If you feel like the last Diamond League was only a few days ago, you're not wrong. After Friday night in Rome, the Diamond League circus pitches up again this Thursday, this time in Oslo and once more, Irish eyes will be watching closely.
It’s been a fantastic past week for Irish athletics, a kind of five-day fever where nearly everything has gone right. Personal bests. A National record. Qualifying Standards. And a DIamond League victory for good measure. There is a bit of buzz back, and the form book’s looking tidy.
It all kicked off in Rome last Friday, where two Irish athletes lit up the Eternal City. Cathal Doyle, Ireland’s 1500m champion, ran 3:32.15 in a stacked men’s 1500m race. That’s a full second wiped off his personal best, and more importantly, it punched his ticket to this year’s World Championships in Tokyo. A huge night for the Clonliffe Harriers athlete.
Then came a huge moment, Sarah Healy’s late surge to snatch victory in the women’s 1500m, claiming her first ever Diamond League win. It was a milestone not just for her, but for Irish athletics. Healy now joins Ciara Mageean and Rhasidat Adeleke in an elite trio of Irish athletes to win on the Diamond League stage.
From Rome, the action rolled on to the Netherlands on Monday, where Mark English and Orla Comerford lined out at the FBK Games in Hengelo. English was simply sensational, blasting to a new national record of 1:43.92 in the 800m, finally dipping under that mythical 1:44 barrier. He sat in third at the final bend, but the final 20 metres was all his. That was the national record lowered twice in two weeks for the Donegal man.
Comerford, meanwhile, continued her undefeated run in 2025 with another win in the 100m para race, clocking 11.96. That came on the back of her double in Paris, where she won both the 100m and 200m races in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix. The Raheny Shamrocks sprinter is three from three so far this season and looks primed for more.
And just last night in Kladno, Czech Republic, Ireland’s Sophie Becker added another win to the tally, storming to victory in the 400m. That makes four Irish wins in five days, a fantastic past week.
Back to Oslo: Orla, Rashida, and Mark Take to the Track
All of that brings us to Oslo. Technically, the Bislett Games starts today (Wednesday), with what has become known as the "Strawberry Festival" taking place, which include a pre-programme of sorts that includes a Women's Para 100m race. Orla Comerford is on the start list again, and she’ll be hoping to keep that 100% record intact. Unfortunately it won't be televised.
But all eyes will be on tomorrow night, when the Diamond League leg officially begins and two of Ireland’s biggest stars will be toeing the line.
Mark English – Men’s 800m
Fresh from shattering the national record ang going sub 1:44, English has earned his invitation to tomorrow's race. The field he’s up against is frankly outrageous: Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi headlines the line-up, joined by Algeria’s Daniel Sedjati (Olympic bronze), France’s Gabriel Tual (European champion), and Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui (European silver medallist). It’s a who’s who of middle-distance talent.
English is in the form of his life and will no doubt acquit himself well.
Rhasidat Adeleke – Women’s 400m
And then comes the marquee event for Irish fans: Rhashidat Adeleke’s return to the Diamond League. After a medal-laden run at the European Championships in Rome last year, two silvers and a gold Adeleke is back in the 400m, the event in which she finished fourth at the Paris Olympics. Just off the podium then, but miles ahead in profile now.
She’s become a household name, appearing in RTÉ documentaries, Late Late Show interviews, and carrying Irish athletics on her back more than once over the past year. She won her 2024 Diamond League debut in Monaco last summer can she pull off a repeat this time?
It won’t be easy. She’s up against Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek, a triple Olympic medallist and the woman who beat her to Euro Gold in the 400m Rome. Add in Lieke Klaver, Sada Williams of Barbados, and Great Britain’s Amber Anning and you’ve got a very strong field.
The Bigger Picture
It’s been a strong week for Irish athletics. Not every week sees PBs, Diamond League wins, and national records in such quick succession, and the recent run of performances has definitely added a bit of buzz.
Thursday’s Oslo Diamond League is another chance to see top Irish athletes hold their own on one of the sport’s biggest stages. Adeleke and English are in red-hot fields, and there’s no guarantee of medals or fireworks – but there’s plenty of reason to watch.
Momentum’s a funny thing in sport. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does make things a bit more exciting.
So yes, is it Diamond League time again already? It is. And it’s shaping up to be another night worth tuning in for.
Image: Perri Williams