Josh Kerr & Sam Tanner are entered in hot 1500m at Lausanne Diamond League meet Friday...
The Wanda Diamond League series resumes Friday evening as the circuit lands in Lausanne, Switzerland for the Athletissima meeting at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.
Josh Kerr (number 7/Paul Merca photo) of the Brooks Beasts and Great Britain, along with former Husky Sam Tanner of New Zealand are both entered in the men's 1500.
Both are looking to improve upon their finish in the meet, as Kerr was fourth in the 2022 edition in 3:32.28, while Tanner was eighth in 3:33.67.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, along with Ethiopians Lamecha Girma and Teddese Lemi are the headliners in the 1500, which is the last race of the evening.
Washington alum Gianna Woodruff of Panama, who was fifth last year in 54.97, returns in the 400 hurdles. She'll race Femke Bol of The Netherlands, who set the meet record last year when she won in 52.95. Woodruff stands fourth in the Diamond League standings in the event with 14 points after three meets.
Defending world and Olympic champion Katie Moon, who is one of a small group of Americans entered in the meet, goes in the women's pole vault. The former Pullman resident faces a field that includes former Olympic champ and Stanford grad Katerina Stefanidi of Greece, Arkansas alum Tina Sutej of Slovenia, and Australian Nina Kennedy.
Moon is the Diamond League leader in the pole vault with 22 points after three meets.
The Lausanne meet is the penultimate Wanda Diamond League meet before the USATF championships next weekend along with several other national championship meets around the world.
After Lausanne, the Diamond League heads to Stockholm, Sweden for the Bauhaus Galan meeting on Sunday. No athletes with Washington ties are entered in the meet; in fact, reigning Olympic discus champion Valarie Allman is the only American entered in a Diamond League scoring event, as she has a bye to the world championships in August by virtue of winning the Diamond League finals last year in Zurich.
Washington State alum CJ Allen, who is the Diamond League leader in the 400 hurdles with 22 points after three meets, will miss the Stockholm meet, which has his event on the docket. He's returned to the US to prepare for the national championships.
Both the Lausanne and Stockholm stops on the Wanda Diamond League tour will be streamed on Peacock ($). The Lausanne meet is on Friday starting at 11 am Seattle time, while the Stockholm meet airs beginning at 9 am Seattle time Sunday.
NOTE: The Lausanne Athletissima and the Wanda Diamond League contributed to this report.
paulmerca.blogspot.com may receive a commission for any purchases made from links clicked. Please support this site and our sponsors by clicking on the links.
Comments