
Tebogo, who ran a new 19.46 African record to win the 200m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, will be the main attraction of a race that Fred Kerley, the triple world champion (100m and relay) and the young prodigy Erriyon Knighton.
The Botswana star will have his focus on winning the event to boost his chances of qualifying for the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium next month.
The 21-year-old is currently eighth in the 200m ranking with the eight points he garnered from winning in Monaco last month. A win will take him within the first five, depending on those who are confirmed for the race in Lausanne.
Also listed to compete in Lausanne is former Olympic 100m hurdles champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, reigning world champion Danielle Williams, Paris Olympics silver medalist Cyréna Samba-Mayela (FRA) and, home girl, Ditaji Kambundji.
The organizers say they have also have assembled ‘a magnificent line-up in the men’s long jump as well, with two-time Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE), who will meet Wayne Pinnock (JAM), Mattia Furlani (ITA) and Simon Ehammer (SUI), respectively 2nd, 3rd and 4th at the Paris Olympics.’
The men’s 800m also promises to be “hot”, according to the organizers a four of the top five finishers at the Paris 2024 Olympics will race in Lausanne: Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN), the third fastest man in history, Olympic silver medalist and world champion Marco Arop (CAN) and 4th and 5th place finishers in Paris, Bryce Hoppel (USA) and Mohamed Attaoui (ESP).
