At the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Friday, athletes Julien Alfred and Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered standout performances, setting multiple records at the Stade Louis II. The event, known for attracting some of the world’s best track and field competitors, showcased several notable achievements in an evening marked by high-quality competition.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi, who holds the titles of world and Olympic champion in the 800 meters, established a new world best in the men’s 1,000 meters—a non-Olympic event—clocking 2:11.83. This time shaved 0.13 seconds off the previous mark set by fellow Kenyan Noah Ngeny in 1999 in Rieti, Italy. Wanyonyi’s decisive surge came with 200 meters remaining as he outpaced Britain’s Jake Wightman down the home straight. Despite the impressive time, Wanyonyi downplayed speculation about challenging the 800m world record set by Kenyan David Rudisha in 2012, instead crediting his competitors for pushing him to his limits.
Julien Alfred also made headlines by winning the women’s 200 meters with a meet record of 21.51 seconds, improving her personal best by 0.20 seconds. The St. Lucian Olympic 100m champion’s performance placed her third on the all-time list for the 200m, trailing only American Florence Griffith Joyner and Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson. Alfred expressed satisfaction simply with being first, focusing less on her reaction time. She finished ahead of Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands and Gabrielle Thomas, the reigning Olympic 200m champion from the United States, who placed third.
In other events, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, current men’s 100m world champion, won the race in 9.88 seconds, ahead of American Jordan Anthony (9.92). Armand “Mondo” Duplantis, the Olympic pole vault champion and new Monaco resident, cleared 6.07 meters to break his own meet record, although he was unsuccessful in attempts to reach 6.15 meters for a world record.
Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi recorded a Diamond League record in the men’s 400 meters with a time of 43.44 seconds. The world champion celebrated his win with press-ups and moved to equal sixth on the all-time list. Kebinatshipi expressed surprise at his speed and noted that his team was experimenting with pacing ahead of upcoming competitions.
Australia’s Nina Kennedy, also an Olympic pole vault champion, set an Oceania record by clearing 4.95 meters, narrowly missing 5.00 meters. Her mark places her joint fifth on the all-time list, behind retired Russian jumper Yelena Isinbayeva. Kennedy emphasized her goal to eventually clear five meters, an ambition shared by her team’s "project 5m" campaign.
The women’s 400m saw Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino finish first in 48.67 seconds, securing her third victory of the season. Meanwhile, Masai Russell of the United States won the women’s 100m hurdles in a meet record time of 12.20 seconds.
In the women’s 3,000 meters, Agnes Jebet Ngetich outpaced Faith Kipyegon, recording a meet record 8:08.55—the third-fastest time ever for the distance. Kipyegon settled for fourth place. Greece’s two-time Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou set a meet record in the men’s long jump with a mark of 8.61 meters to round out an evening rich with memorable performances.