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Some races have a special way of bringing the Pontaise crowd to its feet. The 800m is undoubtedly one of them. Now firmly established as one of Athletissima’s signature events, the two lap race will once again feature on the programme on Tuesday, 13 July 2027. With the men’s 100m making its return, the hurdles promising ever more spectacular action and five field events, the 52nd edition is set to deliver an evening packed with emotion. Fifteen Diamond League disciplines have been selected, including one to be held by the lake in Ouchy on Sunday, 11 July.
The 800m, a love affair with Lausanne
Just think of Emmanuel Wanyonyi’s phenomenal 1:41.11 in 2024, just two tenths of a second off the world record, or Keely Hodgkinson’s victory in 2025 and Audrey Werro’s triumph in 2026, both setting meeting records. And who could forget Femke Bol, beaten by the Fribourg native last year after a thrilling head to head battle?
Switzerland also boasts an exceptional trio of women over this distance. Behind reigning European champion Werro, Veronica Vancardo and Valentina Rosamilia finished fourth and fifth respectively in Lausanne in 2026. Plenty of reasons to look forward to another strong Swiss showing in 2027!
From sprinting showdowns to record breaking hurdles
Less than ten seconds is all it takes to send a stadium into a frenzy. The men’s 100m is back at Athletissima! The women’s 200m, where the Swiss athletes have some serious cards to play, also promises some fierce racing.
The hurdles will be just as exciting. The women’s 100m hurdles and men’s 400m hurdles have gained even greater prestige following the world records set by Masai Russell and Alison dos Santos in Zurich in 2026. In Lausanne, Rai Benjamin also left the crowd spellbound last year with an extraordinary 46.67 in the men’s 400m hurdles, run as part of the supporting programme. This time, the event will be part of the Diamond League programme.
As for the men’s 110m hurdles, it brings back memories of one of the greatest moments in meeting history, Liu Xiang’s world record of 12.88 set in 2006. Twenty one years on, the memory lives on!
Swiss stars in the spotlight
The 2027 programme puts Swiss athletics firmly in the spotlight, following the country’s seven medal haul at the European Championships in Birmingham. The signature events of Audrey Werro, Angelica Moser in the pole vault, Jason Joseph in the 110m hurdles and Simon Ehammer in the long jump, all of whom impressed in England, are on the programme. The women’s 200m and 100m hurdles, the speciality of world champion Ditaji Kambundji, offer further exciting prospects.
The men’s 3000m, every bit as thrilling and potentially more tactical than the traditional 5000m, could provide another opportunity to see Dominic Lobalu take on the world’s best.
In the field events, the women’s pole vault and men’s high jump return to Athletissima, although one of the two will take place outside the stadium. The men’s long jump, women’s shot put and men’s javelin complete an enticing line up.
The celebrations begin before the meeting
Athletissima is also an opportunity for young talents and athletes from the region to take to the track at the Pontaise. The supporting programme gives them a valuable place in the spotlight, allowing them to test themselves against strong opposition in the atmosphere of a major international meeting.
Then, on Sunday, 11 July, the traditional City Event returns to the shores of Lake Geneva in Ouchy. Free and open to everyone, it will feature one of the fifteen disciplines, either the women’s pole vault or the men’s high jump. The final choice will be announced at a later date.
The City Event will be preceded by a public celebration marking 50 years of Athletissima, founded in 1977.