This is Stuart Weir’s second piece on the Herculis Monaco Diamond League, held on July 11, 2025.
Monaco always delivers
Monaco always has a full and exciting program; it never disappoints. Here are 10 memories that I will take away.
1 Style and pageantry
Prince Albert walking round the track and waving to the crowd. The Diamond League trophy making a grand entrance in one of the prince’s vintage cars.
2 Mondo wins
Mondon winning the pole vault with a six meter leap but failing with his world record attempt. Come on, you can’t expect him to break the world record every time.
3 Two legends in the hurdles
Femke Bol Winning the 400 hurdles in a world leading 51.95. Since you asked, she is still taking 14 strides but keeping it going one more hurdle than last year. Former world record holder, Dalilah Muhammad was second in 52.58 in her final appearance in Monaco, in her final season.
4 Records
There was a women’s 1000 meter races with two area records, a national record and seven PRs. RunBlogRun suspects that it might be something to do with the event being rarely run.
5 Women’s shot put
What an exciting finish! Chase Jackson was the early leader with 19.86 in round 1,with Sarah Mitton overtaking her with 20.00 in round 2. Then in round 5 Jackson threw 20.06 to regain the lead. Into the final top three round and Jessica Schilden won with 20.39, the last throw of competition. This finished at the same time as the 400h and Schilden cerebrated with a Dutch selfie with Bol.
6 Men’s steeple
Soufiane El Bakkali won the steeple in 8 :03.18. He had a comfortable lead with a lap to go but Japan’s Ryuji Miura closed the gap and passed him on the home straight, only for El Bakkali to find enough to win by 0.25 seconds.
7 Women’s 100
Julien Alfred got back to winning ways with 10.79. There were five athletes who had run sub 11 this year but only Alfred was sub 11 tonight. The athletes were not helped being kept waiting for towards 10 minutes while the stadium announcer talked about the triple jump, the light show etc
8 Men’s 800
Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the 800 in a world leading 1:41.44 with Josh Hoey second in a PR of 1:42.01. What a season Hoey is having! British athlete, Max Burgin was running well until spiked, making one wonder if we really needed 12 athletes in the race.
9 Women’s 100h
Megan Tapper equalled her PR to win the race. See separate post.
10 Men’s 200
Noah Lyles won in 19.88 from Letsile Tebogo with the first three under 20 seconds.
