There are Diamond Leagues in some of the great cities of the world – London, Paris, Rome – as well as in Eugene, Oregon, the capital of Track and Field in the US. China has two. Then there is Monaco, a tiny corner of France, less than 1 square mile in area and with a population of 38,000. Yet Monaco is a magical place. My hotel looks out on mountains in one direction, the sea in the other.
Monaco is the only Diamond League with regular Royal Patronage, with Prince Albert II always in attendance and with his collection of priceless vintage cars often used to transport athletes round the track to introduce them to the crowd. And talking of cars, walk around the Principality – if the ruler is a Prince, then Monaco is not a kingdom but a Principality – and you will see more Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, etc., than anywhere I have been.
The meeting is the Herculis, honoring the legend that, when the giant Hercules, fighting another giant, picked up a rock to throw at him, it formed the harbor. Monaco’s other internationally renowned sports event is the F1 Monaco Grand Prix, which has been held annually since 1929. There is no race track. Cars hurtle round the 2-mile circuit of the Principality roads.
Then there is the stadium, a notoriously fast track. Natoya Goule once told me that the bends were shaped to facilitate faster bend running. According to Visit Monaco, “First held in September 1987 at the newly inaugurated Louis II Stadium, the Herculis EBS meeting reflects the Federation’s mission to promote athletics, an ambition strongly supported by a Prince deeply attached to sporting values and determined to make the Principality a leading hub for international sport. Prince Albert II has personally presided over the Monegasque Athletics Federation since its creation. Since joining the prestigious Diamond League in 2010, the Monaco meeting has consistently ranked among the world’s finest, earning the title of Best Meeting in the World in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2020.
There have been so many great races in the stadium, but if I had to pick one, I would go for:
Faith Kipyegon’s world mile record of 4:07.64 in 2023.
