Faith Kipyegon has some fond memories of the track at the Louis II Stadium. Last year, for her final confrontation with Sifan Hassan before the Olympic Games, the Kenyan pulled off a remarkable feat, crossing the line in 3'51''07: the world best performance of the year, a national record and a personal best. Doubtless she’ll be keen to repeat the performance this year in the 1,500m...
If there’s one athlete who really feels at home in Monaco, it has to be Gianmarco Tamberi. The Italian, an Olympic champion in Tokyo, will be back in the jumping arena where he secured his personal best performance (2m39 in 2016). He’ll be keen to excel there once again in front of the Italian audience, which is always out in force in Monaco to watch all the action in the high jump.
The last time Hansle Parchment cut a dash on the track of the Louis II stadium was in 2018, when he ranked fourth in the 110m hurdles. This year, the Jamaican is in a different league and eager to beat his fastest time this year of 13''09. His impetus might well spur the energetic young French athlete Sasha Zhoya to reduce his own reference time (13''17)...
With regards the Women’s pole vault, it’ll certainly be worth watching Katie Nageotte. Keeping a bit of a low profile this season, the Olympic champion has not had her final say and is keen to upgrade her season’s best (4m65, at the American championships in Eugene). Her presence should also enable the local of the leg, Margot Chevrier, to rack up some great experience for her debut performance at a Wanda Diamond League meeting.
Miltiadis Tentoglou will be gunning for gold again on Monaco’s long jump pit. Last year, the Greek athlete took the win in the Final 3 jump-off after clearing 8m24. Nailing a jump of 8m36 already this year, Monaco will be an opportunity to really get into his stride before taking off for the European championships in Munich...
In 2018, Peruth Chemutai was an unknown talent on the start line of the 3,000m steeplechase. At the finish, she ranked sixth in the race in 9'07''94, a new Ugandan record. This year, she’s back with her new status as Olympic champion. An opportunity for her to run her first-ever sub-nine-minute time? It might be possible on a track which has seen Beatrice Chepkoech set a new world record… in 2018!
