Rome Diamond League: Preview, schedule and stars to watch
Olympic champions are out in force this week for the Diamond League meet in Rome. Find out everything you need to know about the who, what and when of the Golden Gala below.
Athletics
After the thrills of the last meeting in Rabat, the Diamond League moves to Rome where many of the top stars of athletics will fight for gold in the annual Golden Gala.
Fourteen events will be competed in Rome, including seven men's events and seven women's. And with the World Athletics Championships in Oregon less than two months away, athletes will be aiming to show they are reaching peak form as they prepare for the year's most important track & field tournament.
Can Jamaican sprint legend Elaine Thompson-Herah continue her winning streak in Rome? Will the USA's Olympic 800m champion Athing Mu star in her first Diamond League race of the season?
Find out the answers to your questions below.
When and where will the Rome Diamond League take place?
The Diamond League meet in Rome will take place on 9 June at the Stadio Olimpico in Italy's capital city. This year's Golden Gala begins with the men's discus at 18:30 pm local time and concludes with the men's 100m at 21:52 pm.
The Stadio Olimpico was the venue of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as the athletics competitions, of the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Today it holds over 70,000 spectators and is the home of the Roma and Lazio football teams.
Stars to watch at the Rome Diamond League
After an impressive win in last week’s Diamond League 100m race in Rabat, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 100m and 200m champion Elaine Thompson-Herah lines up in the 200m in Rome, where she will face off against double Olympic 400m gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo and world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith.
In a star-packed field, USA legend Allyson Felix will also compete in the 200m as she continues her farewell season in Rome, while Olympic 100m bronze medallist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica and Switzerland’s world 60m indoor champion Mujinga Kambundji will also be on the starting line.
The 800m race will see Olympic champion Athing Mu make her first Diamond League appearance of the year, after pulling out of the Prefontaine Classic. Other notable runners include world 800m champion Halimah Nakaayi and Great Britain’s Jemma Reekie, who placed fourth in Tokyo.
Hot off breaking the 300m hurdles world record, the Netherlands’ Femke Bol will be among the favourites in the Olympic distance 400m hurdles. Her closest challengers are likely to include the USA’s Shamier Little and Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhykova.
Winner of the rabat discus competition, Kristjan Ceh will once again pit his wits against Sweden’s Olympic champion Daniel Stahl in Rome, while the USA’s Joe Kovacs will be a favourite in a strong shot put field.
London 2012 400m champion Kirani James of Grenada and Rio 2016 champion Wayde van Niekerk are due to race against USA star Michael Cherry in the 400m.
Other names to look out for include the USA’s Nia Ali and Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn in the women’s 100m hurdles, and a raft of American talent in the men’s 100m including Fred Kerley, Isiah Young, Michael Rodgers and Marvin Bracy.
Diamond League Rome schedule
- 18:30: men's discus
- 19:15: men's shot put
- 19:35: women's pole vault
- 19:55: men's high jump
- 20:03: women's 400m hurdles
- 20:13: men's 400m
- 20:21: women's 1500m
- 20:38: women's long jump
- 20:42: women's 800m
- 20:51: men's 3000m steeplechase
- 21:08: women's 200m
- 21:15: men's 5000m
- 21:37: women's 100m hurdles
- 21:52: men's 100m
All times are in local time in Rome (CEST)