Han has made several world record attempts at the Stockholm Stadium, without succeeding. On Sunday, Armand Duplantis will once again try to improve his record in the pole vault.
Here's everything you need to know before the Diamond League gala.
+ When and where
Sunday, June 2, Stockholm Stadium. The first Diamond League event in the competition starts at 5:20 PM.
+ TV/radio
SVT1/SVT Play/Radiosporten.
+ Weather:
Last year, the Diamond League gala in Stockholm took place at the end of June, in cold and rainy weather. This year, the competition is back at the Stockholm Stadium as a spring event.
+ Three Swedish stars
The world's hottest track and field athletes are Armand Duplantis, the Swedish-American pole vaulter who is the reigning world champion and world record holder. He is undefeated this year and improved the world record in the first outdoor competition, the Diamond League event in Xiamen, China, to 6.24.
The reigning world champion in the discus, Daniel Ståhl, has not quite gotten it together in the season opener. The longest throw came in the premiere on Tenerife, 68.99, a competition Ståhl won.
Andreas Almgren has set Swedish records on 10,000 meters, 5,000 meters, 10 kilometers on the road, and half-marathon, and has become Olympic-qualified on both 5,000 and 10,000 meters. In Stockholm, he will run the 3,000-meter Diamond League event with the goal of breaking his own Swedish record and possibly finishing in the top 5 in Europe, which requires a time under 7:30.
+ Three international stars
Mykolas Alekna, Lithuania. Smashed the 38-year-old world record in the discus in the season opener, in very favorable winds. The 21-year-old has since shown that he is staying at the top by winning the competitions in Marrakech and Jöhvi. In addition to Daniel Ståhl, he is challenged by Australian Matthew Denny and Kristian Ceh, Slovenia.
Shericka Jackson, Jamaica. Is a two-time world champion in the 200 meters and took silver at the World Championships twice on the 100 meters. The Jamaican is the reigning Diamond League champion in both sprint distances. In Stockholm, she will run the 200 meters.
The world's top four shot putters on the women's side, currently, are coming to Stockholm. Led by Canadian Sarah Mitton, silver medalist in the World Championships last year and gold medalist indoors in the spring. Dutchwoman Jessica Schilder is second on the ranking, and German Yemisi Ogunleye is third. Last year's world champion, Chase Jackson, is currently ranked fourth. Fanny Roos and Sara Lennman hope to challenge.
+ Marathon clash
The competition will take place for the first time on the same weekend as the Stockholm Marathon. The marathon will take place on Saturday with the finish line at the Stockholm Stadium. On Sunday, children will run a "mini-marathon" with the finish line on the arena – just a few hours before the Diamond League gala starts.
