The coastal city of Xiamen prepares to host the World Athletics Diamond League season opener this Saturday, marking its third consecutive year as a launchpad for elite track and field talent. Over 200 athletes from more than 50 countries and regions will compete, including 19 Olympic gold medalists and 10 world record holders, setting the stage for potential history-making performances.
All eyes will be on Sweden's Mondo Duplantis, who cleared a pole vault world record of 6.24 meters at last year's Xiamen event. This year's competition sees strong Chinese representation, with two-time world shot-put champion Gong Lijiao leading a squad of Olympic medalists and national record holders. Key contenders include men's 200m Asian record holder Xie Zhenye and rising star Wu Yanni, who holds China's national 60m hurdles record.
The event underscores China's growing role in global athletics while boosting Xiamen's profile as a sports tourism destination. Organizers have implemented enhanced crowd management and eco-friendly initiatives to accommodate an expected 40,000 spectators.
As the first major international athletics meet before the Paris Olympics, performances here could signal emerging trends in competitive track and field. The Diamond League Xiamen stop will be broadcast globally across 120 territories, offering a potential economic boost through sponsorships and tourism.
