Amusan Makes Diamond League Return in Zurich

World record holder Tobi Amusan will return to Diamond League action in Zurich on Thursday as the Nigerian joins compatriots Ezekiel Nathaniel and Chukwuebuka Enekwechi among the global stars competing at the final meeting of the regular season.

The iconic Zurich meeting will be held across two days, with the women’s pole vault scheduled to take place at Zurich train station on Wednesday before the main programme continues at the Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday.

The meeting represents the final opportunity for athletes to earn points and secure qualification for the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels on September 4 and 5.

Amusan has already secured her place in the final, but her return to the circuit will provide another opportunity to test herself against some of the world’s leading hurdlers.

The Nigerian last competed in the Diamond League in June before representing Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games, where she won a bronze medal.

In Zurich, Amusan will face United States Olympic champion Masai Russell, who will be looking to extend her winning streak in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Russell has enjoyed an impressive season, including a 12.14-second performance in Xiamen in May, a time only 0.02 seconds slower than Amusan’s world record.

Alaysha Johnson, Nadine Visser and home favourite Ditaji Kambundji are also expected to compete in the event.

Nathaniel, meanwhile, is ranked eighth in the men’s 400m hurdles standings with 10 points. The Commonwealth Games gold medallist will once again face Norwegian star Karsten Warholm and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos after competing against both athletes at the Silesia Diamond League meeting in Chorzów, Poland.

Enekwechi, ranked ninth in the Diamond League standings, will compete in the men’s shot put against world No. 1 Leonardo Fabbri of Italy, Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell and New Zealand’s Tom Walsh.

Other leading athletes expected to feature in Zurich include Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Julien Alfred, Audrey Werro, Femke Bol, Cole Hocker and Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Following Zurich, the Diamond League Final in Brussels and the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest will be the remaining major events on the athletics calendar in September.