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The organisers have done everything possible to make July 9 an unforgettable night, with no fewer than 12 Olympic champions and 10 World champions confirmed and several events offering a dream lineup. Plenty of amazing athletics events to enjoy for 14’000 spectators.
Three world record holders
Having Bolt, Rudisha and Lavillenie in one same meet will be a first in this year’s athletics season. The three world record holders will put on a great show in their respective events: 200m, 800m and pole vault. Bolt will aim at confirming his status of number 1 sprinter in the world. The French pole vaulter will want to show his domination of the event this year with his 6.05m. As for Rudisha, he seems to have recovered well from his minor thigh injury as he won in New York, clocking the world’s second fastest time of the season, just two hundredth of a second behind Mohammed Aman, who will also race in Lausanne.
Fast sprints announced
As usual, there will be a very strong lineup in the sprint races. The 100m will see a great fight between Justin Gatlin, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay in what is likely to be a good dress rehearsal before the Beijing world championships and offer a fast race. In the women’s sprints, the 200m will offer a great dual between the Olympic and triple world champion Allyson Felix (USA) and the European champion Dafne Schippers. And let’s not forget Shaunae Miller. In this event, Swiss athlete Mundjinga Kambundji may go for her first sub 23 second time this year.
Colossal 5k set
Middle distance events will be just as exciting with a prestigious lineup in the 5000 m: Vomif Kejelcha (winner in Rome in world’s lead time of the year), Hagos Gebrhiwet, Imane Merga (all three from Ethiopia)….and a last minute guest, Mo Farah. The British athlete is the uncontested king of this event with his both World champion crowns (2011 and 2013), his gold olympic medal (2012) and his two European title (2010 and 2014). He will run in Lausanne for the first time. Bronze medallist from London 2012, Kenyan Pkemei Longosiwa, will also join the fight for victory.
In the women’s events, the 1500m will gather the three world’s best of this season so far: Jennifer Simpson, Sifan Hassan and Dawit Seyaum, who finished 1-2-3 at the Rome meet. Swedish runner Abeba Aregawi will also fight for the top spots.
In addition, there will be a 3000m steeple race for the 3rd time in the meet’s history.
Field events
With the presence of Pedro Pablo Pichardo, who already jumped beyond the 18m mark twice this season (18.08m and 18.06m), the triple jump will be one of the main attractions of the evening. Olympic champion Christian Taylor, who was narrowly defeated in Doha (18.04m), may push the Cuban to a sensational performance. There is no doubt that the stadium record (17.91m) is at risk.
Ambitious Swiss athletes
The hurdle races are likely to offer the best emotions to the Swiss. In the men’s 400m hurdles, European champion Kariem Hussein will try to stick to the 3 world best athletes this season, Americans Bershawn Jackson, Johnny Dutch and Michael Tinsley. In the women’s 400m hurdles, Lea Sprunger may take advantage of the high level field and run the required time for the world championships. As for Fabienne Schlumpf, Athletissima will be a good opportunity to improve her national record in the 3000m steeple. 800m specialist Selina Büchel will try to add a 9th back-to-back victory to her amazing winning streak and the Swiss relay team will try to pursue its tradition of showing good races in Lausanne.
Exciting throwing and jumping events
Early in the evening, the women’s discus throw will be the first of several exciting field events, and Sandra Perkovic will try to add a new victory to her already incredible career, in which she scored 25 Diamond League victories, a feat unheard of in women’s athletics. But this success will be hard to earn, with Cuban Denia Caballero having just improved the world’s best performance of the year with 70.65m in Bilbao.
Battles will spice up several other events, such as Joe Kovacs and David Storl (shot put), Tero Pitkämäki and Vitezsla Vezely (javelin), Jasmin Stowers and Sharika Nelvis (100m hurdles), Virginia Nyambura Nganga and Hiwot Ayalev (3000m steeple), Ruth Beitia and Blanka Vlasic (high jump) and Tianna Bartoletta and Shara Proctor (long jump).
In other words: a great show can be expected at the Pontaise Stadium in Lausanne on 9 July.