Olympic champions Rogers and Russell face tough opposition at Los Angeles Grand Prix

Olympic champions Camryn Rogers and Masai Russell will be among the headline names at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix on 13-14 June, as the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series continues with a meeting packed with stars of the sport.

Almost every discipline on the programme features at least one global champion, with strong fields assembled across the sprints, hurdles, throws, jumps and middle-distance events. But few contests look deeper than the women’s hammer, which takes place on Saturday (13), on the eve of the main programme.

One week after producing one of the deepest women’s hammer competitions in history, the world’s leading throwers will clash again in Los Angeles. The field brings together the top nine performers from last weekend’s contest of record depth at the Lone Star Grand Prix in College Station, including all podium placers from the past four global championships.

World and Olympic champion Camryn Rogers extended her winning streak in College Station with 79.36m, but the Canadian was pushed all the way by USA’s Rachel Richeson, who improved her PB to 79.33m to finish just three centimetres behind Rogers.

Rogers, who has thrown beyond 80 metres three times this year, will once again face a field of global medallists in Los Angeles. China’s world silver medallist Zhao Jie and world bronze medallist Zhang Jiale are set to compete, along with 2022 world champion Brooke Andersen, 2019 world champion DeAnna Price, 2023 world silver medallist Janee’ Kassanavoid and Olympic silver medallist Annette Echikunwoke.

Olympic champion Masai Russell will contest the women’s 100m hurdles, having reduced her own North American record to 12.14 in Xiamen last month.

She faces world bronze medallist Grace Stark, USA’s 12.24 performer Tonea Marshall, two-time world champion Danielle Williams, former world record-holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic silver medallist Cyrena Samba-Mayela of France.

World and Olympic long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall will double up in Los Angeles, contesting the 100m hurdles as well as the long jump. Her appearance in the long jump will be her first competition in that event in 2026, and she will face 2025 world indoor champion Claire Bryant and 2024 world indoor silver medallist Monae’ Nichols.

Sprint fields loaded with global champions

Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo lines up in the men’s 100m, where he will face world and Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, world indoor bronze medallist Trayvon Bromell and 2019 world champion Christian Coleman.

Bromell heads to Los Angeles off the back of victory at the Lone Star Grand Prix, where he clocked a wind-assisted 9.85 to beat a high-quality field. Bednarek, meanwhile, has already shown strong form over 200m this season, including a 19.69 victory at the Rabat Diamond League.

In the women’s 100m, 2023 world champion Sha’Carri Richardson takes on Cambrea Sturgis, Tamari Davis and Nigeria’s Favour Ofili.

The men’s 110m hurdles also features recent winners from the global circuit. World champion Cordell Tinch faces Trey Cunningham, who won at the Rome Diamond League in a PB and world-leading 12.98, and in-form Jamal Britt.

The men’s 400m brings together 2025 world indoor champion Chris Bailey and 2025 world indoor bronze medallist Jacory Patterson. Bailey won at the Lone Star Grand Prix in a season’s best of 44.35, while Patterson won at the Rabat Diamond League in a season’s best of 44.11. Patterson, who has a PB of 43.85 from last year, is joined by Grenada’s Kirani James, owner of a full set of world and Olympic medals at 400m, who will be opening his season.

Nigeria’s Ella Onojuvwevwo leads the women’s 400m entries after winning at the Lone Star Grand Prix in a PB of 49.47. She faces Aaliyah Butler, who has dipped under 50 seconds in her past two races.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell, 2016 Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad, world finalist Gianna Woodruff, 2023 world silver medallist Shamier Little and Asian record-holder Kemi Adekoya are set to race.

World champions set to star in throws and distances

World and Olympic champion Ethan Katzberg heads the men’s hammer field. The Canadian, whose sole competition so far this year was an 82.43m victory in Nairobi in April, will face Olympic bronze medallist Mykhaylo Kokhan and US record-holder Rudy Winkler.

The women’s shot put features two-time world champion Chase Jackson, two-time world indoor champion Sarah Mitton and world indoor bronze medallist Axelina Johansson.

In the women’s discus, world and Olympic champion Valarie Sion takes on world silver medallist Jorinde van Klinken and 2023 world champion Laulauga Tausaga.

The men’s shot put line-up includes two-time world champion Joe Kovacs, Olympic bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell and 2022 world bronze medallist Josh Awotunde.

USA’s Cole Hocker will contest the men’s 3000m. The Olympic 1500m champion and world 5000m champion faces South Africa’s Tshepo Tshite.

The men’s 800m includes two-time world indoor 3000m champion Josh Kerr, 2019 world champion Donavan Brazier, NACAC champion Handal Roban and Japanese record-holder Ko Ochiai.

In the women’s 1500m, Shanghai Diamond League winner Birke Haylom lines up alongside fellow Ethiopian Worknesh Mesele, an Olympic 800m finalist, and USA’s world indoor 3000m silver medallist Emily Mackay.