It was first revealed late last year that IAAF world athlete of the year Genzebe Dibaba would try to break the world indoor mile record at the Globen Galan meeting in Stockholm. But Swedish star Abeba Aregawi has now been added to the field at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting on 17 February.Aregawi succeeded Dibaba as the world indoor champion over 1500m. But last year, Dibaba succeeded Aregawi as the world champion outdoors over the distance. The two athletes also occupy the first two spots on the world indoor all-time list for 1500m.While Dibaba is the world record-holder indoors and outdoors for the metric mile, Aregawi leads Dibaba in career head-to-heads, 5-3. But this will be their first indoor clash.Aregawi&rsquo;s winter training in Ethiopia has gone so well that she was keen to join Dibaba in her attempt to beat the world indoor mile record of 4:17.14, set 26 years ago by Romania&rsquo;s Doina Melinte.The Swedish record of 4:32.49 is definitely within reach for Aregawi, as she was almost 10 seconds faster than that at the IAAF Diamond League final in Brussels last year.World indoor silver medallist Axumawit Embaye is also in the field, along with world junior silver medallist Gudaf Tsegay and World Championships 800m and 1500m finalist Rababe Arafi.Organisers for the IAAF2016 IAAF World Indoor Tour calendar 6 February &ndash; Karlsruhe Indoor Meeting (Karlsruhe, GER) 14 February &ndash; New Balance Indoor Grand Prix (Boston, USA) 17 February &ndash; Globen Galan (Stockholm, SWE) 20 February &ndash; Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix (Glasgow, GBR)

It was first revealed late last year that IAAF world athlete of the year Genzebe Dibaba would try to break the world indoor mile record at the Globen Galan meeting in Stockholm. But Swedish star Abeba Aregawi has now been added to the field at the IAAF World Indoor Tour meeting on 17 February.

Aregawi to take on Dibaba in Stockholm world indoor record attempt

A handful of world champions and Diamond Race winners will head to the Herculis meeting at the Stade Louis II on 17 July to compete at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco.World and Olympic discus champion Sandra Perkovic is just one victory away from winning the Diamond Race in her event. The Croatian will still need to compete at the IAAF Diamond League final later in the year to guarantee her victory, but maximum points in Monaco will give her an unassailable lead in the overall standings.Perkovic won in Monaco in 2012 and 2013 with respective marks of 65.29m and 65.30m. But the meeting record of 69.30m, set 23 years ago, is within her capabilities.World champion Abeba Aregawi will take on 2011 world champion Jenny Simpson in the 1500m. Aregawi&rsquo;s PB of 3:56.54 is faster than Simpson&rsquo;s best of 3:57.22, but the US runner is undefeated this year and has finished ahead of Aregawi in their three most recent encounters.European champion Sifan Hassan is also in the field and the meeting record of 3:56.97 could be under threat.After missing most of 2014 through injury, world pole vault champion Raphael Holzdeppe is back to his best and will take on world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie in Monaco.The pair cleared 5.85m at the European Team Championships earlier this month with Lavillenie only winning on count-back. Three days later, Holzdeppe set a lifetime best of 5.92m in Baku.Russia&rsquo;s three reigning global champions will clash in the women&rsquo;s high jump. World champion Svetlana Shkolina will be joined by Olympic champion Anna Chicherova and world indoor champion Maria Kuchina as they take on two-time world champion Blanka Vlasic and European champion Ruth Beitia.World 100m and 200m leader Justin Gatlin returns to Monaco looking for a third victory in a row. This time he will contest the 100m and will chase the meeting record of 9.82.Organisers for the IAAF2015 IAAF Diamond League calendar Doha, QAT &ndash; 15 May Shanghai, CHN &ndash; 17 May Eugene, USA &ndash; 30 May Rome, ITA &ndash; 4 June Birmingham, GBR &ndash; 7 June Oslo, NOR &ndash; 11 June New York, USA &ndash; 13 June Paris, FRA &ndash; 4 July Lausanne, SUI &ndash; 9 July Monaco, MON &ndash; 17 July London, GBR &ndash; 24-25 July Stockholm, SWE &ndash; 30 July Zurich, SUI &ndash; 3 September Brussels, BEL &ndash; 11 September

A handful of world champions and Diamond Race winners will head to the Herculis meeting at the Stade Louis II on 17 July to compete at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco.

World champions Perkovic, Aregawi and Holzdeppe head to Monaco – IAAF Diamond League

There is one week to go until the Doha Diamond League, where 13 reigning Olympic champions and 10 current world champions will be getting their 2015 IAAF Diamond League campaigns underway.Including winners of global titles from before 2012, the Doha meeting will feature 16 Olympic gold medallists and 25 world champions. 11 of the 2014 Diamond Race winners will also be competing.Several of those reigning Olympic champions will be in action in the sprinting events.USA&rsquo;s Allyson Felix will contest the event in which she won her individual Olympic title in 2012, the 200m. Felix also won Olympic gold in the 4x100m and 4x400m in London, and three of her relay team-mates will also be in Doha. Tianna Bartoletta is entered for the long jump, while world indoor champion Francena McCorory and Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross will clash in the 400m.World 100m bronze medallist Nesta Carter, who won gold in the 4x100m in London three years ago, is the other Olympic champion entered in the flat sprints. 400m hurdler Felix Sanchez and 100m hurdler Sally Pearson are two more of the Olympic champions who will be in action. The distance events feature Britain&rsquo;s Mo Farah in one of his rare IAAF Diamond League appearances. Farah won the 5000m and 10,000m at the 2012 Olympics and 2013 World Championships, a unique feat which puts him among athletics greatest runners of all time. In his Doha debut, Farah will face a star-studded field in the 3000m.IAAF world athlete of the year Renaud Lavillenie, the world record-holder in the pole vault, leads a group of Olympic champions in the jumps. Others at the Doha meeting are triple jumper Christian Taylor and long jumper Brittney Reese, both from the USA.In throwing events, the list of Olympic champions includes Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago and Croatia&rsquo;s Sandra Perkovic, the undisputed world No. 1 in the discus.Other reigning world champions set to compete in Doha are Kenya&rsquo;s Asbel Kiprop in the 1500m, Swedish 1500m runner Abeba Aregawi, Czech javelin thrower Vitezslav Vesely, French triple jumper Teddy Tamgho, German pole vaulter Raphael Holzdeppe and his shot-putting compatriot David Storl.&ldquo;IDL Doha 2015 will once again be a marvellous athletics experience for everyone involved: the athletes, the officials, the members of the organising committee, the volunteers and of course the spectators,&rdquo; said Dahlan Al Hamad, president of the Qatar Athletics Federation.&ldquo;We always keep our promise to bring to our state the world&rsquo;s best athletes and this is exactly what we are doing this year as well.&rdquo;Organisers for the IAAF<a href="http://fantasydiamondrace.com/" target="_blank">Sign up for the 2015 Fantasy Diamond Race</a>2015 IAAF Diamond League calendar Doha, QAT &ndash; 15 May Shanghai, CHN &ndash; 17 May Eugene, USA &ndash; 30 May Rome, ITA &ndash; 4 June Birmingham, GBR &ndash; 7 June Oslo, NOR &ndash; 11 June New York, USA &ndash; 13 June Paris, FRA &ndash; 4 July Lausanne, SUI &ndash; 9 July Monaco, MON &ndash; 17 July London, GBR &ndash; 24-25 July Stockholm, SWE &ndash; 30 July Zurich, SUI &ndash; 3 September Brussels, BEL &ndash; 11 September

There is one week to go until the Doha Diamond League, where 13 reigning Olympic champions and 10 current world champions will be getting their 2015 IAAF Diamond League campaigns underway.

Global champions choose Doha for their 2015 IAAF Diamond League debut

Asbel Kiprop and Mohammed Aman will meet over 800m at the Doha 2015 meeting on 15 May while Allyson Felix will chase her 11th victory at the IAAF Diamond League meeting.The trio are among the latest group of reigning global champions who will compete at the opening competition of the 14-meeting Diamond League series which gets underway for the sixth straight year in the Qatari capital. Kiprop and Aman are familiar faces in Qatar. Kiprop has won both the 800m and 1500m in Doha, the former in 2011 and the latter at the meeting&rsquo;s past two editions. His 3:29.18 performance last year was a meeting record, coming after winning his second world title over the distance.&ldquo;I love racing in Doha,&rdquo; said Kiprop, who also took Olympic 1500m gold in 2008. &ldquo;The fields are always strong and the conditions always very good for fast races. I hope to have another good performance this year. But it will be tough.&rdquo;Aman, who&rsquo;ll have the vociferous support of Ethiopian fans who come out in force each year, is the world 800m champion both indoors and outdoors, and won over the distance in Doha last year.The field will also include Nijel Amos of Botswana, the Olympic silver medallist.<h3>Felix looking for third 200m win</h3>Felix is even more familiar with Doha. The Olympic 200m champion will be gunning for her third victory on the Doha track over the distance.&ldquo;Starting my season in Doha is really a tradition for me, and I&rsquo;m really looking forward to returning,&rdquo; said Felix, whose 10 victories in Doha include three in the 100m, two in the 200m and five consecutively in the 400m from 2007 to 2011. &ldquo;I love running in Doha where we know the conditions will be just about perfect and the competition excellent.&rdquo;The three-time world 200m champion will face Ivory Coast's Murielle Ahoure, who took silver medals in the 100m and 200m at the 2013 IAAF World Championships.&nbsp; The women&rsquo;s 1500m will not be bereft of star power either. Leading the field will be Sweden&rsquo;s Abeba Aregawi, the world indoor and outdoor champion over the distance, who won the Diamond Race in the event in 2012 and 2013. Her 3:56.60 victory in Doha in 2013 was the fastest run in the world that year.She&rsquo;ll take on Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands. 2014 proved to be a stellar season for Hassan who won at the IAAF Continental Cup and the European Championships, where she defeated Aregawi, and was the fastest woman in the world.Defending Kenyan pride will be Faith Kipyegon, the 2011 world youth and 2012 world junior champion, who clocked a sensational 3:56.98 personal best in Doha in 2013 behind Aregawi. &ldquo;These latest names show our commitment to bringing not only the best athletes to Doha, but to providing top-class rivalries and competition as well,&rdquo; said Dahlan Al Hamad, President of the Qatar Athletics Federation. &ldquo;We know that the athletics world will be looking forward to the great men&rsquo;s 800m race and Abeba Aregawi and Sifan Hassan once meeting in the 1500m.&ldquo;And of course, we&rsquo;re always delighted to invite back Allyson Felix, who has thrilled, competed and won here already so many times,&rdquo; he added.<h3>Reese returns </h3>Long jumper Brittney Reese returns to the scene of her 7.25m career best in 2013 to lead the field in her speciality. The 28-year-old US athlete has won three straight world titles outdoors, the 2010 and 2012 world crowns indoors and the 2012 Olympic gold medal, along with back-to-back Diamond Race trophies in 2010 and 2011. She&rsquo;ll face compatriot Tianna Bartoletta, a former world indoor and outdoor champion who won the Diamond Race last season, and Serbia&rsquo;s European indoor champion Ivana Spanovic.Another athlete returning to familiar territory is Blanka Vlasic, a four-time high jump winner in Doha from 2007 to 2010. Vlasic, twice both the world indoor and outdoor champion, and the 2010 and 2011 Diamond Race winner, will face European champion Ruth Beitia of Spain. Beitia, now 36, finished third at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, won by Vlasic.Organisers for the IAAF<a href="http://fantasydiamondrace.com/">Sign up for the 2015 Fantasy Diamond Race</a>2015 IAAF Diamond League calendar Doha, QAT &ndash; 15 May Shanghai, CHN &ndash; 17 May Eugene, USA &ndash; 30 May Rome, ITA &ndash; 4 June Birmingham, GBR &ndash; 7 June Oslo, NOR &ndash; 11 June New York, USA &ndash; 13 June Paris, FRA &ndash; 4 July Lausanne, SUI &ndash; 9 July Monaco, MON &ndash; 17 July London, GBR &ndash; 24-25 July Stockholm, SWE &ndash; 30 July Zurich, SUI &ndash; 3 September Brussels, BEL &ndash; 11 September

Asbel Kiprop and Mohammed Aman will meet over 800m at the Doha 2015 meeting on 15 May while Allyson Felix will chase her 11th victory at the IAAF Diamond League meeting.

Kiprop, Aman, Felix and Hassan the latest stars for Doha – IAAF Diamond League

On the eve of the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium, organisers of the DN Galan meeting on 21 August were proud to announce the involvement of 18 recently crowned continental champions – 10 from the European Championships in Zurich and eight from the African Championships in Marrakesh.All three European medallists are involved in the women’s long jump, and the presence of two of USA’s finest in Olympic and world champion Brittney Reese and Tianna Bartoletta, who has the top four marks in the world this year with a best of 7.02m from the Oslo IAAF Diamond League, means the event will be one of the most competitive on the programme.Bartoletta, the surprise 2005 world long jump champion, was forced to switch to sprinting in 2007 after a serious knee injury, but has returned to jumping this year, despite initial fears that her speed as a specialist sprinter would be too much to control on the runway.“The 2005 win was a surprise to everyone except me,” said Bartoletta. “In 2006 I tore the cartilage in my right knee and broke the patella. After I recovered I still wasn’t able to set up jumps in the way I needed to, and it became more discouraging. I thought in the meantime, ‘maybe sprint?’“I got really fast, so when I got back to the runway after seven years away, I was way too fast. It was scary. Because the faster you run on the runway, the faster that last step has to be.“But the reason I came back was I did a short stint on the US bobsleigh team as brakewoman, and I realised pushing a bobsled on an ice track running just as fast on the runway while launching myself into the back of an accelerating bobsled is way more frightening than taking the penultimate step of a long jump!”Reese, joint third on this year’s world list with 6.92m, explained that she has been taking this year with no big championships to work on a new technique on the runway.“Even though I jumped 7.25m last year, I felt I wasn’t where I needed to be on the runway,” said Reese. “Everyone knows I’m the Queen of Fouling! It’s something I’m trying to change, and as I have no major championships this year I’m trying to experiment.“I used to just run, and use my speed. Now I do a four-step walk which helps me get speed up quicker. And on the take-off board I am trying to limit my natural dip, and to be taller.”Tori Bowie, second on this year’s world list for the women’s 200m with 22.18, will meet her US compatriot Allyson Felix, the Olympic champion, on the Stockholm track. Like Bartoletta, she too initially established her reputation as a long jumper. But she has also had the best advice on how to harness her speed to the long jump if she wants to return, having roomed with Bartoletta at this year’s IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot.“She explained to me why she stopped jumping, and gave me a little advice,” Bowie recalled. “That’s the reason I’m taking a break from the long jump because I can’t handle the speed I’m at right now – but on the off season I will definitely work on it.“The long jump has been my main event, but I guess because I ran a decent time in 60m indoors this year I thought I should maybe try to sprint more in the outdoor season.”Felix said she felt she had been “playing catch-up” this year after her hamstring injury in last year’s IAAF World Championship final, but added: “The passion is still there. You have to cope with difficult things like injuries, and as time goes on your journey changes. But I am looking forward to a pretty intense period of competition in the next three years.”Jenny Simpson, who will contest the women’s 1500m with a field including two-time world indoor champion Genzebe Dibaba, Sweden’s European 5000m champion Meraf Bahta, their European 1500m silver medallist Abeba Aregawi and the woman who beat her to the line in Zurich, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, accepted that the strength of the event was now making it comparable to the men’s high jump.“It is a uniquely exciting time for women’s 1500m running,” said the USA’s 2011 world champion, whose best of 3:57.22 has her second on the world list this year behind Hassan’s 3:57.00. “Not just in terms of talent, but the depth of the talent. Nobody knows who will win. There is no strong, heavy favourite.”Bahta, who held off Hassan to win her European gold last week, commented: “My PB for 1500m is 4:03, and I want to run under 4:00 in Stockholm, or even a 3:59 or 3:58.”Aregawi said: “I haven’t been running so well recently so I hope I am going to be better in my next race. I am happy for the other Swedish runners like Meraf and Charlotta Fougbourg. I had the good time, now they are coming up.Hassan said she had been training with Bahta in St Moritz and Flagstaff, Arizona. “It’s good to train together because we can push each other and help each other,” she said. “Meraf is a very strong athlete. She never gives up.”Simpson, meanwhile, has been training with her US compatriot Emma Coburn, who has improved her PB four times this year in the 3000m steeplechase, beating Simpson’s US record of 9:12.51 with her 9:11.42 at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Glasgow.“I hope to run another PB or close to it here,” said Coburn, who believes she and her training partner will stick with their current events. “There’s no rivalry in the steeplechase between us, and at 1500m she is head and shoulders above me – she’s run eight seconds faster!”Reflecting on her European silver, Sweden’s Charlotta Fougberg said: “I didn’t take the gold, but silver was very big. I have been happier every second after the race, and many people told me I did well. I had a really good session yesterday. Now I want to improve with every race.”Poland’s Adam Kszcot, runaway winner of the European men’s 800m title in a season’s best of 1:44.15, is now targeting a faster time. “I was surprised to win by so much in Zurich,” he said. “Now I want to find a good pace in a good race, and I think it should be 1:43.30 for me tomorrow, or lower.”&nbsp;Fresh from winning his third consecutive European title, France’s Olympic champion and world record-holder in the men’s pole vault, Renaud Lavillenie, is contemplating his 23rd consecutive victory.“I have the possibility of staying unbeaten during all the year, and that is a major goal for me,” he said. “My jump of 5.90m in Zurich showed I was in good shape and able to be at a high level. Over the next couple of weeks, I hope to clear 6.00m.“I tried to jump 6.01m in Zurich, but the wind wasn’t good for me.”He added that the foot injury he suffered in trying to go further than his world record of 6.16m in Donetsk on 15 February had now cleared up.“After the injury I was two weeks without putting my foot on the ground. I was back to vaulting well by the end of February, but it took two months to feel good, as I was still jumping with a little bit of pain in my foot. But since the beginning of July I have been without any pain in my foot.”Jeff Henderson of the United States, winner of the men’s long jump at three IAAF Diamond League meetings this summer, is back to maintain his unbeaten run this season after suffering a minor injury when winning in Lausanne with 8.33m.“I bruised my heel and had to pull out of the Monaco Diamond League because it was getting worse,” he said. “I went back to San Diego for rehab and it is way better now. I am ready to return to competition.”Henderson added that, like Reese, he had altered his technique this year: “I started hitching this year, so I have changed that, and my landing. I used to hang most of my career.”Galen Rupp will use the men’s 5000m as another tactical test as he attempts to prepare himself for the future challenge of the World Championships and Olympics.“This year I really want to work on my tactics, on winning races, especially when it is a slow race with a fast ending,” he said. “There are so many talented runners in the 5000m and 10,000m that people are hesitant to go out to the front because they know there will be four or five behind relaxing and getting ready to go out in a sprint finish, so it’s tough.”Maria Kuchina of Russia, women’s high jump silver medallist behind Ruth Beitia in Zurich, said she was happy with her result, but added that she had wanted gold.“I will keep training, and next year I will be better,” she said. “I knew it would take 2.00m or more to win in Zurich.”Meanwhile home jumper Emma Green is approaching this event in hope rather than expectation: “It’s been a tough year,” she said. “It’s as good as it can be after several months of really bad back injuries.”Mike Rowbottom for the IAAF

On the eve of the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium, organisers of the DN Galan meeting on 21 August were proud to announce the involvement of 18 recently crowned continental champions – 10 from the European Championships in Zurich and eight from the African Championships in Marrakesh.

Stockholm press conference highlights – IAAF Diamond League

For those athletes who have made the short journey over from Zurich, the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Stockholm on Thursday (21) offers a swift reality checkpoint as they re-engage with the best athletes from all other parts of the world.Some European Championship medallists will hold their ground; others, inevitably, will become reacquainted with their position in the overall scheme of things.Among the most compelling of the races on offer will be the women’s 1500m which will conclude the programme, offering home fans the luxury of not one but two genuine contenders in Abeba Aregawi and the newly installed European 5000m champion Meraf Bahta.Aregawi, the Ethiopian-born runner who became eligible to run for Sweden in 2012, has already earned her adopted country kudos through winning European indoor and world gold last year, but her ambitions at the recently concluded European Championships were thwarted by another naturalised Ethiopian runner, Sifan Hassan, a refugee who became eligible to run for the Netherlands last year.Hassan is the fastest 1500m runner in the world this year with a personal best of 3:57.00 and withstood Aregawi’s challenge to take gold in Zurich.Hassan’s ambitions of earning a European double were frustrated, however, by Bahta – a refugee from Eritrea who, like her, qualified to run for her adopted country last year. The tall, leggy figure of Bahta resisted Hassan’s efforts to pass her all the way down the finishing straight to take gold.Seeing how these three champions get on in the same race will be fascinating, and the result will have significant bearing on the Diamond Race, where Aregawi leads with 12 points to Hassan’s nine.Not that this will be in any way a three-way challenge given the presence of two-time world indoor champion Genzebe Dibaba and the USA’s Jenny Simpson, who has won world gold and silver in the past three years and whose personal best of 3:57.22 puts her third in this year’s world listings.Watch out too for the British pairing of Laura Weightman, the European bronze medallist who has run 4:00.17 this year, and Laura Muir, who ran 4:00.07 at the Paris IAAF Diamond League meeting.Bosse out for redemptionPierre-Ambroise Bosse looked like a wounded animal after slipping from first to last place in the European Championship 800m final he had set his heart on winning. That could be bad news for his opponents in Stockholm, although the effervescent Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos is not likely to let such considerations weigh too heavily on him given the way he managed to edge Bosse out of the Monaco IAAF Diamond League 800m, despite the French athlete setting a national record of 1:42.53 behind the Botswanan athlete’s 1:42.45.Other top-class contenders include Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop, double world 1500m champion but also sixth fastest in the world this year with 1:43.34, Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti, the world indoor 1500m champion with a season’s best of 1:43.69, and Adam Kszczot, who will be on a high after winning the European title with a perfectly judged race in Zurich.The men’s javelin promises to be one of the most competitive events of the evening, featuring as it does all three European medallists: the Finnish pair of Antti Ruuskanen and 2007 world champion Tero Pitkamaki, respectively gold and bronze medallists, and the Czech thrower who got in between them, world champion Viteslav Vesely.They will be in the mix with Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott, Kenya’s Commonwealth champion Julius Yego and Egypt’s Ihab Abdelrahman El Sayed, who leads this year’s world listings with 89.21m. Home eyes will be on European silver medallist Charlotta Fougberg in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, but the Swede, who set a personal best of 9:23.96 this year, is up against five women who have run faster this season, with Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayelew and Sofia Assefa, respectively first and second on this year’s world listings with 9:10.64 and 9:11.39, looking likely to prevail.Allyson Felix, the 28-year-old Olympic 200m champion, will return to Stockholm for the first time since her 2010 victory. The 28-year-old US sprinter is currently sixth on this year’s world list with a time of 22.34, and her main challengers look likely to be US team-mates Tori Bowie and Joanna Atkins.Lavillenie and Perkovic aim to continue dominatingFrance’s world pole vault record-holder Renaud Lavillenie, having secured his third consecutive European gold in Zurich, will be seeking a 21st consecutive win in Sweden. Any competition nowadays is his to lose, barring accident, but there will be pressure for the minor placings given the presence of the world indoor champion from Greece, Konstantinos Filippidis, and the European silver and bronze medallists, respectively Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski and Jan Kudlicka of the Czech Republic.Sandra Perkovic’s domination of the women’s discus matches that of Lavillenie in the pole vault, and after the national record of 71.08m she produced to retain the European title on Saturday, the best throw in the world since 1992, it is hard to see any other winner.France’s Melina Robert-Michon, who took silver in Zurich with 65.33m, will be hoping to get closer to the Croatian, but Perkovic’s main opposition could come from former world champion Dani Samuels of Australia and Gia Lewis-Smallwood, who has a 2014 best of 67.59m and has beaten Perkovic twice in the past 12 months.The women’s long jump will see the meeting of US athlete Tianna Bartoletta, who has the four leading marks this year with a best of 7.02m, pitted against the Frenchwoman who has just retained her European title and is the third-best woman on the listings with 6.92m, Eloise Lesueur.Both these fine athletes face the prospect of eclipse, however, if Brittney Reese, the world and Olympic champion who jumped 7.25m last year, can find her best form.Sally Pearson, Australia’s Olympic champion, won the Commonwealth 100m hurdles title last month, but events here will reintroduce her to the world’s fastest performers of 2014 in the US pairing of Dawn Harper Nelson (12.44) and Queen Harrison (12.46).Meanwhile France’s Cindy Billaud, who has run 12.56 this year, will be looking for some serious consolation having been reduced to tears after her European Championships defeat by Britain’s Tiffany Porter. Gail Devers’ stadium record of 12.42 is under threat.Spain’s 35-year-old Ruth Beitia has the best high jump to her credit this season in the field – 2.01m – and will be buoyed up by having successfully defended her European title on Sunday. But if her form dips, the silver and bronze medallists from Zurich, Mariya Kuchina, with a 2014 best of 2.00m, and Ana Simic of Croatia (1.99m) will be ready to take advantage, as will home jumper Emma Green and Poland’s Justyna Kasprzycka.Edwin Soi of Kenya, who has run 12:59.82 this year, and Ethiopia’s Yenew Alimirew, who has run 13:00.21, are top of this season’s 5000m listings, but the presence of Kenya’s Thomas Longosiwa, with a personal best of 12:49.04, and Isiah Koech, who has run 12:48.64, plus Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Galen Rupp, will ensure an open race.After the disappointment of finishing only eighth in the European Championships long jump, where his best of 7.95m was well below the 8.49m he achieved to stand second in this year’s world listings, Germany’s Christian Reif has something to prove. Jeff Henderson of the United States, with a 2014 best of 8.43m, will want to get back to winning ways after a period off injured, and China’s Li Jinzhe, who has cleared 8.47m this year, is another danger.Shot putter David Storl from Germany, who retained his European title with 21.41m, faces fellow medallists Borja Vivas and Tomasz Majewski as well as three top US throwers in Joe Kovacs, leading the world lists with 22.03m, world and Olympic medallist Reese Hoffa and former world champion Christian Cantwell.The men’s 400m hurdles includes the three fastest in the world this year: Javier Culson from Puerto Rico, Michael Tinsley from USA and South African Cornel Fredricks. Hurdles legend Felix Sanchez, the two-time Olympic champion, will also be in Stockholm.The women’s 400m features three of the four fastest on this year’s world listings in Francena McCorory of the United States (49.48), her compatriot, Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross (49.66) and Novlene Williams-Mills of Jamaica (50.05). Also challenging will be Jamaica’s Commonwealth champion Stephenie Ann McPherson.Nickel Ashmeade is the man to beat in the 100m, with a season’s best of 9.97, but fellow Jamaican Nesta Carter, who has done 9.98 this year, and Michael Rodgers of the United States (9.91) will fancy their chances.Mike Rowbottom for the IAAF

For those athletes who have made the short journey over from Zurich, the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Stockholm on Thursday (21) offers a swift reality checkpoint as they re-engage with the best athletes from all other parts of the world.

Home hopes Aregawi and Bahta promise to send sparks flying in Stockholm – IAAF Diamond League

Swedish 3000m steeplechase record-holder Charlotta Fougberg has confirmed that she will compete over the barriers on 21 August at the DN Galan in Stockholm, the 11th meeting of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League series.Fougberg ran an aggressive steeplechase race last week in Glasgow, which resulted in a Swedish record of 9:23.96, the fastest European time in 2014 so far.&ldquo;I have been fortunate to have an amazing season so far and I can't wait for two of the most exciting races that are coming up for me,&rdquo; said Fougberg.&ldquo;The European Championships in Zurich is obviously the main goal, but being invited to run the 3000m steeplechase at DN Galan at the Stockholm Olympic Stadium will be magical. I'm hoping that the stadium will be full which will give me golden wings to carry me to new records and higher rankings. I will do everything in my power to give the fans an exciting race.&rdquo;With her positive and confident disposition, the extrovert Fougberg has quickly become a media favourite&nbsp;in Sweden.Swedish female middle-distance running is improving in many events and world champion Abeba Aregawi has already announced that she will run her specialist distance, the 1500m, at the DN Galan meeting.&nbsp;&nbsp; Anders Tallgren, DN Galan meeting director, is delighted with the situation. &rdquo;It&rsquo;s fantastic that Swedes are performing so well across the whole range of events," he said. "The European Championships in Zurich will be exciting and the Stockholm stadium is looking forward to welcoming the team home with the first IAAF Diamond League meeting after the championships.&rdquo;Organisers for the IAAF2014 IAAF Diamond League calendarDoha, QAT &ndash; 9 May Shanghai, CHN &ndash; 18 May Eugene, USA &ndash; 31 May Rome, ITA &ndash; 5 Jun Oslo, NOR &ndash; 11 Jun New York, USA &ndash; 14 Jun Lausanne, SUI &ndash; 3 Jul Paris, FRA &ndash; 5 Jul Glasgow, GBR &ndash; 11-12 Jul Monaco, MON &ndash; 18 Jul Stockholm, SWE &ndash; 21 Aug Birmingham, GBR &ndash; 24 Aug Zurich, SUI &ndash; 28 Aug Brussels, BEL &ndash; 5 Sep

Swedish 3000m steeplechase record-holder Charlotta Fougberg has confirmed that she will compete over the barriers on 21 August at the DN Galan in Stockholm, the 11th meeting of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League series.

Fougberg is confirmed for Stockholm – IAAF Diamond League

Just six days after setting a Dutch record of 3:57.00 in Paris last Saturday, Sifan Hassan produced another fantastic 1500m finish to beat Abeba Aregawi in a meeting record of 4:00.67 at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix, an IAAF Diamond League meeting, at Hampden Park on Friday (11). It was one of 10 Scottish all-comers’ records on a bright but breezy evening at Hampden Park, the long-time home of Scottish football and a stadium which once housed nearly 150,000 fans.Now splendidly reconfigured to host the Commonwealth Games athletics programme in three weeks’ time, it welcomed a somewhat smaller gathering this evening of around 10,000.Small in number, they were nevertheless big in voice as Aregawi followed Hassan through the bell and chased hard along the back straight. The reigning world champion, indoors and outdoors, couldn’t catch the flying Dutchwoman down the home straight and had to be satisfied with second in 4:00.94 as Ethiopia’s 19-year-old world indoor silver medallist Axumawit Embaye came through for third in 4:02.78.“It was a good race,” said Hassan, who is now just three points behind Aregawi in the Diamond Race, with two races still to go. “The IAAF Diamond League is really important to me because it is great recognition for an athlete.“I’m in top condition now and I’m looking forward to the European Championships. Abeba Aregawi and I are good friends, we share a manager so we chat and sometimes warm-up and joke together. I’ve never said ‘I will beat you’ or anything like that – we are friends.”There was another classy run by a world leader in the women’s 400m when a well-timed attack by USA’s Francena McCorory brought victory over her fast-starting compatriot Sandra Richards-Ross in 49.93.It was the US champion’s first IAAF Diamond League win of the year and she left both Paris winner Richards-Ross and Jamaica’s Diamond Race leader Novlene Williams-Mills in her wake as she came from behind to power away down the home straight.“I wanted to stick to the plan my coach gave me before the race and focus on how I attacked the race,” the breathless McCorory said afterwards.Richards-Ross clocked 50.39 to finish second, beating Williams-Mills by 0.21.The Glasgow crowd were also treated to the sight of three men going under 10 seconds in the tightest of men’s 100m. The top three were separated by just 0.01 as Nickel Ashmeade pipped Michael Rodgers for victory in 9.97 while Yohan Blake fell to the track with a hamstring injury 30 metres from the line.The first five across the line all ran season’s bests as Ashmeade’s winning time was matched by Rodgers with Nesta Carter third in 9.98, Britain’s James Dasaolu was fourth in 10.03 and Kim Collins fifth in 10.07.Meanwhile, Blake had a beastly race as he pulled up dramatically after 70 metres clutching his left leg, and he left the track in a wheelchair.It was a welcome change of fortune for Ashmeade who was desperately unhappy to be disqualified in Paris last Saturday, but now has the distinction of owning a Scottish all-comers’ record.Linford Christie’s 21-year-old mark had already gone an hour earlier when another Jamaican, Kemar Bailey-Cole, ran 10.03 to win the B race, but that didn’t last long as Ashmeade emerged from lane eight to improve his 2014 best by 0.05.Gebrhiwet has the gearsA 53.97 last lap and a duel with Diamond Race leader Yenew Alamirew brought Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet victory over his compatriot in a topsy- turvy 5000m in 13:11.09, after Augustine Choge had led by some 30 metres early in the race.Choge was swallowed up with 1500 metres to go and a bunch of seven approached the bell together. Gebrhiwet then took off like a train with Alamirew on his heels. Alamirew was just ahead as they entered the straight, but Gebrhiwet fought back to take the win with Kenya’s 2014 world leader Edwin Soi third.Reese Hoffa moved three points clear at the top of the shot put Diamond Race with his second win of the year. Hoffa improved his winning distance from Eugene by three centimetres to 21.67m, beating world champion David Storl and moving ahead of US champion Joe Kovacs in the Diamond Race.Kovacs was fourth as Tom Walsh kept him out of the points with a New Zealand record of 21.23m.“I always compete well in Britain. Maybe it’s the breakfast,” joked the ever-jovial Hoffa.Javier Culson didn’t reveal his dietary secrets but, nevertheless, it was it was a good day for the Puerto Rican as he won the 400m hurdles to pull clear of world silver medallist Michael Tinsley in the Diamond Race.Culson, who was also a winner in Lausanne last week, was well clear coming off the final bend and stayed ahead on the run-in to clock 48.35 despite visibly tiring in the last 50 metres.Ashton Eaton finished strongly to take second in 48.69, ending his dalliance with the event with another personal best. Tinsley was third.&nbsp; Lausanne winner Alonso Edward enjoyed an easy win in the non-Diamond League 200m, beating Jamaica’s Olympic bronze medallist Warren Weir by 0.05 in 20.25 despite shutting down five metres out.Eilidh Child gave the home crowd plenty of reasons to cheer as the Scot was a decisive winner of the women’s 400m hurdles in her quickest time of the year, 54.39, and there was another home hurdles win in the men’s sprint version when William Sharman equalled his personal best of 13.21. Matthew Brown for the IAAF

Just six days after setting a Dutch record of 3:57.00 in Paris last Saturday, Sifan Hassan produced another fantastic 1500m finish to beat Abeba Aregawi in a meeting record of 4:00.67 at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow Grand Prix, an IAAF Diamond League meeting, at Hampden Park on Friday (11). 

Hassan beats Aregawi again with a meeting record in Glasgow – IAAF Diamond League

Robert Harting's travel itinerary for his first trip to New York wouldn't have been anyone's first choice.After arriving from Germany at 6pm on Friday night, he was awake early for the ride out to Randall's Island from Manhattan for the start of the competition at the IAAF Diamond League meeting before turning around and boarding a plane back to Europe a few hours later.It would have been understandable if the big man struggled to perform in the men's discus and, indeed, he got off to a slow start, but an entertaining duel with Ehsan Hadadi of Iran and Piotr Malachowski of Poland livened him up and spurred the world champion to a meeting record throw of 68.24m in round six that earned him four points and a share of the Diamond Race lead."It's kind of unusual travel, (departures) being very close," said the three-time world champion. "My opinion is when you are tired from the trip, it causes a kind of stress on the body but the stress also causes you to be powerful because the body doesn’t know what is happening and it gives you everything that you need."Hadadi had taken the early lead in round two with a toss of 65.23m, but Harting answered quickly with a throw of 66.49m that same round and then extended it to 67.02m on his next throw. Malachowski, the current world leader at 69.28m, struggled throughout but whirled past Hadadi into second place with a final throw of 65.45m. Harting then responded with his best throw of the day on his last attempt, obliterating the previous meeting record of 66.84m set by US thrower Jarred Rome in 2007."I've had so much trouble this year," said a pleased Harting afterwards. "I finished my studying and have a new coach so we need to get a relationship too. There are little mistakes happening every week, so that is why the level isn’t very consistent. “I don’t think that 70 metres this year is possible. I have to battle the Europeans like Piotr this summer. But I will prepare and try to win the Diamond Race for the first time. My plan is to stay consistent and make as many mistakes as possible this year so that, with my new coach, we can avoid them through 2016."Merritt sets 400m mark on the runLaShawn Merritt said he is taking the Diamond Race very seriously this season and his results are proving that, as the 27-year-old world champion followed up his world-leading effort in a dead-heat in Eugene with a victory in the men's 400m here in 44.19, smashing the meeting record of 44.70 set in 2008 by his US countryman Xavier Carter. Merritt needed the effort to hold off Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, who finished second in a national record and African under-23 best of 44.38, and Chris Brown of The Bahamas, who was third in a world age-35 best of 44.61."For me, it is not really about the time," said Merritt. "I wanted to come to get the victory. That is what it took to win because second place was 44.3. To go 44.1, I ran as well as I had to and conserved energy for the next race. I actually am running now to catch a flight to Ostrava and will keep doing business."This was quite the different competition for US long jumper Jeff Henderson. On Monday, he tweaked his approach, moving it back further to capitalise on his speed. With only two chances before the meeting to work on the new approach, he was a bit uncertain as to how things would materialise but, after a strong warm-up, a solid opening jump and two fouls, the 25-year-old soared out to 8.33m, breaking the meeting record of 8.16m set in 2012 by Australia’s Mitchell Watt."I felt very fast and very confident," said Henderson. "I was on the runway and this time, I didn’t clap for some reason. I started my run and I stood up tall and started running fast. I came off the board high but I didn’t really know how high I got. I hit the sand and got up and noticed that it was very far."Not only did Henderson not prompt the crowd to clap rhythmically, but he also didn't put a goal mark out there for himself to chase. "I didn’t have a target," said Henderson, whose previous best was 8.25m. Every time I have a target, I end up not jumping good. I just focused on running my runway and making sure that I jump the way I am supposed to jump."Middle distance marks for Assefa and AregawiAfter her brilliant victory in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Sofia Assefa opted to remain in nearby Portland rather than travel back home to Ethiopia. Remaining at sea level for so long left her feeling a bit sluggish, but it didn’t show on the clock as she cruised to victory in 9:18.58, a time seven seconds slower than her last race but almost 16 seconds faster than the meeting record of 9:27.29 set in 2011 by Kenya’s Milcah Chemos."This was a good win for me today," said Assefa. "I was happy to get the meeting record. I really went for it. I thought I would be able to get it since my personal best (9:11.39 in Eugene) was under the meeting record by a good amount. I feel really fit right now. I am hoping to do well in my next meeting in Paris, but today was very good."In the women's 1500m, Sweden's world champion Abeba Aregawi continued her brilliance this season by holding off Dawit Seyaum of Ethiopia, 4:00.13 to 4:00.66 for her second IAAF Diamond League victory of the season.Aregawi's time bettered the meeting record of 4:01.60 set by Kenya’s Nancy Langat in 2010.Kenya's Mercy Cherono won the women's 3000m in 8:39.84. Joe Battaglia for the IAAF

Robert Harting's travel itinerary for his first trip to New York wouldn't have been anyone's first choice. After arriving from Germany at 6pm on Friday night, he was awake early for the ride out to Randall's Island from Manhattan for the start of the competition at the IAAF Diamond League meeting before turning around and boarding a plane back to Europe a few hours later.

Harting in a hurry but grabs New York meeting record – IAAF Diamond League

Over the last seven years, the adidas Grand Prix has consistently delivered thrills to the rabid Caribbean sprint fans calling the Five Boroughs home.<o:p></o:p>This year, despite the absence of Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce due to minor injuries, the organisers of the sixth stop of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League on Saturday (12) want you to know that, "everything is irie, mon."<o:p></o:p>The Jamaican flags will be waving feverishly for Olympic and World Championships medallists Yohan Blake and Nickel Ashmeade, who will headline the men's 100m and 200m races on Randall's Island.<o:p></o:p>The hotter of the two sprints figures to be the 200m where Ashmeade, who ran on Jamaica's gold-medal-winning 4x100m at the 2013 World Championships, will look for his second Diamond League win of the season. <o:p></o:p>The winner in Doha last month will square off against fellow Diamond Race leader Alonso Edward, of Panama, who won the 200m at the Golden Gala in Rome last week, and Jamaica's Warren Weir, the London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist and Moscow 2013 silver medallist in the event, who finished second to Ashmeade in Doha. <o:p></o:p>Blake, the 100m and 200m silver medallist at the London Games, headlines the 100m, a non-Diamond League event. <o:p></o:p>The 24-year-old, who led Jamaica to victories in the 4x100m and 4x200m at the recent IAAF World Relays, has run two 100m races this season with a best of 10.02. He won this race in New York two years ago in 9.90.<o:p></o:p>On the women's side, Jamaican hopes in the 100m rest on the shoulders of Samantha Henry-Robinson, who owns the fastest time in the field this season at 11.00. <o:p></o:p>However, the opposing US contingent is strong, led by upstart Diamond Race co-leader Tori Bowie, who won the 200m in Eugene and 100m in Rome in recent weeks in personal best times of 22.18 and 11.05.<o:p></o:p>Barshim and Bondarenko battle again<o:p></o:p>The men's high jump also should be a ‘can't-miss’ affair. <o:p></o:p>After their thrilling duel in Rome last week, Ukraine’s 2013 World champion Bodan Bondarenko and Qatar’s 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships gold medallist &nbsp;Mutaz Essa Barshim will renew their rivalry here. <o:p></o:p>Both men came tantalizingly close to clearing 2.43m, with Barshim taking the win and share of the Diamond Race lead by virtue of his clearance at an Asian record of 2.41m.<o:p></o:p>With fair weather conditions expected, it is not out of the question for both men to challenge the US outdoor all-comers mark of 2.40m set by Barshim in Eugene last year and the all-time best mark on North American soil, which is the 2.41m cleared by Cuba's Javier Sotomayor at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships.<o:p></o:p>Should either falter, Americans Erik Kynard, Jesse Williams and Dusty Jonas could surprise.<o:p></o:p>In the men's 800m, Kenya's David Rudisha will be looking to recapture a bit of the form he showed here two years ago, when he blazed to victory in 1:41.74. <o:p></o:p>After missing most of last season with a knee injury, one that first surfaced after he won this race 12 months ago in 1:45.14, the 25-year-old showed a few signs of rust in his 2014 opener, a seventh-place finish in 1:44.87 in Eugene. <o:p></o:p>The women's shot put could see the continuance of an amazing streak of success by New Zealand's Valerie Adams, who will be gunning for her 50th consecutive victory in the event. <o:p></o:p>The 29-year-old, the reigning World, World Indoor and Olympic champion, holds the world-leading mark at 20.46m and the Diamond Race lead with eight points. <o:p></o:p>Suhr looking to soar<o:p></o:p>The women's pole vault is always a favourite of the Icahn Stadium faithful, and this year's competition will feature local star and London 2012 Olympic Games champion Jenn Suhr, Cuba’s Diamond Race and world leader Yarisley Silva as well as 2009 and 2011 World champions, Poland’s Anna Rogowska and Brazil’s Fabiana Murer. <o:p></o:p>The women's 1500m field will be headlined by Sweden's reigning World champion indoors and outdoors &nbsp;Abeba Aregawi, the Diamond Race leader.<o:p></o:p>Aregawi faces a deep and talented group of Americans led by 2011 World champion Jenny Simpson, &nbsp;2013 IAAF World Championships 800m bronze medallist Brenda Martinez and Shannon Rowbury, fresh off her American record over two miles in Eugene. <o:p></o:p>In the women's 3000m, Kenya's Mercy Cherono, the runner-up in Doha in a super-quick 8:21.14, is a clear favourite. <o:p></o:p>Others figuring to contend include Ethiopia's Kalkidan Gezahegne and Kenya's Sally Kipyego, the 2012 Olympic 10,000m silver medallist who is on the mend after twice suffering a broken Calcaneus bone in her left heel.<o:p></o:p>Also look for a classic East African battle in the women's 3000m steeplechase, where Diamond Race leader Sofia Assefa, of Ethiopia, who won in Eugene in a world-leading 9:11.39. She will try to hold off a Kenyan assault mounted by Purity Kirui, Lidya Chepkirui and Fancy Cherotich.<o:p></o:p>The talent pool is just as deep in the remaining Diamond League events.<o:p></o:p>The women's 100m hurdles will see two-time Olympic medallist Dawn Harper Nelson look to improve on her narrow runner-up finish in Rome. <o:p></o:p>Fellow Americans Queen Harrison, 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships 60m gold medallist Nia Ali and Lolo Jones will share the spotlight in a field that sadly saw Australia's London 2012 Olympic Games champion Sally Pearson scratch earlier this week as a health precaution after tweaking her hamstring while warming up in Rome.<o:p></o:p>Merritt out to show his worth<o:p></o:p>The men's 400m will feature World champion and Diamond Race leader LaShawn Merritt against top challengers Leguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic, Yousef Masrahi of Saudi Arabia and Americans Tony McQuay, David Verberg and Jeremy Wariner. <o:p></o:p>In the men's 400m hurdles, world champion Jehue Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago will face the USA’s Diamond Race leader and Moscow 2013 silver medallist Michael Tinsley, Javier Culson of Puerto Rico and two-time Olympic champion Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic.<o:p></o:p>Greece’s Louis Tsatoumas will look to add to his lead in the men's long jump Diamond Race while 2012 Olympic triple jump champion Christian Taylor and 2014 eight-metre men Jeffrey Henderson of the US, Chris Tomlinson of Great Britain, Li Jinzhe of China and Ignicious Gaisah of The Netherlands are among those looking to take him down.<o:p></o:p>Poland’s Piotr Malachowski of Poland, the Diamond Race leader and world leader at 69.28m, headlines a discus field that also includes the reigning World, Olympic and European champion Robert Harting of Germany.<o:p></o:p>On the women's side, Colombia’s reigning triple jump World champion Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia will look to add to her Diamond Race lead with a victory over the likes of Jamaica's Kimberly Williams and Russia's Anna Pyatykh. <o:p></o:p>Australia’s Kathryn Mitchell, owner of the number three mark in the world this season at 66.10m, is a clear favorite in the women’s javelin. <o:p></o:p>Non-Diamond League women's races will see Americans Bianca Knight, Kimberlyn Duncan, Natasha Hastings and Shalonda Solomon do battle in the 200m; Americans Francena McCorory and DeeDee Trotter square off against Great Britain's Christine Ohuruogu and Shana Cox in the 400m; and US teen sensation Mary Cain with contest the 800m.<o:p></o:p>Joe Battaglia for the IAAF<o:p></o:p>

Over the last seven years, the adidas Grand Prix has consistently delivered thrills to the rabid Caribbean sprint fans calling the Five Boroughs home. This year, despite the absence of Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce due to minor injuries, the organisers of the sixth stop of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League on Saturday (12) want you to know that, "everything is irie, mon."

Blake, Rudisha, Aregawi and local heroine Suhr among the stars in New York - IAAF Diamond League

LaShawn Merritt, Abeba Aregawi, Kerron Stewart, Lolo Jones and Tori Bowie are the latest athletes set to compete in Saturday’s adidas Grand Prix in New York, the sixth of this summer’s IAAF Diamond League meeting, organizers announced on Thursday (12).Merritt, 27, won two Olympic gold medals in 2008 (400m, 4x400m), and is a seven-time IAAF World champion, including winning over 400m at Moscow 2013.Aregawi, 23, of Sweden, is the reigning World champion indoors and outdoors over 1500m. Her time of 3:56.60 was the fastest in the world last year and she adds her name to an already deep women’s 1500m that includes Jenny Simpson, the 2011 IAAF World Championships winner and 2013 World Championship silver medallist, Brenda Martinez, the 2013 World Championships 800m bronze medallist, and Shannon Rowbury, the 2009 World Championships 1500m bronze medallist who recently set a US best at two miles, and also Morgan Uceny.Jamaica’s Stewart is the 2008 Olympic Games 100m silver medallist, the distance that she will run in New York. She won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics Games as part of Jamaica’s 4x100m, with whom she also won World titles in 2009 and 2013.Bowie stunned everyone when she won the 200m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene in a world-leading 200m in 22.18, only her second race at the distance as a professional athlete. The American then won the 100m in a personal best of 11.05 at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Rome a week ago.Jones, 31, and now famous for her Winter Olympics bobsled exploits, is a two-time gold medallist in the IAAF World Indoor Championships 60m hurdles.Mary Cain, previously announced for the 1500m, will move to a special women’s 800m race. Just 18, she will graduate a week from Saturday from high school in nearby Bronxville, New York state, and has had a whirlwind spring of proms, exams, and other pre-graduation rituals.Organisers for the IAAF2014 IAAF Diamond League calendarDoha, QAT – 9 May Shanghai, CHN – 18 May Eugene, USA – 31 May Rome, ITA – 5 Jun Oslo, NOR – 11 Jun New York, USA – 14 Jun Lausanne, SUI – 3 Jul Paris, FRA – 5 Jul Glasgow, GBR – 11-12 Jul Monaco, MON – 18 Jul Stockholm, SWE – 21 Aug Birmingham, GBR – 24 Aug Zurich, SUI – 28 Aug Brussels, BEL – 5 Sep

LaShawn Merritt, Abeba Aregawi, Kerron Stewart, Lolo Jones and Tori Bowie are the latest athletes set to compete in Saturday’s adidas Grand Prix in New York, the sixth of this summer’s IAAF Diamond League meeting, organizers announced on Thursday (12).

Merritt, Aregawi, Stewart, Jones and Bowie set to compete in New York - IAAF Diamond League 

At the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene, which opens with a handful of events on 30 May and continues with the main programme on 31 May, all eyes will be on the men’s 800m, specifically for the return of world record-holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha.The Kenyan, who missed most of the 2013 season and the Diamond League season opener in Doha with a knee injury, will be making his Prefontaine Classic debut and is looking to confirm his fitness against a loaded field.He will be up against Ethiopia's Mohammed Aman, who won gold in Rudisha's absence at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Botswana’s Nijel Amos, the 2012 Olympic silver medallist and world junior record-holder at 1:41.73, Abubaker Kaki of Sudan, who has beaten Rudisha five times in 13 meetings, world leader Duane Solomon, who could be looking to challenge the US record of 1:42.60, and two-time European indoor champion Adam Kszczot.The 800m is the penultimate event on the programme and will be followed by the meeting’s signature event, the Bowerman Mile. This year’s field boasts a stunning collection of talent and is led by world champion Asbel Kiprop. The Kenyan has broken 3:50 in the mile five times in Eugene and is the current 1500m world leader with his 3:29.18 clocking in Doha.He will oppose Kenya’s Silas Kiplagat, who beat Kiprop by 0.05 to win last year’s race, world indoor champion Ayanieh Souleiman, Ethiopian 1500m record-holder Aman Wote, 2012 world indoor bronze medallist Mekonnen Gebremedhin, world bronze medallist Johan Cronje, two-time world silver medallist Matthew Centrowitz and European champion Henrik Ingebrigtsen.But the Bowerman Mile has some competition in the most-loaded-middle-distance-event category at this year's Pre Classic as the women's 1500m will trot out its deepest field of talent ever.Leading the way will be 23-year-old Swede Abeba Aregawi, the world champion indoors and out. Aregawi won the 2013 Diamond Trophy and her personal best of 3:56.54 is the fastest in the field.Kenya’s world junior champion Faith Kipyegon is not far behind with a PB of 3:56.98. Compatriot Hellen Obiri, who powered Kenya to a world record in the 4x1500m at the IAAF World Relays last weekend, is the defending champion, having won last year's title in a US all-comers record of 3:58.58.World 800m champion Eunice Sum and 2008 Olympic 1500m champion Nancy Langat are Kenya's other entrants, while the US fans will have plenty to cheer in the presence of 2011 world champion Jenny Simpson, world 800m bronze medallist Brenda Martinez, and five-time national champion Treniere Moser.It’s going to be young talent versus veteran ability in the men’s 5000m, which boasts nine runners with PBs faster than 13 minutes.The fastest in the group is world silver medallist Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia, who ran a world junior record of 12:47.53 last year. He will be challenged by world junior champion Muktar Edris, world bronze medallist Isiah Koech, and Albert Rop of Bahrain, whose 12:51.96 ranks behind only Gebrhiwet and Koech on the world all-time junior list.Yenew Alamirew took the Diamond Race lead with his 5000m victory in Shanghai and will look to add to his points total here. The older class is led by USA’s 39-year-old Bernard Lagat, who is seeking his first 5000m win at the Pre Classic, and defending Pre Classic champion Edwin Soi.Loaded field eventsThe women’s high jump looks set to be another competitive event. Headlining the field will be Olympic champion Anna Chicherova and world champion Svetlana Shkolina, whose last defeat was in August 2012.Co-holders of the current world indoor title, Mariya Kuchina and Kamila Licwinko, are also in the field, as are world silver medallist Brigetta Barrett, European bronze medallist Irina Gordeeva, world junior champion Alessia Trost and Diamond Race leader Ana Simic of Croatia.Once again, the world’s leading pole vaulters will find themselves looking up to world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie. The four-time Diamond Race winner’s primary competition figures to come from world champion Raphael Holzdeppe, world indoor champion Konstadinos Filippidis, two-time world indoor silver medallist Malte Mohr, world indoor bronze medallist Jan Kudlicka and 2007 world champion Brad Walker, who set his US record of 6.04m in Eugene.The women's discus will feature one of the sport's most dominant figures in the form of Croatia's Sandra Perkovic will look to build upon her world-leading 70.52m victory at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai.Among the women looking to knock Perkovic from her perch will be 2011 world silver medallist Nadine Muller, who has thrown 67.30m this year, and fellow German Julia Fischer, who has improved to 66.46m this year. The top US contender is Gia Lewis-Smallwood, the only woman in the world to defeat Perkovic last year.The men’s shot will once again be a US vs the world affair. Former world champion Christian Cantwell is back in form after a lengthy recovery from shoulder surgery and is undefeated this year. Two-time world indoor champion Ryan Whiting, 2007 world champion Reese Hoffa and Joe Kovacs round out the US contingent.Two-time Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski and back-to-back world champion David Storl are the two internationals capable of challenging for the win.More than just the distance eventsWhile the Pre Classic has earned its reputation as a distance runner’s meeting, in recent years it has also become ground for spectacular hurdles showdowns, and this year should be no different.World champion David Oliver, twice a winner at Pre, will take on Olympic champion and world record-holder Aries Merritt, 2011 world champion Jason Richardson and world silver medallist Ryan Wilson. Decathlon world record-holder Ashton Eaton and world indoor champion Omo Osaghae are also in the field.World and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce hasn’t raced against Olympic 200m champion Allyson Felix since last year’s World Championships 200m final when Felix pulled up injured. Their only other encounter of 2013 was over 100m at the Pre Classic.This year they will meet over 200m and will be joined by Murielle Ahoure and Blessing Okagbare, the world silver and bronze medallist respectively, as well as US champion Kimberlyn Duncan and world finalist English Gardner.In the men’s 100m, world leader Justin Gatlin will oppose world bronze medallist Nesta Carter, former US champion Mike Rodgers and world finalist Nickel Ashmeade. Jimmy Vicaut and Simon Magakwe, both of whom have run sub-10-seconds this year, could also pose a stiff challenge.The field for the women's 400m features a confluence of familiar faces and championship medallists, including Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross, world indoor champion Francena McCorory and 2011 world champion Amantle Montsho. Jamaican duo Novlene Williams-Mills and Stephenie Ann McPherson are both in great form and could challenge for the victory.One of the most accomplished athletes in the world will headline the women’s long jump. USA’s Brittney Reese, winner of six consecutive global titles indoors and outdoors between 2009 and 2013, will take on world indoor champion Eloyse Lesueur, Olympic bronze medallist Janay DeLoach Soukup and two-time European indoor champion Darya Klishina.With current Diamond Race leader Kemi Adekoya absent from the 400m hurdles in Eugene, Jamaica’s Kaliese Spencer could move into the overall lead with a victory here. But a trio of strong US women – including 2011 world champion Lashinda Demus, Olympic finalist Georganne Moline and NCAA champion Kori Carter – will be looking to score valuable points too.Elsewhere, world champion Vitezslav Vesely will take on two-time Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen and reigning Olympic champion Keshorn Walcott in the javelin. Olympic champion Christian Taylor will face world indoor champion Lyukman Adams and world silver medallist Pedro Pablo Pichardo in the triple jump. And world champion Milcah Chemos will be up against world silver medallist Lidya Chepkurui, Olympic silver medallist Habiba Ghribi and world leader Emma Coburn in the 3000m steeplechase.Record attempts in non-Diamond-Race eventsOn Friday night, the eve of the main competition, all eyes will be on Olympic silver medallist Galen Rupp as he looks to challenge his own US record of 26:48.00 in the 10,000m. But winning won’t be a cakewalk as he faces five other sub-27-minute runners, including world bronze medallist Paul Tanui and world junior champion Yigrem Demelash.For the first time in the meeting’s history, there will be a women’s two-mile race. In an ideal race, both the US all-comers’ record (9:10.47) and even the world record (8:58.58) could be under threat, with the likes of world silver medallist Mercy Cherono and Olympic silver medallist Sally Kipyego in the field.Although not part of the Diamond Race in Eugene, the men’s 400m boasts one of the strongest fields. World champion LaShawn Merritt will be up against Olympic champion Kirani James in what will be their first clash of 2014.Joe Battaglia for the IAAF

At the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene, which opens with a handful of events on 30 May and continues with the main programme on 31 May, all eyes will be on the men’s 800m, specifically for the return of world record-holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha.