by Perri Williams
London always produces some great races and this Saturday promises to be no different. The 60,000 seated stadium is as usual sold out ahead of what is the largest one-day athletics event in the world. Three of Ireland's top athletes are in action, with 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘆 currently topping the overall league 1500m table by just one point. Healy will be amongst plenty of top-class competitors and will have to work hard to beat the in-form Jess Hull (Australia) and the Ethiopian duo of Gudaf Tsegay and Birke Haylom.
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 is part of a strong 800m showing that includes the world number 1 and 2; Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Kenya) and Marco Arop (Canada). All eyes will be on Wanyonyi who will spice up the men’s 800m on the back of his 1:41.44 performance in Monaco, which was a meet record and world lead. The 2019 World Champion Donovan Brazier will line up for his first Diamond League race since 2022,a key milestone in his comeback from injury. With a best of 1:43.92 English will feel at home with the athletic calibre and has every reason to expect another 1:43 performance.
𝗥𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗸𝗲 on the other hand has yet to set the track on fire. She pulled out of Monaco but is set to return to the Diamond League over the shorter 200m distance. She will face her training partner, Julian Alfred. The Olympic 100m champion and world number two, has been in phenomenal form this season, with consistent victories across both 100m and 200m distances and dropping just one race so far. World number 3 Brittany Browne (USA) will be keen to close the gap on Alfred. The big question for Irish fan's is - can Adeleke produce that spark again, and show some form ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo
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The signature event, the men's 1,500m is the final event on the programme and due to kick off at 3.48pm. It will feature a riveting battle between reigning world champion Josh Kerr, and Kenya’s Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech, the second-fastest man in the world this year. Jake Wightman along with the much improved George Mills will be in the hunt. As always with the 1500m, strategy is key and there are always plenty of surprises.
In the absence of Keely Hodgkinson, the 800m will be a showdown between Olympic 1500m medallists Georgia Hunter Bell and Laura Muir and world number 4 - Jemma Reikle. Other Global starts that promise to ignite the stadium with competitive action including a clash between Olympic Champions Noah Lyles v. Letsile Tebogo over 100m, and treble Dutch Olympic medallist Sefan Hassan
Multiple Olympic champions will set the field events alight. Greek long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou, Jamacia's discus superstar Roje Stona and Ukrainian high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh will headline their respective events. Britain’s Molly Caudery is set to woo a home audience as she attempts to eclipse world number two, the ever popular American ,Katie Moon.
Perri Williams
Photo: Perri Williams Photography
Men's 800m 14.15pm Mark English
Ladies Mile 15.13pm Sarah Healy
Ladies 200m 15.38pm Rhasidat Adeleke