by Stuart Weir
This is the intro piece for the Herculis Monaco DL Meeting, held in 2025 on July 11. The Monaco meeting is one of the most prestigious of the Diamond League meetings. We thank Stuart Weir for his coverage of this meeting.
Monaco Herculis Diamond League Meeting, the intro
The Diamond League program takes us to China, the Middle East, Africa, USA and eight countries in Europe. This week the juggernaut reaches Monaco, for many the jewel in the crown. Monaco with the capital and effectively only town, Monte Carlo, is on the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by France to the North, East and West. It is just 9 miles from Italy.
Its status is that of a sovereign city state, also called a principality, as the ruler is a Prince. The current head of state is Prince Albert who rules as a constitutional monarch who appoints a Prime Minister. Prince Albert always attends the Diamond League. Its total size is 0.80 sq miles with a population of 39,000 of whom just under 10,000 have citizenship and permanent residency rights – known as Monegasque. It is recognised as one of the wealthiest and most expensive places in the world, with fast and expensive cars parked on every street corner.
The Diamond League is called the Herculis. According to legend Monaco harbour was founded when the mythical giant strongman Hercules was having an argument with another giant and picked up a rock to throw at the other giant, creating Monaco harbour.
Monaco has great natural beauty. The royal residence is on a hill towering over the harbours. In addition to the Diamond League, the principality hosts an elite tennis tournament, a professional football (soccer) club which plays in the French league and Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix. The race takes place, not on a purpose built racing circuit but through the narrow streets of Monaco.
The stadium has a notorious fast track where many records have been set. Kenya’s Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon smashed the women’s mile world record at the Diamond League in Monaco 2023.
Herculis EBS
July 21, 2023, Monaco, photo by Kevin Morris
