Brussels Diamond League finals: Five stand-out events

BRUSSELS – Saint Lucia’s sprint queen Julien Alfred, her American rival Sha’Carri Richardson and Olympic men’s 200m champion Letsile Tebogo headline a panoply of stars from the Paris Games at the Diamond League finals in Brussels on Sept 13 and 14.

The meet is the 15th and final one on track and field’s elite circuit and comes just a month after the end of the Olympics.

Here are the top five events to look out for.

1. Women’s 100m

Richardson got the better of Alfred in Zurich, flipping the result of the Olympic final where the American won silver behind the sprinter from Saint Lucia.

Richardson, who was also part of the United States gold medal-winning 4x100m women’s relay team in Paris, produced a complete race in Zurich, overhauling Alfred at the line.

“I don’t want to use the word revenge,” Alfred said on Sept 11 of her showdown with the American.

“I never run against anyone, I do it for myself and just want to finish the season in style. For the same reason, I’m not focused on times either.

“I am looking forward to go to Saint Lucia, just to celebrate with my country.”

2. Men’s pole vault

Conditions were far from perfect for Armand Duplantis at a wet and cold Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, combined with the fact he felt “wrecked” after beating 400m hurdles world champion Karsten Warholm in an exhibition 100m sprint.

After improving his own world record to 6.26m in Chorzow, Poland, in August, the question is whether the stars can align for the US-born Swede for a potential 11th tilt at bettering that mark once more this season.

“I always say, pole vaulters, we need to cherish him. He pushes the whole sport and gets a lot of attention to it,” American Sam Kendricks, perennial second placer, said of Duplantis.

3. Men’s 200m

Botswana’s Tebogo made light work of the damp conditions in Switzerland, producing a devastating finish to clock an outstanding 19.55 seconds for victory ahead of three strong Americans in Kenny Bednarek, Erriyon Knighton and Fred Kerley.

Tebogo, still just 21, has had an amazing season, rebounding from the death of his mother in May to dominate the 200m, bagging Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold in the discipline while also winning silver in the 4x400m relay.

While not content with his curve running in Zurich, Tebogo said it would be a different approach in Brussels.

Running a total race, like in the Olympics, “is something I will do at the Diamond League final because there is still more inside me”, he vowed.

“It is all about taking risks. Without risks there are no rewards, so I am taking all the risks that I have got.”

4. Women’s 1,500m

Faith Kipyegon made history in Paris when she became the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic 1,500m gold medals, crossing the line in a new Olympic record of 3min 51.29sec.

The 30-year-old, a three-time world champion and world-record holder, also took silver in the 5,000m.

Her one appearance since her successful Paris outing was a victory in Rome and it would take a brave person to bet against the Kenyan once again topping the podium in Brussels.

5. Men’s 1,500m

Brussels, like Zurich, will throw up a near-repeat of the Paris Olympics final.

Americans Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse won in Paris and Zurich respectively.

Olympic silver medallist and reigning world champion Josh Kerr of Britain, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot were all also present in Zurich.

“I think Brussels will be fun,” said Ingebrigtsen after his second place in Switzerland.

Hocker, Nuguse and Cheruiyot will all be on the start line in Brussels, along with Britain’s new road mile world record holder Elliot Giles, while Kerr sits it out. AFP