After Mondo v Warholm, what other unlikely track & field showdowns could capture the attention of the world?

Ahead of the final Diamond League meet of the 2024 season in Brussels on 13 and 14 September, Olympics.com imagines fantasy showdowns between athletes from different disciplines as per the 100m dash between the pole vaulter and the 400m hurdler.

7 minBy Jo Gunston
Noah Lyles KJT

Emerging from the tunnel at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, draped in blue and red boxing-style robes, two of the world's best athletes took to the track in a rather more unusual showdown.

Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis and Karsten Warholm took part in a one-off exhibition race weeks after the Olympic Games Paris 2024 had concluded, and ahead of an official Diamond League race the following day, to settle a friendly wager caught on camera in July 2023.

Who would emerge triumphant in a 100m showdown?

The men's pole vault multiple world champion and world record holder, Duplantis, or Warholm, the man with parallel achievements in the men's 400m hurdles?

As it turns out, it was Mondo who came out on top in a sparkling time of 10.37 seconds, ahead of Warholm's 10.47s, both times would have qualified the pair from the preliminary round of the men's 100m at Paris 2024.

However, in this showcase, it was about the kudos for the winner, and the forfeit for the loser that the pair had agreed upon in this playful encounter between the two great friends.

Norway's Warholm, would have to don the iconic blue and yellow strip of Mondo's Sweden, at the following day's Diamond League in Switzerland, particularly painful for the rival Scandinavian nations.

As good as his word, Warholm duly wore the Sweden strip at the track the next day, despite being unable to compete due to "feeling something" in his hamstring following the race.

A buoyant Duplantis then called out Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Warholm's counterpart in the women's 400m hurdles, for a race over the one lap flat.

There's no response yet from the two-time Olympic champion, individual world title holder and world record holder, but ahead of the final Diamond League of the 2024 season from 13-14 September in Brussels, it got Olympics.com thinking – what other unexpected matchups would be fun to see in the world of track and field?

Noah Lyles versus Katarina Johnson Thompson in high jump?

How about the newly crowned Olympic men's 100m world champion from Team USA, Noah Lyles, and the silver-medal winning heptathlete from Team GB, Katarina Johnson-Thompson?

Initially this might seem quite a bizarre shout but hear us out.

Yes, high jump is one of the disciplines that make up the heptathlon, so an event Johnson-Thompson, or KJT as she's more commonly known, trains.

One of her best events, KJT could have won gold at Rio 2016 in the women's high jump – won by Spain's Ruth Beitia with 1.97m – with her personal best heptathlon leap of 1.98m.

This despite training six other events.

And Lyles, the triple world champion in 2023 in the men's 100m, 200m and 4x100m?

The Floridian secured a leap of 2.03m nine years ago at a high school invitational with the majority of his vertical leaps around that time hovering around the 1.93m, 1.98m marks.

So yeah, we think this could be an option.

Shericka Jackson versus Grant Holloway in the 400m?

Grant Holloway is the Paris 2024 Olympic champion, three-time world champion and second fastest man of all time, in men's 110m hurdles, with a time of 12.81 seconds.

Interestingly, the world record of 12.80 seconds was secured by fellow American Aries Merritt at the Memorial Van Damme on 7 September 2012, the same meet the Diamond League Final for the 2024 season takes place.

Yet in the past, Holloway has also dashed around in the one-lap race with a best time of 49.18s in 2013.

Flat sprinter, Shericka Jackson, meanwhile, is the fifth fastest woman of all time in the 100m, and the second fastest woman in history in the 200m, so speedy is her middle name.

No slouch in the 400m flat either, Jackson started her career as a one-lapper, winning individual bronze at Rio 2016 before switching to the shorter bursts.

Jackson is also the first athlete in World Championship history to win medals in the 100m, 200m and 400m, including the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

But could she beat Holloway over a single lap? Her fastest time of 49.47, in October 2019, suggests it could be interesting if they both dusted off the cobwebs.

More unusual showdowns perhaps?

How about heptathlete Anna Hall of the US and New Zealander Hamish Kerr in the 400m?

Hall, a two-time world medallist in the multiple discipline event, has a best of 50.92 from June 2023, while Kerr, the Olympic champion in the men's high jump from Paris 2024, clocked 50.97 in 2019, so, you know - it could happen.

Or could Greece's Miltiadis Tentoglou, the double Olympic long jump champion, best the new women's Olympic 100m champion from St Lucia, Julien Alfred, with the two having best times of 10.70 and 10.72, respectively.

After all, it's not just about the skill but who can handle the pressure. And the forfeit.

Not only did Warholm have to wear the Sweden kit, but ABBA's Mamma Mia was played full blast from the stadium’s speakers while he walked a lap of the track, to cheers and laughter from the crowd.

Other athletes who may have been toying with the idea of a playful showdown may now be thinking twice.

When and where is the 2024 Memorial Van Damme, Brussels Diamond League?

The 15th stop of the Diamond League meet will take place on 13 and 14 September at the King Baudouin Stadium, with a regular capacity of 50,000.

Diamond League action in the stadium begins at 7:11pm on Friday with the women’s discus throw. The first event of the meeting on Saturday 14 September will be the women’s javelin throw at 6:52pm.

Schedule for the 2024 Memorial Van Damme, Brussels Diamond League

(All times local, UTC+2/GMT+2)

13 September

  • 19:11: discus throw women
  • 19:17: long jump men
  • 19:43: shot put women
  • 19:45: pole vault men
  • 19:47: 400m men B*
  • 19:53: 400m women B*
  • 20:04: 400m women
  • 20:17: 100m women
  • 20:28: 110m hurdles men
  • 20:29: high jump women
  • 20:35: discus throw men
  • 20:37: 5000m men
  • 20:52: triple jump women
  • 21:01:100m women
  • 21:09: 3000m steeplechase men
  • 21:29: 1500m men
  • 21:40: 800m women
  • 21:52: 400m men

14 September

  • 18:52: javelin throw women
  • 19:28: triple jump men
  • 19:32: shot put men
  • 19:51: pole vault women
  • 19:53: 200m women B*
  • 20:04: 400m hurdles men
  • 20:17: 200m women
  • 20:20: high jump men
  • 20:22: javelin throw men
  • 20:27: 3000m steeplechase women
  • 20:46:100m hurdles women
  • 20:52: long jump women
  • 20:54:1500m women
  • 21:07: 200 men
  • 21:18: 5000m women
  • 21:40: 800m men
  • 21:52: 400m hurdles women

*Non-Diamond League events

2024 Brussels Diamond League: how to watch live

Action will be streamed in a number of territories on the Wanda Diamond League YouTube page, but the live stream will not be available in all territories.

BBC has the rights in the UK and will broadcast it on BBC Two, while for audiences in the U.S., live coverage will be provided by NBC/Peacock.

SuperSport is the rightsholder for the 2024 Diamond League in most of Africa.

Please check your local listings to find out more information.

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