by Alfonz Juck
I have a confession to make.
I loved the Paris meeting each season. Most seasons, I would fly over to Paris after the US Champs and then visit several of the Diamond League meetings. What did I love about the Paris DL?
Well, the presser day was fantastic. I was able to interview 8-10 athletes at the pressers, and they were relaxed and open.
The meeting should be fun tomorrow. Enjoy!
Shelly-Ann and Shaunae in Paris
PARIS (FRA): Paris Diamond League at Charlety Stadium will be highlighted by top French athletes. Internationally Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with Yaroslava Mahuchikh is the main names, among men Andre de Grasse and Devon Allen. Also both 400 m Olympic winners from Tokyo. Unexpected heat is prognosed for Saturday evening.
Short previews
Men
100m (non-DL): Jimmy Vicaut is included in a mainly French line-up, which also has Henricho Bruintjies.
200m: Olympic champion Andre de Grasse will hope to make up for fourth in Doha, with Alexander Ogando and Benjamin Azamati two of the top names to contend with.
400m: World and Olympic champion Steven Gardiner tackles his first Diamond League since 2019. Can Matthew Hudson-Smith find another three-tenths to break the 35-year-old European record?
800m: Patryk Dobek, Peter Bol, Nijel Amos and Tony van Diepen are involved in an open field.
5000m: World champion Muktar Edris takes on Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega, the latter being the fastest in the field this year. Yemen Crippa and Jimmy Gressier lead the Europeans.
110m hurdles No.3 all-time Devon Allen is back for his second race in three days after another quick time. Wilhelm Belocian leads the home challenge.
Pole vault: Renaud Lavillenie and Thiago Braz are the star names, but Ben Broeders is top on clearances this season.
Triple jump: New stars meet old as Jordan Diaz looks to build on his recent 17.76m breakthrough, joined by recent 17.64m jumper Andy Diaz, Hugues Zango, and Pedro Pichardo. Christian Taylor continues his comeback.
Triathlon (non-DL): Kevin Mayer and Maicel Uibo take part in the 110m hurdles, shot, and long jump.
Women
100m: Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce could be well clear in her first European race of the year. European indoor 60m champion Ajla Del Ponte looks to extend her form outdoors.
400m: Shaunae Miller-Uibo looks to bounce back from an uncharacteristic third in Doha, with Anna Kielbasinska and Natalia Kaczmarek among the top challengers.
3000m steeplechase: Winfred Yavi and Mekides Abebe square off again after second and third in Eugene.
100m hurdles: Tobi Amusan, Cindy Sember and Pia Skrzyszowska head the field.
High jump: Yaroslava Mahuchikh will be after her third win of the season out of three over Nicola Olyslagers. Nafi Thiam has her first high jump of the year.
Hammer (non-DL): Wojciech Nowicki, Pawel Fajdek, Malwina Kopron and Krista Tervo are part of the special mixed competition.
Javelin: World No.2 Elina Tzenggo faces Olympic bronze medallist Kelsey-Lee Barber and Haruka Kitaguchi, along with Czech stars Barbora Spotakova and Nikola Ogrodnikova.
