Athletissima 2018 | Preview by discipline

19h10 | Javelin Throw Women
Six amongst the top ten throwers in the world will be present in the Olympic stadium of La Pontaise. The victory will require a performance beyond the 67 m mark. Tatsiana Khaladovich (BLR) and Shiying Liu (CHN) are the favorites, but watch out for Christin Hussong (GER).

19h15 | Long Jump Women
Lorraine Ugen (GBR) has just taken the lead in this year’s world list. Will she be able to fend off her fiercest competitors, Malaika Mihambo (GER), Ivana Spanovic (SRB), Shara Proctor (GBR) and Brooke Stratton (AUS)? What is certain is that the northern stand will cheer all the jumpers.

19h20 | Shot Put Men
By far the best performer in the world this year with a 22m67 performance back in March in Auckland, Tomas Walsh (NZL) will be looking to shine again in Lausanne. Behind Walsh, Michał Haratyk (POL) seems to have the best shot at rivaling him. For that he will have to approach or even cross the 22 m line.

20h02 | 400 m Women
For the first Diamond League race of the night, all eyes will be set on the duel between Shakima Wimbley (USA) and Salwa Eid Naser (BRN). The former starts as the challenger, the latter as the favorite.

20h12 | 200 m Women
Despite the race not counting for the Diamond League, it will be at an excellent level thanks to Shericka Jackson (JAM), who just ran the distance in 22"05 in Paris. Gabrielle Thomas (USA) and Kyra Jefferson (USA) will be her main opponents, and Sarah Atcho (Lausanne-Sports) must seize this opportunity to improve once again her personal best (22 "80 last Sunday at La Chaux-de-Fonds).

20h15 | Pole Vault Women
The competition of the men having been relocated the day before to Ouchy, we will have the pleasure to follow the women’s version in the stadium. What a contest it will be, with eight of the world’s top ten, including a magnificent group of four that will fight for victory: Jennifer Suhr (USA), Eliza McCartney (NZL), Sandi Morris (USA) and Katerina Stefanidi (GRE). Spectacle guaranteed!

20h22 | 110 m Hurdles Men
The first race of the night on the men’s side is the one you must not miss. The Russian Sergey Shubenkov is in sparkling form since he just ran 12"95 in Montreuil and 12"92 Monday in Hungary. Facing the hurdle Tsar is Olympic and World Champion Omar McLeod (JAM), who will do everything to counter him, not without knowing that Liu Xiang (CHN) had broken the world record on this very track in 2005.

8:30 pm | High Jump Men
The spectators present on the side of the Caserne bend will have to keep their eyes wide open. Mutaz Essa Barshim will unfortunately miss the call, but the public will be able to support and admire the fantastic flying athletes that are Danil Lysenko (ANA) and Majd Eddin Ghazal (SYR), both authors of jumps higher than 2m36 this season. And let us not forget the friendly Italian Gianmarco Tamberi.

20h32 | 800 Women
Given that Caster Semenya (RSA) will line-up over 1500m one hour later, Francine Niyonsaba (BDI) seems to have free rein to win in this 800m. She is in stellar shape after her superb Paris performance (1’55"86), but be careful not to underestimate the other competitors, particularly Habitam Alemu (ETH) and Ajee Wilson (USA). Selina Büchel (KTV Bütschwil) is unfortunately sick.

20h42 | 400m Hurdles Women
Another incredibly dense event, with the likes of Shamier Little (USA), Dalilah Muhammad (USA) and Janieve Russell (JAM). The three hurdlers are all eyeing the best performance in the world set by the young 19-year-old prodigy Sydney McLaughlin (52 "75). Is it also the day of Lea Sprunger (COVA Nyon)? Anita Protti’s Swiss record over the distance (54 "25) is obviously in great danger in view of the shape displayed by Sprunger last Sunday at La Chaux-de-Fonds during her Swiss 400m record (50" 52).

20h45 | Triple Jump Men
The duel alone between Christian Taylor (USA) and Pedro Pablo Pichardo (CUB) will be worth the trip. Jacky Delapierre announced the event as THE contest of the evening. To approach the 18 m line, the athletes will have to be carried by the entire northern stand. Some are even talking about the world record (18.29 m).

20h52 | 100m Women
Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CIV), Blessing Okagbare (NGR) and Murielle Ahouré (CIV) dominated the first half of the season. But the three African women will have to be in prime condition to face Aleia Hobbs (USA) and especially the double Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson (JAM). Not to mention Dafne Schippers … Mujinga Kambundji (ST Bern) will obviously follow this beautiful fight. Will the new coating of the straight line of the Pontaise help them deliver their fastest performances?

21h02 | 5000m Men
Kenya vs Ethiopia: this "classico" will have in Lausanne a new episode, certainly an animated one. The race will be exciting to follow, especially since the rabbits were ordered to get out hard (2’33 for the first 1000 m). Julien Wanders (Stade Genève) will try to keep pace with them and improve his personal best (13’27 "72).

21h18 | 400m Hurdles Men

During the month of June, Abderrahman Samba (QAT) has run phenomenal races repeatedly, culminating with the second fastest time in history in Paris on Saturday (46"98) .The Qatari will want to renew this exploit because his opponents Kyron McMaster (IVB), TJ Holmes (USA), World Champion Karsten Warholm (NOR) and Yasmani Copello (TUR) are all on their toes.

21h28 | 1500m Women

After having clocked 1’54"25 over 800m in Paris – less than one second off the oldest women’s world record – Caster Semenya (RSA) decided to take advantage of her very good shape to chase another stellar time over the 1500m distance. Will she be able to get along with her opponents so that the race starts out fast enough? This would certainly be the right option for Sifan Hassan (NED), Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) and Laura Muir (GBR).

21:38 | 200m Men

The new American wave of sprinters sweeping the world is led by Noah Lyles (19 "69) and Michael Norman (19" 84). Leading the world toplist, these two 20-year-old athletes will have to be wary of the experienced Alex Quinonez (ECU) and Isiah Young (USA). Alex Wilson (Old Boys Basel) has big ambitions: more than to beat his Swiss record (20 "25), he wants to smash it.

21:48 | 4 x 100 m UBS Trophy Women

Ahead of the European Championships, which will be held in Berlin in a month, the path of the Swiss team stops of course at Athletissima. The four sprinters Ajla Del Ponte, Sarah Atcho, Mujinga Kambundji and Salome Kora are individually faster than ever. They once again want to make an impression at La Pontaise. Their most dangerous opponents will be the Germans and the Dutch.