I am thrilled to return to the Diamond League. The reason behind Sha’Carri Richardson’s invitation to the Diamond League finals is her dedication and…
The Diamond League final is just around the corner, signaling that the 2024 professional track and field season is coming to an end (although there’s still the new Athlos women’s-only meet in NYC on September 26). The two-day event at Brussels’ Allianz Memorial Van Damme this Friday and Saturday provides a last opportunity to watch some of the sport’s biggest names like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Cole Hocker, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Letsile Tebogo. Expect thrilling competition in events such as the men’s 1500 meters featuring Hocker against Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yared Nuguse; a showdown between world champion Richardson and Olympic champion Julien Alfred in women’s 100 meters; plus Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Marco Arop, Djamel Sedjati making one more attempt at David Rudisha’s remarkable men’s 800-meter record of 1:40.91.
It’s important to highlight who will be absent from Brussels. Grant Holloway, the Olympic gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles and a competitor five times since his Paris win, has essentially expressed that he’s not receiving sufficient compensation to participate there, calling it a “trash-ass track meet.” Additionally, although McLaughlin-Levrone will attend Brussels, she won’t compete in any Diamond League events because of their requirement for wildcard entrants to partake in at least one event during the season—something she did not do.
While it wasn’t the most seamless season finale, track and field events always deliver excitement. Here’s a look at some thoughts on the lineups for Brussels and a sneak peek into the meet’s most thrilling races.
One final note: this will be the last Diamond League meet to air on Peacock. Keep in mind that starting in 2025, FloTrack will hold the US streaming rights.
The Diamond League final is intended to be a premier event in track and field, as the league represents the professional circuit of this sport, with its final being the highlight. Out of 18 athletes who clinched gold on the track in Paris—excluding those from non-Diamond League events like the 10,000 meters—11 are set to compete in Brussels. While this number surpasses what you’d typically see at a standard Diamond League meeting, it’s still significantly less than full participation.
In contrast, Rome boasted three Olympic champions on the track across eight events, while Zurich had six champions over nine events.
