World-leading meeting records were set by Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Femke Bol at the Herculis EBS – Wanda Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday, but perhaps the biggest talking point came from US sprinter Noah Lyles, who beat his fellow Paris 2024 gold medallist Letsile Tebogo on his long-awaited return to Diamond League action.
Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi lived up to expectations in what was arguably the toughest test of his career so far. Not only did the men’s 800m reunite all eight finalists from the 2024 Olympics, it also had the addition of world indoor champion Josh Hoey and Oceanian record-holder Peter Bol.
Wanyonyi tracked the pacemaker through the first half as 400m was covered in 49.21, 0.07 quicker than David Rudisha’s first lap when the legendary Kenyan set his world record.
Once the pacemaker dropped out, Wanyonyi held the lead until the end and pulled away from Hoey, who was doing his best to hold off Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati.
Wanyonyi crossed the line in 1:41.44, shaving 0.02 from the meeting record Sedjati set last year and racking up his sixth career sub-1:42 clocking – just one shy of Rudisha’s record tally.
Hoey was second in a PB of 1:42.01 with Sedjati placing third (1:42.20). Bol came through to set an Oceanian record of 1:42.55 in fourth, one place ahead of world champion Marco Arop (1:42.73).
Lyles landed a statement victory against Botswanan rival Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 200m, clocking 19.88 to come out on top in the battle of the Olympic champions. Tebogo was second in 19.97, just 0.02 ahead of Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba.
The Olympic 100m champion hadn’t raced since April due to minor injury issues in his ankle, but any questions over the US sprinter’s form were answered swiftly within the space of 20 seconds after the gun fired for the men’s 200m.
Lyles, who was drawn in lane seven, just one lane outside 200m Olympic champion Tebogo, got a solid start and was level with the world leader as they came off the bend. The multiple world champion showed no signs of rustiness as he held his form well in the closing stages.
Like fellow Herculis debutant Wanyonyi, Femke Bol also ensured her first Monaco appearance was a good one. The world champion bided her time in the women’s 400m hurdles and pulled away gradually from former world record-holder Dalilah Muhammad to win in a world-leading 51.95, breaking one of the oldest track meeting records at Herculis.
Muhammad was second in a season’s best of 52.58, also inside the previous meeting record set by Lashinda Demus back in 2009. Olympic silver medallist Anna Cockrell was third in 52.91, also a season’s best.
Nelly Chepchirchir maintained her undefeated record in 2025 to win the women’s 1000m in one of the fastest times in history.
The Kenyan, no doubt inspired by the recent record-breaking feats of compatriots Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet, sat back in the field during the early stages, allowing Jessica Hull to take the leading spot behind the pacemaker.
Chepchirchir moved up in the second half and took the lead just before 800m, reached in 1:58.41, still inside world record pace. The record slipped out of her grasp in the final stages, but Chepchirchir pulled away from the field to win in 2:29.77, elevating her to fourth on the world all-time list.
USA’s Addison Wiley came through for second place in a North American record of 2:30.71 with Hull finishing third in an Oceanian record of 2:30.96.
Yomif Kejelcha was similarly dominant in the men’s 5000m. The two-time world indoor champion led through 3000m in 7:39.47 with Sweden’s Andreas Almgren close behind, but he dropped out soon after.
Kejelcha, meanwhile, then pulled away from his remaining opponents and won comfortably in 12:49.46, his third consecutive sub-12:50 time this year. France’s Jimmy Gressier came through for second place in 12:53.36 ahead of Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew (12.53.51). In fourth, Mohamed Abdilaahi broke the long-standing German record with 12:53.63.
In the 400m flat, world and Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino had to call upon all of her strength in the home straight to reel in Aaliyah Butler.
Paulino caught the US youngster just before the line to win in 49.06, while Butler was rewarded with a PB of 49.09 in second. Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce (49.63) and Olympic bronze medallist Natalia Bukowiecka (49.72) set season’s bests in third and fourth.
Paulino wasn’t the only world and Olympic champion who had to pull out something special to hold on to victory.
Morocco’s Soufiane El Bakkali had initially tried to attack the world record in the men’s 3000m steeplechase. He carved out a huge lead at the half-way point but his pace then began to fade.
On the final lap, Japan’s Ryuji Miura started motoring and even caught El Bakkali at the top of the home straight, but the Moroccan responded and sprinted to the finish line in 8:03.18. Miura was rewarded with a huge national record of 8:03.43 and Kenya’s Edmund Serem set a PB of 8:04.00 in third.
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Diamond League AG
Since its launch in 2010, the Wanda Diamond League has been the elite one-day meeting series in athletics. It comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field, crossing four continents and 13 different countries to reach athletics fans in all corners of the world.
