News23 Aug 2016


Thompson, Ibarguen and Semenya added to Brussels fields – IAAF Diamond League

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Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson (© AFP / Getty Images)

Four more Olympic champions have signed up to the AG Insurance Memorial Van Damme on 9 September, the second of two IAAF Diamond League finals.

Following the recent announcement of the participation of world 200m champion Dafne Schippers, Olympic 200m champion Elaine Thompson has also confirmed her participation.

The Jamaican sprinter finished second to Schippers at last year’s World Championships and third behind the Dutch sprinter at last year’s IAAF Diamond League meeting in Brussels, but she gained revenge in Rio, winning in 21.78.

World and Olympic champion Caterine Ibarguen will line up in the triple jump. The Colombian will be aiming for her victory win in succession, having won in Brussels for the past three years.

Olympic 800m champion Caster Semenya will step down in distance and make her IAAF Diamond League debut over 400m. Earlier this year the South African set a PB of 50.74 but decided to focus on just her specialist event at the Olympic Games.

Organisers of the meeting have also announced that on the eve of the main competition, the women’s shot put will be held at the historical Grand Place in Brussels, right in front of the City Hall.

The competition starts at 5pm and will feature the three Olympic medallists from Rio: USA’s Michelle Carter, New Zealand’s Valerie Adams and Hungary’s Anita Marton.

Organisers for the IAAF

2016 IAAF Diamond League calendar
6 May – Doha, QAT
14 May – Shanghai, CHN
22 May – Rabat, MAR
28 May – Eugene, USA
2 Jun – Rome, ITA
5 Jun – Birmingham, GBR
9 Jun – Oslo, NOR
16 Jun – Stockholm, SWE
15 Jul – Monaco, MON
22-23 Jul – London, GBR
25 Aug – Lausanne, SUI
27 Aug – Paris, FRA
1 Sep – Zurich, SUI
9 Sep – Brussels, BEL