The announcement was made during a cocktail organized to celebrate the success of the 2017 edition, stage of the last victory of Usain BOLT in his career.
After a summer season than we can call perfect. both athletes are finalists for the IAAF Award of Athlete of the year.
Both athletes told us their excitement to be the first athletes announced for HERCULIS EBS 2018:
Katerina STEFANIDI : « I can’t wait to be back in Monaco to compete in 2018, I grew up watching this meet and it was a dream of mine to be on the track at stade Louis II since I first began jumping.”
Mutaz BARSHIM: “I’m Happy to be back to meeting HERCULIS EBS. I Love this place, as there is always good weather, spectators are really supportive, and the meeting is well organized. Next year I plan on something remarkable, at least the meeting record.”
Katerina STEFANIDI was crowned World Champion of Pole Vault in London with a National Record (and world lead) of 4.91m, and completed her unbeaten streak this summer by winning the IAAF Diamond League at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels. She is now the holder of all major outdoor titles (Olympic Champion in Rio and European Champion in Amsterdam in 2016).
Mutaz Essa BARSHIM is also undefeated this summer, including a victorious jump at IAAF World Championships this August and the IAAF Diamond League title in Weltklasse Zurich. BARSHIM owns the current world lead with 2.40m, jumped during Birmingham Muller Grand Prix, and most important the current Diamond League record with a jump of 2.43m (2nd best performer of all-time).
