Brussels Diamond League finals: five stand-out events

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AFP

BRUSSELS - Saint Lucia's sprint queen Julien Alfred, her American rival Sha'Carri Richardson and Olympic men's 200m champion Letsile Tebogo headline a panoply of stars from the Paris Games at Friday and Saturday's Diamond League finals in Brussels.

The meet is the 14th and final one on track and field’s elite circuit and comes just a month after the end of the Olympics.

AFP Sport looks at five stand-out events of a crowded line-up that features no less than 82 medal winners from the Paris Games.

Women's 100m

Sha'Carri Richardson got the better of Julien Alfred in Zurich, flipping the result of the Olympic final when the American won silver behind the sprinter from Saint Lucia by just five-hundredths.

Richardson, who was also part of the US gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team in Paris, produced a complete race in Zurich, overhauling Alfred at the line.

"I don't want to use the word revenge," Alfred said Wednesday of her showdown with the American.

"I never run against anyone, I do it for myself and just want to finish the season in style. For the same reason, I'm not focused on times either.

"I am looking forward to go to Saint Lucia, just to celebrate with my country."

Men's pole vault

Conditions were far from perfect for Armand Duplantis at a wet and cold Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, combined with the fact he felt "wrecked" after beating 400m hurdles world champion Karsten Warholm in an exhibition 100m sprint.

After improving his own world record to 6.26m at Silesia last month, the question is whether the stars can align for the US-born Swede for a potential 11th tilt at bettering that mark once more this season.

"I always say, pole vaulters, we need to cherish him. He pushes the whole sport and gets a lot of attention to it," American Sam Hendricks, perennial second placer, said of Duplantis.

Men's 200m

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo made light work of the damp conditions in Switzerland, producing a devastating finish to clock an outstanding 19.55sec for victory ahead of three strong Americans in Kenny Bednarek, Erriyon Knighton and Fred Kerley.

Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana has had an amazing season by anyone's count. (AFP)

Tebogo, still just 21, has had an amazing season by anyone's count, rebounding from the death of his mother in May to dominate the 200m, bagging Botswana's first-ever Olympic gold in the discipline whilst also winning silver behind the absent Noah Lyles in the 100m.

While not content with his curve running in Zurich, Tebogo said it would be a different approach in Brussels.

Running a total race, like in the Olympics, "is something I will do at the Diamond League final because there is still more inside me", he vowed.

"It is all about taking risks. Without risks there is no rewards, so I am taking all the risks that I have got."

Women's 1500m

Faith Kipyegon made history at the Paris Games when she became the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic 1,500m gold medals, crossing the line in a new Olympic record of 3min 51.29sec.

The 30-year-old, a three-time world champion and world record holder, also took silver in the 5,000m.

Her one appearance since her Paris antics was a victory in Rome and it would take a brave person to bet against the Kenyan once again topping the podium in Brussels.

Men's 1500m

Brussels, like Zurich, will throw up a near-repeat of the Paris Olympics final.

Americans Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse won in Paris and Zurich respectively.

Olympic silver medallist and reigning world champion Josh Kerr of Britain, Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot were all also present in Zurich.

"I think Brussels will be fun," said Ingebrigtsen after his second place in Switzerland.

Hocker, Nuguse and Cheruiyot will all be on the start line in Brussels, along with Britain's new road mile world record holder Elliot Giles, while Kerr sits it out.

Schedule

Friday, September 13 

Men: 100m, 400m, 1500m, 5,000m, 110m hurdles, pole vault, long jump, discus throw

Women: 100m, 400m, 800m, 3,000m steeplechase, high jump, triple jump, discus throw, shot put

Saturday, September 14

Men: 200m, 800m, 3,000m steeplechase, 400m hurdles, high jump, triple jump, javelin, shot put

Women: 200m, 1500m, 5,000m, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, pole vault, long jump, javelin