The 12,500 spectators expected to attend will have the opportunity to applaud approximately twenty Olympic and/or world champions and a dozen Swiss men and women in the main program. Nine of the competing athletes have remained unbeaten this season, whether in the Diamond League or on the minor circuits: Bol, Ingebrigtsen, Camacho-Quinn, Crouser, along with Neeraj Chopra (IND/javelin), Shunsuke Izumiya (JPN/110m hurdles), Eliza McCartney (NZL/pole vault), Keely Hodgkinson (GBR/800m), and Mary Moraa (KEN/800m). However, given the level of competition, this list is expected to be significantly reduced on Friday.
Events at the Pontaise in chronological order (from 7.15pm to 9.45pm):
Women's javelin: Arguably the most unpredictable discipline of the evening. Two-time world champion Kelsey Lee-Barber (AUS) is not yet at her best and has to relinquish the favorite label to Japan's Haruka Kitaguchi, who won in Paris at the beginning of June with a throw of 65.09m.
Men's shot put: Ryan Crouser (USA) is once again the man to beat this season. The double Olympic champion set a world record of 23.56m in Los Angeles in May. The rivalry with compatriot Joe Kovacs (22.69m this season) and New Zealander Tom Walsh (22.22m) could push him even further.
Women's 800 m: Olympic and world runner-up Keely Hodgkinson had only one convincing performance this season, a victory in Paris in 1:55.77. She will face a challenge from Kenya's Mary Moraa, winner of the 2022 Diamond League and recent winner of her country's trials. Switzerland's 19-year-old Audrey Werro, with immense potential, will aim for the podium with the support of the home crowd, following her junior world record in the 1000m in Nice in mid-June. Another Swiss woman, Lore Hoffmann, will also be in the race.
Women's pole vault: Olympic champion Katie Moon (USA) has every reason to be wary of the strong new European competition from Finland's Wilma Murto and Slovenia's Tina Sutej. Switzerland's Angelica Moser, a former world junior champion now back at her best, could play a crucial role.
110 m hurdles: The main attractions are France's Just Kwaou-Mathey (13.09 seconds this season) and Switzerland's Jason Joseph (13.10 seconds), the European indoor champion this winter, who aims to become the second Swiss athlete to win a Diamond League event (following Simon Ehammer's recent victory in Oslo). Japan's Shunsuke Izumiya will make his summer debut in Europe, three weeks after his excellent time of 13.04 seconds at the national championships.
Women's 3000 m steeplechase: World record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya (8:44.32 in 2019) seems to be struggling this season and won't be the favorite against the Ethiopians. Among them, Sembo Almayew aspires to become the first this season to run under 9 minutes.
Men's long jump: A host of champions, led by Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE), India's Sreeshankar (8.41m this season), Switzerland's Simon Ehammer, who defeated Tentoglou in mid-June in Oslo with a jump of 8.32m, and young Italian revelation Mattia Furlani (8.24m). The south stand of the stadium is set to vibrate.
Women's 100 m: At 34, Ivorian Marie-José Ta Lou, who recently clocked 10.75 seconds in Oslo, is in top form. Her main rivals will be Daryll Neita (GBR), Zoe Hobbs (NZL), and European champion Gina Lückenkemper (GER). Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji, the world indoor champion, will make her summer comeback with measured ambitions due to nagging pain in her left foot.
Men's javelin: a host of top names will be vying for victory, starting with Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra (IND), first last year in Lausanne, and this season's world No.1, Czech Jakub Vadlejch (89.51m). Caribbean athletes Anderson Peters (GRN), the double world champion, and Keshorn Walcott (TTO), the 2012 Olympic champion, as well as Germany's Julian Weber, are also expected to perform well.
5000 m: One of the evening's highlights. Following the luminous hare, a train of East African champions will launch on a solid foundation. World record-holder, Olympic champion, and two-time world champion Joshua Cheptegei from Uganda will aim for his first victory of the season. The battle against his compatriot Jacob Kiplimo, the world cross-country champion who posted an excellent time of 12:41.73 in Oslo (2nd place), promises to be spectacular. Ethiopia's Haile Telahun Bekele, Selemon Barega, and Muktar Edris will all have a chance. Jonas Raess will also attempt to break Markus Ryffel's Swiss record (13:07.54).
100 m hurdles: Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn has been consistently impressive this season and could come close to her record time of 12.26 seconds, pushed by record holder and world champion Tobi Amusan (12.12 seconds). American Tia Jones and Switzerland's Ditaji Kambundji will hang on as best they can.
Men's 200 m: Botswana's Letsile Tebogo (19.87 seconds) and Cuba's Reynier Mena (19.95 seconds) are the only two men in the field to have run under 20 seconds this season. However, the star of the show will be Olympic champion Andre De Grasse (CAN), who finished 5th recently in Oslo. The race also features Swiss hopeful Timothé Mumenthaler.
400 m hurdles: Three-time European champion Femke Bol has been in phenomenal form, particularly this winter. After breaking Jarmila Kratochvilova's 400m indoor world record, the Dutchwoman is setting new standards in the 400m hurdles with her extended stride (14 steps instead of 15 between obstacles). She could challenge her European record of 52.03 seconds.
Men's 1500 m: Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen is likely to start on a similar footing as his European record (3:27.95). Also worth watching are Olympic bronze medalist Josh Kerr (GBR) and Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma, the new world record holder in the 3000m steeplechase.
Among the non-Diamond League events on the program, the women's 4x100m relay (featuring the Swiss team) and the men's 400m (with Ricky Petrucciani and Lionel Spitz) will be of particular interest to the Swiss public.
