Golden Gala preview event by event: 11 Olympic champions in Rome

Minute by minute, event by event, here is the schedule of the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea – Presented by IP, featuring all the stars of the fifth leg of the Wanda Diamond League. There are 14 disciplines awarding points for the Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich on August 27–28. The lineup includes 11 Olympic champions, 15 Diamond League Champions, and 62 medallists from the Olympics and World Championships.

ENTRY LISTS and TIMETABLE – GOLDEN GALA PIETRO MENNEA 2025

One of the “must-see” events in the history of the Golden Gala, featuring the 2008 world record by Yelena Isinbaeva (5.03). Two indoor world champions are expected: French athlete Marie-Julie Bonnin and American Sandi Morris, who also boasts an Olympic silver, three World silvers, and is the only one in the field to have won a Golden Gala (2022). Also returning to the Olympic Stadium is Swiss athlete Angelica Moser, the reigning European champion from Rome in 2024. The elite field also includes Slovenian record holder Tina Šutej, Czech record holder Amalie Švábíková, another American Gabriela Leon, and Italians Roberta Bruni (national record holder) and Elisa Molinarolo (6th at the Paris Olympics with 4.70).

19:30 – WOMEN’S DISCUS
World Record | Gabriele Reinsch (GDR) 76.80 | Neubrandenburg, 9 July 1988
Diamond League Record | Sandra Elkasevic-Perkovic (CRO) 71.38 | Doha, 4 May 2018
Meeting Record | Sandra Elkasevic-Perkovic (CRO) 68.93 | Rome, 31 May 2018
2025 World Lead | Valarie Allman (USA) 73.52 | Ramona, 12 April 2025

Perhaps the most decorated field of this edition featuring two double Olympic champions, Valarie Allman and Croatia’s Sandra Elkasevic-Perkovic, who has won seven consecutive European titles (2010–2024) and holds four Golden Gala wins. Allman won the event last year. Also competing: world champions Laulauga Tausaga (USA), Yaimé Perez (CUB), and Feng Bin (CHN), as well as Italy’s record holder Daisy Osakue, Germans Kristin Pudenz and Marike Steinacker, Dutch European silver medallist Jorinde Van Klinken, and Sweden’s Vanessa Kamga.

19:48 – WOMEN’S TRIPLE JUMP
World Record | Yulimar Rojas (VEN) 15.74 | Belgrade, 20 March 2022
Diamond League Record | Yulimar Rojas (VEN) 15.52 | Lausanne, 26 August 2021
Meeting Record | Yamilé Aldama (CUB) 15.29 | Rome, 11 July 2003
2025 World Lead | Leyanis Perez Hernandez (CUB) 14.93 | Nanjing, 22 March 2025

Among the eleven Olympic champions at the Golden Gala is Dominica’s Thea LaFond, who added a world indoor title to her 2024 Olympic gold. All Olympic medals are represented: Shanieka Ricketts (silver, 2024), Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré (Tokyo 2021 bronze), and Jasmine Moore (Paris 2024 bronze). Also on the roster: Cuban stars Leyanis Perez Hernandez and Liadagmis Povea (gold and silver at the Nanjing World Indoors), Romanian Diana Ana Maria Ion, French European bronze medallist Ilionis Guillaume, and Slovenia’s national record holder Neja Filipic.

21:01 – MEN’S HIGH JUMP
World Record | Javier Sotomayor (CUB) 2.45 | Salamanca, 27 July 1993
Diamond League Record | Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) 2.43 | Brussels, 5 September 2014
Meeting Record | Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) 2.41 | Rome, 5 June 2014
2025 World Lead | Oleh Doroshchuk (UKR) 2.34 | Apeldoorn, 8 March 2025

Two Olympic champions will compete: Gianmarco Tamberi, making his season debut after winning the 2024 Diamond League final, and New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr, who added Olympic gold in Paris to his world indoor titles. South Korea’s Woo Sang-hyeok and USA’s JuVaughn Harrison bring more global medals. Also in the field: the full 2025 European indoor podium (Oleh Doroshchuk, Jan Stefela, Matteo Sioli), Italians Stefano Sottile and Manuel Lando, plus Jamaican duo Raymond Richards and Romaine Beckford.

21:04 – WOMEN’S 400m HURDLES
World Record | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 50.37 | Paris, 8 August 2024
Diamond League Record | Femke Bol (NED) 51.30 | London, 20 July 2024
Meeting Record | Femke Bol (NED) 52.43 | Florence, 2 June 2023
2025 World Lead | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) 52.07 | Miramar, 3 May 2025

The top name in the field is Jamaican Rushell Clayton, a two-time World bronze medallist. No previous Golden Gala winner is entered so that the victor will write her name into the history books of the event for the first time. Also competing: Jamaicans Shiann Salmon and Andrenette Knight, French Euro silver medallist Louise Maraval, Italian record holder Ayomide Folorunso—who recently beat Clayton in Rabat—plus Great Britain’s Lina Nielsen, South Africa’s Zeney Geldenhuys-Van der Walt, and American Cassandra Tate.

21:16 – MEN’S 1500M
World Record | Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) 3:26.00 | Rome, 14 July 1998
Diamond League Record | Asbel Kiprop (KEN) 3:26.69 | Monaco, 17 July 2015
Meeting Record | Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) 3:26.00 | Rome, 14 July 1998
2025 World Lead | Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 3:29.63 | Liévin, 13 February 2025

The disciplines that has made Golden Gala history, with the world record of 3:26.00 still held by Hicham El Guerrouj since 1998. At the starting line is the most recent winner of this distance at the meeting in 2018, Kenyan Timothy Cheruiyot, world champion in Doha 2019 (and silver medallist in 2018), as well as Olympic silver medallist in Tokyo 2021. The younger and nearly namesake Reynold Cheruiyot returns to his favorite event (second place in Rabat) after winning the 5000 meters in the Doha leg. The third Kenyan in the race is Brian Komen, African champion and Olympic finalist, who already claimed a Diamond League victory last year.

With the exception of New Zealander Oliver Hoare, American Vincent Ciattei, and Moroccan Anass Essayi, the other milers competing are all European: among the entrants are Spain’s 2023 European indoor 800m champion Adrián Ben, France’s European indoor 1500m silver medallist Azeddine Habz, Britain’s 2016 European 800m bronze medallist Elliot Giles, Italy’s national champion Federico Riva — who debuted last Friday in Bydgoszcz with 3:33.79 and followed up with a swift 1:44.80 in the 800 meters in Rovereto — Germany’s European finalist at Rome 2024 Robert Farken, Sweden’s European and World indoor finalist Samuel Pihlström, Poland’s Filip Rak, and Slovenia’s Zan Rudolf.

21:27 – MEN’S SHOT PUT
World Record | Ryan Crouser (USA) 23.56 | Los Angeles, 27 May 2023
Diamond League Record | Joe Kovacs (USA) 23.23 | Zurich, 7 September 2022
Meeting Record | Ryan Crouser (USA) 22.49 | Rome, 30 August 2024
2025 World Lead | Payton Otterdahl (USA) 21.97 | Rabat, 25 May 2025

Only one primary name is missing from the world elite: world record holder Ryan Crouser, who was sidelined with an elbow injury. Yet this event still boasts an extraordinary field, with eight of the top ten global throwers—Olympic, World, and European medallists. Leading the pack is two-time World Champion and three-time Olympic silver medallist Joe Kovacs, fronting a quartet of Americans including world indoor silver and bronze medallists Roger Steen and Adrian Piperi, plus Olympic fourth-placer Payton Otterdahl, who recently won in Zagreb, Rabat, and Bydgoszcz before being soundly defeated in Rovereto by Italy’s Zane Weir. Weir is back in top form (21.84) ahead of the Golden Gala. Italy’s top talents will be displayed with Weir and 2024 European Champion, 2023 World silver medallist, and national record holder Leonardo Fabbri, winner of the last Diamond Trophy. Romania’s Andrei Toader, who succeeded Weir as European Indoor Champion in Apeldoorn, also entered. From Jamaica comes the top left-handed thrower in the world, Olympic bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell, and from New Zealand, four-time World Champion (three indoors) Tom Walsh. Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, Olympic finalist and four-time African Champion, completes the elite cast.

21:31 – WOMEN’S 5000m
World Record | Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) 14:00.21 | Eugene, 17 September 2023
Diamond League Record | Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) 14:00.21 | Eugene, 17 September 2023
Meeting Record | Almaz Ayana (ETH) 14:12.59 | Rome, 2 June 2016
2025 World Lead | Agnes Jebet Ngetich (KEN) 14:25.80 | Miramar, 2 May 2025

After eight years, the women’s 5000m returns to the Golden Gala—and what a comeback! Rivalries reignited from recent Olympics and Diamond League seasons. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, silver medallist in the 10,000m and fourth in the 5000m in Paris, will face Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, who recently clocked 8:11.56 over 3000m in Rabat (the second-fastest ever), ahead of Nadia’s national record of 8:26.27—and she nearly broke the 1500m Italian record in Rovereto with 3:58.15. Battocletti also takes on Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, whom she outpaced at the Olympics in both 5000 and 10,000 meters. Tsegay and Chebet will renew their rivalry from the 2022 Diamond League final in Eugene, where Tsegay set the world record (14:00.21) and Chebet ran 14:05.92, the third-fastest in history. Joining them are Ethiopians Freweyni Hailu (3000m World Indoor Champion), 2008-born prodigy Marta Alemayo, Asayech Ayichew, Aleshign Baweke, and Chaltu Dida; Kenya’s Margaret Akidor; Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo; Americans Shelby Houlihan (World Indoor bronze), Josette Andrews-Norris, and Karissa Schweizer; Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi; and four top Europeans: Maureen Koster (NED), Marta Garcia (ESP), Megan Keith (GBR – 10,000m European bronze in Rome), and Sarah Madeleine (FRA). Two world record holders—Chebet (10,000m – 28:54.14) and Tsegay—face-off, with Italian record holder Battocletti ready to thrill the Stadio Olimpico just as she did at the record-breaking 2024 European Championships.

21:35 – MEN’S LONG JUMP
World Record | Mike Powell (USA) 8.95 | Tokyo, 30 August 1991
Diamond League Record | Juan Miguel Echevarria (CUB) 8.65 | Zurich, 29 August 2019
Meeting Record | Dwight Phillips (USA) 8.61 | Rome, 10 July 2009
2025 World Lead | Mattia Furlani (ITA) 8.37 | Toruń, 16 February 2025

The Stadio Olimpico is ready to roar for World Indoor Champion and U20 World Record holder Mattia Furlani, Olympic bronze medallist in Paris, European silver medallist outdoors (Rome 2024) and indoors (Apeldoorn), and World Indoor silver medallist in Glasgow 2024. On Saturday, he leapt 8.31m in Rieti. His main rival, perennial opponent Miltiadis Tentoglou, the Greek superstar with eight major golds (Olympics, Worlds, Europeans), is now peaking in form. Other top contenders include European Indoor Champion Bozhidar Saraboyukov (BUL), European bronze medallist Lester Lescay (ESP), World bronze medallist Simon Ehammer (SUI – jumped 8.34 recently), World Indoor bronze medallist Carey McLeod (JAM), World Indoor bronze medallist Liam Adcock (AUS), and two-time World Indoor bronze medallist Marquis Dendy (USA). Sweden’s Thobias Montler (four-time European silver medallist) and Germany’s Simon Batz (6th at the Olympics) are completing the elite field.

21:59 – MEN’S 400m
World Record | Wayde Van Niekerk (RSA) 43.03 | Rio de Janeiro, 14 August 2016
Diamond League Record | Michael Norman (USA) 43.60 | Eugene, 28 May 2022
Meeting Record | Jeremy Wariner (USA) 43.62 | Rome, 14 July 2006
2025 World Lead | Zakithi Nene (RSA) 43.76 | Nairobi, 31 May 2025

Right after the women’s 5000m comes another all-star lineup to satisfy the Olympic Stadium crowd. A luxury trio of Olympic champions will compete: Quincy Hall of the USA (gold in Paris), Grenada’s Kirani James (gold in London 2012 and medallist in Rio and Tokyo, Golden Gala winner in 2022), and Vernon Norwood (USA), a two-time Olympic gold with the 4x400m relay. Representing fast-running Africa are South Africa’s Zakithi Nene—first in the 4x400m at the World Relays and second in Rabat’s Diamond League, he ran 43.76 last Saturday in Nairobi—and Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi, Olympic silver medallist in the 4x400m. Europe brings out its best: Belgium’s Alexander Doom, 2024 European champion (and World Indoor champion in the same year), Britain’s Charlie Dobson, European silver medallist in that excellent Rome final, Hungary’s European indoor champion Attila Molnar, and Italy’s Edoardo Scotti, national 4×400 record holder and 2020 Golden Gala winner.

22:13 – WOMEN’S 200m
World Record | Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) 21.34 | Seoul, 29 September 1988
Diamond League Record | Shericka Jackson (JAM) 21.48 | Brussels, 8 September 2023
Meeting Record | Shericka Jackson (JAM) 21.91 | Rome, 9 June 2022
2025 World Lead | Julien Alfred (LCA) 21.88 | Gainesville, 18 April 2025

On the starting blocks are American sprinters Anavia Battle—winner in Shaoxing/Keqiao’s Diamond League stop—and Mckenzie Long, who finished seventh at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Ivory Coast’s 100m African record holder Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith returns to Rome for her second season appearance, having previously won the 100m in Florence two years ago. Also competing are fellow Ivorian Jessika Gbai, Spain’s Paula Sevilla (World Relays 4×400 winner and 4×100 silver in Guangzhou), Britain’s Amy Hunt (World Relays gold with Team GB), and Italy’s Dalia Kaddari, European bronze medallist in the 4×100 relay in Munich.

22:27 – MEN’S 110m HURDLES
World Record | Aries Merritt (USA) 12.80 | Brussels, 7 September 2012
Diamond League Record | Aries Merritt (USA) 12.80 | Brussels, 7 September 2012
Meeting Record | Allen Johnson (USA) 13.01 | Rome, 7 July 1999
Meeting Record | Omar McLeod (JAM) 13.01 | Florence, 10 June 2021
2025 World Lead | Cordell Tinch (USA) 12.87 | Keqiao, 3 May 2025

From the Paris 2024 Games to the Golden Gala, Olympic silver medallist Daniel Roberts (USA) headlines alongside fellow American Cordell Tinch, who ran a stunning 12.87 in Keqiao’s Diamond League leg, and Jamaican 2016 Olympic gold medallist Omar McLeod. The Italian Lorenzo Simonelli and France’s Sasha Zhoya will not compete. Other key rivals include Spain’s Enrique Llopis and Switzerland’s Jason Joseph, silver and bronze medallists from the European Championships in Rome, Spain’s 2022 European champion Asier Martinez, and France’s Wilhem Belocian, double silver medallist in the 60m hurdles at both the European Indoor Championships (Apeldoorn) and the World Indoors (Nanjing).

Returning to Rome is American sprinter Fred Kerley, two-time Golden Gala winner (2022 and 2023) and former 400m victor (2018). The Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and Paris 2024 bronze is joined by compatriots Trayvon Bromell (9.91 in Florida before crossing the Atlantic), two-time World bronze medallist and World Indoor Champion in the 60m; Courtney Lindsey, fresh off a 200m win in Rabat; and Brandon Hicklin, one of the first sub-10s this season (9.93). Representing Italy are crowd favourites Filippo Tortu—Olympic and European 4×100 champion and 200m European silver medallist in 2024 on this same track—and Chituru Ali, 2024 European silver medallist. More record holders complete the lineup: Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya (Africa), Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (Japan/U23 Asian record holder), and Emmanuel Eseme (Cameroon).

This distance has provided spectacular moments in recent Golden Gala editions—like Faith Kipyegon’s world record in Florence (2023) and her dominant 3:52.89 in Rome last year. Two Ethiopian standouts are lined up on Friday, 6 June: U20 African record holder Birke Haylom and world indoor bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha. Kenya sends Susan Ejore-Sanders and Purity Chepkirui. From Australia, in top form, are Sarah Billings and Abbey Caldwell, and Japan is represented by national record holder Nozomi Tanaka. Italy’s duo includes national outdoor and indoor record holders Sintayehu Vissa and Marta Zenoni. Also in the field: France’s national record holder Agathe Guillemot (European indoor gold), Poland’s Weronika Lizakowska, Britain’s Katie Snowden and Revee Walcott-Nolan, Ireland’s Sarah Healy (European indoor 3000m gold), and Spain’s Agueda Marques.

About the Wanda Diamond League
The Wanda Diamond League is the elite one-day meeting series in global athletics. It comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field. Athletes compete for points at the 14 series meetings in a bid to qualify for the two-day Wanda Diamond League Final, which will be held in Zurich on 27 and 28 August 2025.

Golden Gala preview event by event: 11 Olympic champions in Rome

The stars, the challenges, the records: everything about the fifth stage of the Wanda Diamond League on Friday, June 6 in Rome