LONDON DIAMOND LEAGUE START LISTS RELEASED

I would say that would be insane (to improve her 3:51 1500 pr) but Hassan has shown that she is indeed insane (/compliment) when it comes to taking on new challenges.

She truly is one of a kind.

Yeah, I mistook June for July but the point remains she's running faster at this point of the season than she ever has. She also ran 51.45 at London in 2023 on July 23 so I'm confident we're going to see something close to 51.30 maybe faster.

I didn't include the 50.95 because posters will point out altitude even though the time was ratified as a Euro record without an asterisk. I didn't want this to get into a peripheral debate.

Its certainly puzzling. I think Wanyonyi would still want to/have to do trials but with the travel this race seems a bit unnecessary especially for Koech

Some observations:

* First meeting of the year between Alekna and Ceh in the discus. Series is tied 8-8

* I think it's the first Diamond League appearance ever for Kulichenko of Georgia in the high jump. She should become a Diamond League regular. This time she gets a spot because Angelina Topic is competing in European U23 instead of London

* Others bypassing this meet for European U23 are Niels Laros (5000) and Stefan Nillessen, who is listed in both the 1500 and steeplechase

* Medina Eisa gets a Diamond League 5000 in which she will be able to run in the lead pack instead of deferring to Chebet, Tsegay, etc.

* Jasmine Jones has more raw ability than Anna Cockrell but has had a strangely quiet year. Given Dalilah Muhammad's surprise form Jones will need to show she's approaching sub-53 shape

* Femke Bol loves this meet but I don't see how she can replicate her closing 100 meters from last year. It's the only time in her career that the split from hurdle 8 to finish was nearly equal to Sydney's best ever closing split.

* Lisanne de Witte looks to be pacing the women's 800. She'll need to be wary to get out of the way quickly at this level. Earlier this season she paced a lower level 800 in the Netherlands and did a nice job taking it midway into the backstretch of lap two. But when it came time to abandon she went right from lane 1 and not in a big hurry

* Haylom needs to show something in the mile. She's young but too erratic for Ethiopian decision makers to ignore it year after year. Haylom dropped out of the Prefontaine 5000

* Interesting to see Sophie O'Sullivan in the mile. The Washington milers have been training recently at altitude in Font Romeu. I don't think Maatoug had ever trained at altitude before. She immediately responded with a 5 second personal best of 4:05 yesterday in Italy, finishing behind a personal best from Kimberly May of 4:04.

With AK there are no exceptions! Trials are mandatory for every athlete. All defending world/ Olympics champions must choose to participate in either their event or another. You skip and you are out! Only exception is if you are sick or injured. So no Wanyonyi and no Koech in London.

Sure, but someone like Wanyonyi could finish DFL at the trials and they'd still select him. It isn't like the US system.

It's all about George Mills vs. Josh Kerr

It's all about Ben Pattison vs. Max Burgin

Possibly because Brits like Hassan and the organisers wanted her to appear, so she chose the shortest distance within her current range to earn the appearance fee with the least impact.

One thought I had about why Koech might run London is that he needs a certain amount of doping tests to run for Kenya at Worlds, and he may not have reached that amount given his limited racing history.

Women 5000 if it is in a range of 14.20s and comes to a last lap sprint i don't think anybody can match Margret Akidor's last lap. Well except Nadia batocletti. Medina Eisa can also close but her fastest lap so far is 62/63 seconds meanwhile I have seen Margaret Akidor when in the lead pack close in under 60 seconds. Problem is Kenyan races she always has to run against chebet, kipyegon...etc who always overshadow her.

Xiamen diamond league women 3000m she was impressive in the last lap behind chebet and also last year after not making the kenyan team she went on to win in Monaco diamond league 3 weeks to the Olympics even beating batocletti in the last lap.

Xiamen 2023 women 3000 not 2025

I think it's OOC tests that they need, and supposedly, he already has enough.

Don´t forget Mlls and Nader who have both run much faster than Kerr this year.

Sifan Hassan announced via Instagram story a half hour ago that she will not compete at London Diamond League. She said she wasn't feeling her best last week and her body hasn't responded as well as she wanted.

Looks like both Wanyonyi and Koech are heading to London. I think Wanyonyi would still be heavily favoured to make the team 2 days later, but risky for Koech's chances I feel

Wanyonyi reportedly will be given a spot and is exempt. That is per the Daily Nations reporting. My only thought for Koech is a) they’re very confident b) maybe he doesn’t have the needed tests, though that wouldn’t square with him being invited. Otherwise, it feels reckless to me, as if Komen/Kipsang are on they’re dangerous. The Cheruiyots both are tough to beat.

Yeah Lagat too presumably at 1500. Or maybe for whatever reason they don't really care if he makes Worlds. Maybe they think it'd be too much too soon to do Worlds and he won't even be at trials purposely. Either way I'm a bit confused and would love an answer from his team

While I’m no fan of putting it in the selectors’ hands if it’s the Cheruiyots by a lot like at Kenyan nationals and Kipsang/Komen/Lagat don’t feature well, perhaps they pick him. Either way, there must be some rationale here I agree.