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Julien Alfred (LCA)
On racing for the first time since the Oslo Diamond League on 10 June…
“I’m really excited to see where I’m at after resting for the last four weeks. I feel good. I’m in really great shape. I knew what I had to work on and I’m in great shape physically and mentally so I’m really excited to race tomorrow.”
On her goals for the remainder of 2026…
“Remaining healthy and also going to the Diamond League finals and World Ultimate Championship. I’m hoping to win there. I try to approach the season the exact same way. I’m a very competitive person so I don’t think of it as a non-championship year.
On the possibility of challenging Merlene Ottey’s meeting record of 21.77 from 1993…
“I don’t like talking about times but anything sub-22, I’m happy but the most important thing is the win.”
Gabrielle Thomas (USA)
On returning to Monaco as a three-time Olympic champion
“Being an Olympic champion does change you in some ways but I focus on what I did to get to that point. The work does remain the same despite the fact the expectations get higher. I just focus on what I’ve been doing for years that got me to that point and maintaining that.”
On the meeting record of 21.77…
“Similarly to what Julien said, the goal is to win, to come out and put your best foot forward. I want to finish the race healthy. It’s a great field with great sprinters with amazing competitors – Julien included – and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can bring out of each other. It would be lovely to get a meeting record, the goal is first and foremost to win.”
On staying focused in a non-major championship year…
“It genuinely does feel the same, especially now we have implemented the World Ultimate Championship, it almost does feel like any other season but there’s also a bit of lightness in the season. The goal is to have fun and really enjoy track and field but also taking it race by race.”
Armand Duplantis (SWE)
On making his Monaco Diamond League as an official Monaco resident…
“It’s my first time jumping here as a resident. I’m glad they were able to squeeze us in here. I had to push hard for us to be added as an extra event. It’s such a beautiful stadium and I didn’t want to miss out on all the fun. Hopefully I have some good stuff to give too.”
On what we can expect after clearing a meeting record of 6.05m last year…
“Higher. That’s the plan. I feel really good, in good shape. I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself before this competition which is a good thing. I really want to jump high especially as I pushed hard to make this event happen. I want to put on a good show, I’m just eager.”
On returning to winning ways with a 6.13m world outdoor lead in Paris…
“Coming off a bit of a poor performance in Stockholm made me more motivated and hungry. Due to the wedding, I was a little bit off mentally but right after the wedding, I felt so focused and refreshed and I just felt ready to start jumping again. I haven’t been this fired up to jump in a long time. Sometimes you need a bit of a wake-up.
Nina Kennedy (AUS)
On looking to extend her win streak in Monaco after triumphing in 2022 and 2024…
“I want to keep that winning streak going. Monaco is my favourite Diamond League. I’m not just saying that! The stadium is beautiful, we’re on the beach and I swim every morning and night. The crowd is really epic, it’s a good set-up for the pole vault.
On facing her great rival Katie Moon with whom she shared the world title in 2023…
“Some people loved it, some people hated it but it fuelled my Olympic campaign: I wasn’t going to let her win again. Will I be sharing with Katie again tomorrow? No, I probably won’t be.”
On the possibility of challenging her PB of 4.91m…
“I’ve seen the progression and it actually goes through my personal best. If I put the pieces of the puzzle together, I think there’s a 4.92m bar tomorrow. I would love to clear that.”
Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT)
On the comeback trail following injury…
“It’s good to be back in Monaco. I have a lot of great memories from this stadium. I’m coming back for another win or a good performance, especially after last year. I was dealing with some serious injuries and now I’m back, putting on my spikes and doing what I love: jumping and competing. I’m looking for an improvement.”
On clearing a season’s best of 2.27 and how he approaches training following injury…
“I’ve been out for one-and-a-half years. I’m really happy to be back and jumping in spikes. I approach everything differently now. I know I can’t do what I normally do in training but I have that athlete mentality: ‘you know what? I’m going to make it happen.’ It works. It’s not easy but it works.”
On competing at an elite level for more than 15 years…
“One of the things that’s very important to me is longevity: being able to produce such a high performance over such a long time. I think that’s something which stands out from the rest.”
Collen Kebinatshipi (BOT)
On if he’s in his best ever shape after his 43.54 in Eugene…
“I wouldn’t say I’m in my best shape yet: we haven’t done my last training block of the season yet. Running 43.5 showed us what we are going to do towards the end of the season. I didn’t expect it; the first half of the race I was a bit relaxed but it’s all about execution.”
On the possibility of challenging Wayde Van Niekerk’s 400m meeting record of 43.77…
“It’s possible. We just have to go out there and do our thing. It’s a strong field and I won’t be surprised if two or three of us run under the meeting record.”
On the possibility of attacking the sub-20 barrier in the 200m…
“I get asked that a lot. This season, we’re just focusing on the 400m. Unfortunately we don’t have the 200m in the season. Maybe next season you’ll see me more in the 200m.”
Rai Benjamin (USA)
On his goals in the 400m on Friday…
“I think the plan is just another PR: whether that’s 44-flat or 43.9, another PR would be perfect. I’m just having fun. I’m trying a new event this year. It’s taking some time to get the rhythm; Eugene was only my second race and I’m hoping to do much better at this meet.”
On winning the 400m hurdles in Monaco ahead of gold in Paris 2024…
“This meet was the catalyst to go on to do well in Paris. It’s a pretty special meet and I love the atmosphere and I love the track. The weather is always good.”
On being coached by 2004 Olympic 100m hurdles champion Joanna Hayes…
“She keeps things very light but she’s been at this level and she’s an Olympic champion. I take what she says very seriously. It’s been an amazing run for us as athlete-and-coach over the last eight or nine years. Stepping into a different event, I see her shining through in coaching in an event which she doesn’t really coach at all. She’s not afraid to ask questions. I’m a big supporter of not only just women in sports but women figures leading.”
Masai Russell (USA)
On challenging Nia Ali’s meeting record of 12.30…
“I think I can handle that. Every single time I’ve raced this year, it’s been a meeting record. We’re just going to break all the records. I don’t chase times, I chase wins and with wins come fast times.”
On the highly competitive nature of the 100m hurdles globally…
“It’s due to evolution. When there’s a lot of fast people at the same time, fast times become more normal. We’re learning more, there are more resources and we are knowing more. Like the men’s 100m when Usain Bolt was running, that was the era for the 100m. I feel like we are in this era for the 100m hurdles.
On whether a sub-12 second 100m hurdles is possible…
“I feel like sub-12 is definitely possible. I know I’m still very young, I’m still building and getting stronger, I’m still learning. When I turn 28, 29, 30 and when I get even stronger, faster and even more experienced, I think we will start to see 12.0s and 11.9s.
Oblique Seville (JAM)
On making his racing debut in Monaco…
“I’m very excited to perform here. I expected a good performance. I’ve been here since Monday so I’ve discovered the track and it’s pretty fast. I expect a fast time tomorrow.
On if he expected to run 9.82 in the 100m at the Jamaican Championships…
“Not necessarily because my preparation wasn’t that good going into the Jamaican Championships. Running 9.82 was not that expected.”
Faith Kipyegon (KEN)
On returning to racing in Eugene after a mid-season hamstring injury
“It was really tough to decide to go to Eugene after a bit of a hamstring injury. Going back to Eugene I was not surprised with the result, it is what I expected. It would have been tough to quit Eugene and Monaco as these places hold unique memories breaking world records and I could not hold back.”
On her levels of fitness after the hamstring injury…
“I’m on the road to recovery. I’m not at 100 percent but I’m going to try my best. I know where I’ve come from. It’s been a tough journey since Shanghai. I hope to recover in a nice way towards the end of the season. It’s not easy, especially when you are at 98 percent, you need 99-100 percent. I’m going to try my best and run the race I’ve been preparing for.”
Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA)
On her early experiences of competing in Monaco…
“I raced in the kids events in 2008 when I was 11 years old. Looking at the big stars who were racing, I had stars in my eyes and one day I wish I could compete with them. I took a different path with triathlon but last year was a big challenge in the post-Olympic year and I was searching for a new challenge.”
On looking for new challenges after winning Olympic triathlon gold in 2024…
“After such a high [in Paris 2024], I thought: what’s next? I just needed something different and for something that makes me want to wake up in the morning and to be excited.”
On being inspired by fellow Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee who is running the 5000m…
“He made me want to do new things this year. I saw his marathon experience last year and I was a bit jealous. I wanted to copy him but I’m not ready for a marathon yet. I don’t know if he has changed his preparation a lot but it will be interesting.”