Zurich (AFP)
The shadow of Christian Coleman, the fastest man in the world pinned for three breaches of anti-doping localization, will hover over the 100-meter final of the Diamond League on Thursday in Zurich, where Justin Gatlin and Noah Lyles are likely to engage in a duel at one month of the Doha World Cup (September 27 - October 6).
. 100 m: Coleman, the great absent
Pending the settlement of the case Christian Coleman, to be heard on September 4 by anti-doping investigators after his 3 no-show and whose participation in the World Championships is pending, it is without the best performer of the year ( 9 sec 81) that the 100 m cars will fight at Letzigrund. The opportunity for his rivals to mark their territory, starting with the world champion Justin Gatlin. But it will be necessary to have in the eye the phenomenon Noah Lyles. The prodigy US (22 years) will line up only on the 200 m in Doha but the one who holds the second time of the year (9 sec 86) is able to spark in the straight line.
. Perche: a foretaste of the Worlds
Kendricks, Duplantis, Lavillenie, Lisek, Braz: this is a competition worthy of a world finals that is offered to the Zurich public. With three men above 6m this season (Kendricks, Lisek, Duplantis), everything is open in Doha and the winner of the Diamond League will certainly take a small psychological advantage over the competition. French side, we expect a jump from the world record holder (6.16 m) Renaud Lavillenie, blocked 5.85 m in 2019 and does not seem to be in the best position before tackling in a month to only title missing from his prestigious record.
. 400m hurdles: When Warholm defies Benjamin
While Qatar's Abderrahman Samba is resting ahead of the world in front of his home crowd, the two other favorites for the 400m hurdles world title, Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin, are going to fight for the first time in a race that could go very well. quick. Warholm, who has twice beaten the European record in 2019 (raised to 47 sec 12 on 20 July in London), is in a sparkling form and will no doubt be pushed to its limits by the third-time performer in history (47 sec 02, tied with Edwin Moses). What panic time?
. Women's 400m hurdles: Homecoming Muhammad-McLaughlin
A month after breaking the world record of the specialty (52 sec 20) at the US Championships, Dalilah Muhammad returns to the track with a new confrontation against the rising star of the discipline, his compatriot Sydney McLaughlin (20 years). Reunion that could still make big damage side chrono.
. Length: Manyonga and Echevarria finally ready for takeoff?
Considered to be serious contenders in the race for Mike Powell's old world record (8.95m in 1991 in Tokyo), world champion Luvo Manyonga and Cuban nugget (21) Juan-Miguel Echevarria do not really took off this year and may be preserved for the Worlds. The prestige of Letzigrund, theater of many exploits in the past, can sublimate and inspire them? Hitched to the hamstring at the end of July, Echevarria made a winning comeback at the Pan American Games on August 8, but without releasing a high-flying performance (8.27m). Manyonga, who did not go further than 8.37m this summer, also needs a competition-reference just before the final stretch to Doha.
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