Wilson looks to be in good shape but has her hands full in a truly spectacular women's 800 with Caster Semenya, Francine Niyonsaba and all of the medalists from 2015. There's also Elijah Manang'oi in the men's 1,500, Trayvon Bromell in the 200, Justin Gatlin in the 100, Wayde van Niekerk in the 400, Marquise Goodwin vs. Greg Rutherford in the LJ, English Gardner vs. Elaine Thompson in the 100 and Gianmarco Tamberi in the HJ. *MB: Official 2016 Rome Golden Gala Diamond League Discussion Thread.

The Diamond League's debut in Africa features some great distance matchups. Everyone is hyping the women's 5000 at Pre next week but the gold (Almaz Ayana) and silver medallists (Senbere Teferi) are both in Rabat this weekend. Adam Kszczot, Amel Tuka and Nijel Amos headline the men's 800, while MMB joins Jairus Birech and Conseslus Kipruto in the steeple. And then women's 800 where World Indoor champ Francine Niyonsaba will aim to take down Caster Semenya. Plus LaShawn Merritt in the 400 and Erik Kynard vs. Gianmarco Tamberi in the HJ.

Silas Kiplagat, Elijah Manangoi, Abedelaati Iguider, Evan Jager and Ben Blankenship also in the field. *MB: Pre Mile is SALTY! *MB: 5K: True vs Hill vs World Geoffrey Kamworor leads the way challenged by Yomif Kejelcha, Bernard Lagat, Hagos Gebrhiwet, Caleb Ndiku, Edwin Soi, Isiah Koech.

Are you ready for the start of the 2016 professional track and field season? You'd better be as the 2016 IAAF Diamond League season starts on Friday with a big bang and A TON of awesome races that feature clashes between the very best in the World: #1 Kiprop vs. #2 Manang'oi in the 1,500, #1 Birech vs. #2 Kipruto and #3 Kemboi  in the steeple, #1 Sum vs. #1 Semenya in the 800, and #1 Ayana vs. #1 Cheruiyot in the 3,000. There's also Mutaz Essa Barshim vs. Derek Drouin in the high jump, Tori Bowie vs. Dafne Schippers in the 200, Omar McLeod vs. Aries Merritt in the 110 hurdles. Plus Sandi Morris (PV), LaShawn Merritt (400) and Christian Taylor (TJ).

The men's 1500 may be the best event in all of track and field and yet Asbel Kiprop continues to find at way to get the job done. Is he now the GOAT? It also was a good year for Nick Willis, Matthew Centrowitz and Ben Blankenship.

Thursday's meet should be a lot of fun. It serves as a chance for redemption for Evan Jager and Jairus Birech, a $40,000 match race between Asbel Kiprop and Silas Kiplagat, and a battle royale at 3,000 between Emily Infeld, Shannon Rowbury and Jenny Simpson. Plus Mo Aman versus Rudisha and more. 

Oh baby, the final is going to be awesome.

Asbel Kiprop looks to join  Hicham El Guerrouj and Noureddine Morceli in the history books as a 3-time World Champ but he's got his hands full as Matthew Centrowitz, Silas Kiplagat, Ayanleh Souleiman and Taoufik Makhloufi all could strike gold or go home without a medal as this field is LOADED. We break it down for you in nearly 4000 words.

Fresh off a great run at the U.S. Champs, Evan Jager, Donn Cabral and Dan Huling face a stacked steeple field led by '14 world #1 Jairus Birech and world/Olympic champ Ezekiel Kemboi. Taoufik Makhloufi, who ran 2:13.08 for 1,000 on Wednesday, takes on stalwarts Ayanleh Souleiman and Silas Kiplagat. 

The American closed faster than the winner and got an outdoor PR.

Molly Beckwith-Ludlow, faces world champ Eunice Sum in the 800 while World XC champ Agnes Jebet Tirop faces 2013 WC bronze medalist Almaz Ayana in the women's 5,000. In non-distance action, there's a great HJ with Mutaz Essa Barshim & Bohdan Bondarenko, plus Merritt vs. James in the 400 and VCB vs. SAFP in the 100.

It was an amazing year in the 1500 - so amazing that Seb Coe's 1979 WR of 3:32.03 would have put him as the 17th fastest man in 2014. No one was faster than Silas Kiplagat but in our minds no one was better than Ayanleh Souleiman. Thanks to HOKA One One and John Hayes, a resurgent Leo Manzano claims US #1.

Kiprop, Kiplagat and Souleiman all had $40,000 reasons to win this one but Makhloufi was your winner. Galen Rupp PRd and was in the the thick of it with 200m to go, but didn't have the wheels the last 200m. *Video highlights added

The DL season wraps up with the second DL Final in Brussels on Friday as 16 more Diamond Race champions will be crowned. Some of the highlights include the men's 1500 (Silas Kiplagat vs. Asbel Kiprop vs. Ayanleh Souleiman plus Galen Rupp and Leo Manzano), Evan Jager in the steeple, Ajee Wilson and Brenda Martinez in the women's 800 and a great women's 3000 featuring Genzebe Dibaba, Mercy Cherono, Sifan Hassan and Americans Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury. In non-distance action, the men's high jump (Bohdan Bondarenko, Mutaz Essa Barshim) and 100 (Justin Gatlin, Kemar Bailey-Cole) should also be exciting.

 

This meet is loaded from a mid-d and distance perspective but sadly Mo Farah's race is an insult to the fans. Silas Kiplagat, Ayanleh Souleiman and Asbel Kiprop plus Leo Manzano and Matt Centrowitz, who will race the mile, David Rudisha squares off against Adam Kszczot at 600, while world leader Ajee Wilson and world champ Eunice Sum resume their rivalry in the 800.