At Diamond League Silesia, Paris stars can continue the trend of post-Olympic history

The last series of athletics competitions after the Olympic Games usually produce top performances.

In September 2012, American Aries Merritt broke her Olympic gold medal by breaking the world record in the 110-meter hurdles.

In August 2016, Poland’s Anita Włodarczyk repeated her Olympic hammer throw championship title, then broke her own world record 13 days later.

In August 2021, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran the second and third fastest 100 meters in history at Diamond League events following the Tokyo Olympics.

More can happen in the final three weeks of this Diamond League season, which continues with a meeting in Poland, live on Peacock on Sundays from 10am to 12pm ET.

Since Paris, Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi ran the fourth fastest 800 meters in history on Thursday during a Diamond League race in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The top four men from that race return on Sunday, with David Rudisha’s world record from the 2012 Olympics potentially at stake.

At other events, Olympic standouts have something to strive for.

In the shot put, Ryan Crouser hopes to overtake Joe Kovacs as the world’s longest thrower in 2024.

In the 110m hurdles, Grant Holloway can break his tie for the most races under 13 seconds in history.

In the 100 meters, Jamaican Kishane Thompson, with a modest seasonal record, could become the fastest man in the world in nine years.

American Masai Russell has already become the fourth fastest woman in history in the 100m hurdles this summer, and a strong field on Sunday could help her climb further up the all-time list.

Who participates in the Diamond League Silesia?

Here are the entry lists for SilesiaHere are five events to keep an eye on:

Men’s Shot Put — 8:24 a.m. ET
The best seven from the Olympics are in the field, led by three-time gold medalist and world record holder Crouser. But it is three-time silver medalist Joe Kovacs who has the world’s best throw in 2024 (23.13 meters).

Men’s 110m Hurdles — 8:49 a.m. ET
Olympic bronze medalist Rasheed Broadbell of Jamaica handed Olympic gold medalist Holloway his first defeat of 2024 in Lausanne. Holloway also missed his first chance to break his tie with 1996 Olympic champion Allen Johnson for the most races in history under 13 seconds. They both have 11. All of the medalists from Paris return on Sunday — Holloway, silver medalist Daniel Roberts and Broadbell.

Men’s 100m — 9:41 a.m. ET
Olympic champion Noah Lyles ended his season after Paris, but this field includes silver medalist Thompson, two-time Olympic 100m medalist Fred Kerley and Tokyo Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy. Thompson has the fastest time in the world for the last two years, a 9.77 he set at the Jamaican Olympic Trials in June. No one has run 9.75 or faster in the last nine years.

Women’s 100m Hurdles — 10:34 a.m. ET
A field so crowded that there will be two heats to determine finalists. Seven of the eight women from the Olympic final are competing, led by all three medalists — Russell, Cyréna Samba-Mayela of France and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico. At the Olympic Trials, Russell ran 12.25 to become the fourth-fastest woman in history.

Men’s 800m — 11:14 a.m. ET
On Thursday, Wanyonyi delivered the performance of the evening by running the fourth fastest time in history (1:41.11), just two-tenths off the world record of compatriot Rudisha. The top four men from Lausanne return on Sunday.