Duplantis and Warholm among the stars in Stockholm

Era-defining Scandinavians Mondo Duplantis and Karsten Warholm head a glittering start list for the Stockholm Wanda Diamond League meeting on Sunday (2).

World record-breaking pole vaulter Duplantis is guaranteed a rapturous reception competing in front of his home crowd in the Swedish capital at the annual BAUHAUS-galan meeting. 

Warholm, from neighbouring Norway, is also sure to be well received as the 400m hurdler looks to maintain his return to top form, following an injury-affected 2022.  

Fresh from a world-leading 6.12m at the Golden Spike in Ostrava on Tuesday (27), Duplantis enters the Olympic Stadium with his customary confidence. World bronze medallist Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines and former world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie of France are among a world-class field. 

Olympic champion Warholm opened his outdoor campaign at the Oslo Diamond League in winning style with 46.62. European silver medallist and world fourth-placer Wilfred Happio of France leads the opposition.  

There are a series of intriguing match-ups of champions in plenty of other events, none more so than in the men’s discus. Home favourite and Olympic champion Daniel Stahl faces world champion Kristjan Ceh of Slovenia.  

Stahl got one over Ceh earlier this month at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland. But Ceh gained revenge at the Heino Lipp Memorial three days later, also extending his lifetime best to 71.86m, equal to Stahl’s own PB. Lithuania’s world silver medallist Mykolas Alekna also cannot be overlooked in a stacked field.  

In the women’s discus, competition is equally fierce. Olympic champion Valarie Allman of USA lines up alongside the only woman to have beaten her so far this year, Jorinde Van Klinken of the Netherlands, Diamond League winner in Oslo. Croatia’s Sandra Perkovic, a Diamond League meeting winner on a record-breaking 45 occasions, is also in the field.

Olympic gold medallist Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and world silver medallist Woo Sanghyeok of Korea head up a strong men’s high jump field. There is also a fascinating contest poised in the women’s long jump, where Olympic and world champion Malaika Mihambo of Germany, world silver medallist Ese Brume of Nigeria and Britain's European indoor champion Jazmin Sawyers bring championship quality. 

World champion and world record-holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria will be looking to go one better than the second place she managed at the Lausanne Diamond League as she continues her campaign in the 100m hurdles.

In the men’s 100m, Olympic and world finalist Akani Simbine of South Africa is the fastest man in the field with a season’s best of 9.92. Olympic 200m gold medallist Andre de Grasse of Canada will be trying to ignite his season.  

Britain's 2019 world champion Dina Asher-Smith won here last year and will looking for a repeat performance in the women’s 200m. But she will have her hands full with Cote d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou fresh from winning the 100m at the Lausanne Diamond League in 10.88.

In the men’s 400m, Emmanuel Bamidele of Nigeria makes his first appearance in Europe since striking gold at the NCAA Championships in Texas earlier this month. European champion Matthew Hudson-Smith and Lausanne Diamond League winner Leungo Scotch present stiff opposition. 

In the distance events, Olympic and world champion Emmanuel Korir is searching for his first win of the season in the men’s 800m. While in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, another Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali will be targeting more Diamond League success following his win on home turf in Rabat last month.  

In the women’s 1500m, Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir returns to Diamond League action after placing second in Rome. World indoor 1500m silver medallist Axumawit Embaye of Ethiopia steps up in distance for her debut race at 5000m, while two-time European champion Natalіia Krol of Ukraine lines up in the women’s 800m.

Chris Broadbent for World Athletics