Instead of having just competed in the previously-scheduled Olympic Games in Tokyo, many of the top athletes around the world are in the midst of taking part in various Diamond League events which are currently being staged around Europe. That is due to be the case until the back end of September, when the star names are due to make the journey to Qatar and potentially China to complete the 2020 campaign. As it stands, four events have been held in different countries, but the next stop on the expected nine-leg journey is a return to Switzerland for the meeting in Lausanne.
While numerous disciplines will take your fancy when it comes to your sports betting this week, you may be attracted to bet on the unique event which is being staged at the Place de l'Europe. Unlike at standard Diamond League meetings, this event will only stage men's and women's pole vault events, running concurrently over a two-hour period on Wednesday evening. The theme kicks on from the previous four Diamond League events, where four men's and two women's competitions were held.
As far as the men's competitions are concerned, Armand Duplantis and Sam Kendricks have been taking centre stage. Swedish star Duplantis has emerged victorious at three of the meetings - including back home in Stockholm - while Kendricks came out on top in Zurich. However, while the pair are two of the discipline's more renown names, it is worth taking a closer look at the entry lists, with no more than five athletes taking part at any one meet.
Kendricks's success - albeit with a season-best effort of 5.81m - also came when Duplantis was not in attendance, and it naturally means that much of the attention will be on the 20-year-old over the coming days. His consistency and continuation on an upward trajectory will worry the prodigy's rivals, with winning marks of 5.86m, 6m and 6.01m being recorded in his three outings thus far. In comparison, Kendricks was only able to record 5.53m when going up against Duplantis in Sweden. However, there may have been a reason, with Kendricks's progress having been hindered in recent weeks due to his equipment not arriving in Europe in time for him to feature in Monaco.
Having not competed since the first event in Oslo, former world record holder Renaud Lavillenie will be back in action, and everything points to the 2012 Olympic gold medallist providing the biggest threat to Duplantis. The Frenchman posted 5.81m back in June and should he be able to shake off any lack-of-competition rust, the veteran could improve on that mark on Wednesday evening. Polish athlete Piotr Lisek, who went as high as 5.66m in Monaco, and American Cole Walsh, fresh off serving a three-month anti-doping ban, are also expected in the field.
Switching our attention to the women's side of the event and a competitive field will be keen to build on the competitions which have taken place in Zurich and Stockholm since the beginning of July. The first meet saw a three-participant showdown between Sandi Morris, Angelica Bengtsson and Katerina Stefanidi, with American Morris ultimately prevailing with a mark of 4.66m. On that occasion, Bengtsson only made 4.46m, but the Swede upped her game considerably for her appearance in Stockholm by improving to 4.62m. Nevertheless, it was not enough to get the better of Great Britain's Holly Bradshaw, who topped the standings with a solid effort of 4.69m. While considerably down on her personal best, it was a timely boost for the 2019 European Indoor silver medallist who is bidding to take the next step on the global scene.
However, the likes of Bradshaw and Bengtsson will now be joined by more of pole vault's big-hitters, a list which includes Michaela Meijer. While the Swedish athlete is yet to make her mark on the worldwide stage, her PB of 4.83m was recorded earlier this season. Most notably, she has gone eight centimetres higher than any of her rivals on Wednesday, arguably putting her on par with the more competition-sharp Bradshaw and Bengtsson. Slovenia's Tina Sutje will also be viewing this event as an opportunity to make her mark having finally began to build on the potential which she showed at the World Junior Championship in 2006. Sutje, now 31 years of age, has never finished higher than 13th place at a senior World Championship, but her season's best of 4.75m is the second highest in the field.
Within two days of the next event, Brussels will take centre stage, quickly followed by a competition due to be held in Rome at the Stadio Olimpico on September 17. However, while there will be anticipation of the major track stars returning to action in Belgium and Italy, it is pole vault's time to attract full attention as Duplantis and Kendricks continuing their growing rivalry.
