Kipyegon and Lyles to compete on day one of Diamond League Final

After 13 meetings from May to September, the final fields are now set as the Wanda Diamond League gets ready to crown its 2023 champions at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, this weekend (16-17).

The world’s best athletes – including Faith Kipyegon and Noah Lyles, both of whom won two individual titles in Budapest last month – head to Hayward Field looking to end their seasons on a high, but the athletes who missed out on top honours in the Hungarian capital will be out for revenge.

Diamond trophies and top $30,000 prizes are up for grabs in the 32 finals taking place across the two days of action. The first 15 finals – 12 of which contain newly crowned world champions – will be contested on Saturday (16) and the remaining 17 on Sunday (17).

The majority of athletes qualified for the finals by earning points at the 13 series meetings, while others have been entered as national or global wild cards.

Faith Kipyegon is undefeated this year and the Kenyan will want to maintain that record in Eugene. She will also want to extend her Pre Classic winning streak, having won there four times (2016, 2017, 2021, and 2022).

Returning to the scene of her 2022 world title, the multiple world record-holder is contesting just the 1500m this weekend, taking on a field that includes world silver medallist Diribe Welteji, Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir, Irish record-holder Ciara Mageean, talented Ethiopians Freweyni Hailu, Birke Haylom, Hirut Meshesha and Worknesh Mesele, as well as Australian duo Jess Hull and Linden Hall.

Noah Lyles is a man who has never been short of self-belief, and after winning three gold medals in Budapest his confidence is at an all-time high as he heads into what will be his first 100m race since the World Championships.

But there’s still little room for error in a field that includes world silver medallist Letsile Tebogo, world leader Christian Coleman, African record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala, and Jamaican duo Kishane Thompson and Ackeem Blake – all of whom have season’s bests below 9.90.

World champion Sha’Carri Richardson will take on world 200m champion Shericka Jackson in what will be their final 100m clash of the year.

Richardson has won all three of their 100m duels this year; in fact,

she has won all but one of her 100m races throughout the entire season. With the favourable sprint conditions witnessed in Eugene, she may even improve on her own world-leading 10.65.

Elaine Thompson-Herah, who holds the stadium record of 10.54, is rounding into good end-of-season form, while Marie-Josee Ta Lou is always a threat.