12th July 2019

DIAMOND LEAGUE HEADS TO MONACO

Several British athletes will be heading to Monaco for the ninth round of the IAAF Diamond League on Friday 12 July.

After finishing second last week in Marseille and running a season’s best of 2.00.57, Lynsey Sharp (coach: David Harmer; club: Edinburgh AC) will go in the women’s 800m. She will face a field including Commonwealth bronze medallist Natoya Goule (JAM) and world medallist Ajee Wilson (USA).

Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill) is also due to race over 800m and, with an outdoor season’s best of 2.00.63 last month, she will definitely be one to watch. The multiple European champion tops the UK rankings after her 1:59.50 clocking during the indoor season.

Charlie Da’Vall Grice (Jon Bigg; Brighton Phoenix) will be racing against world number one Timothy Cheruiyot (KEN) in the 1500m who ran a world leading time of 3.28.77 in Lausanne last week. In a loaded field including European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) and indoor world record holder Samuel Tefera (ETH), this is set to be a blockbuster event on the French coast. Grice’s recent win in Marseille will set him in good stead to improve on his season’s best of 3.34.35.

Britain’s Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman; Edinburgh AC) will be facing strong opposition in the 800m with current world number two, Nijel Amos (BOT), world champion Pierre Ambrose Bosse (FRA) and reigning Euro champion Adam Kszczot (POL). The Briton returned to action over 800m at the end of June following injury, when he recorded 1:45.55 in Watford.

Also lining up in Monaco will be Melissa Courtney (Rob Denmark; Poole AC) and Laura Weightman (Steve Cram; Morpeth) in the Brave like Gabe Mile, making it Weightman’s first run over the distance this year.

Weightman remains in good form after recently clocking a huge personal best of 8.26.07 over 3000m at the Prefontaine Classic, moving her up to second on the UK all-time rankings in the event. Courtney has also run a personal best in the 3000m this year at the European Indoor Championships with 8.38.22.

Full start list can be found here.

Live coverage can be found on Eurosport 2 from 19:00 on Friday. Highlights will be on BBC Two on Saturday 13 July between 10am-11am and will be available on the BBC iPlayer soon after.