Top five athletes to watch out for at Paris Diamond League 2025

Neeraj Chopra will make his second Diamond League appearance on June 20.

The eighth stop on the Diamond League circuit brings us to the City of Lights on June 20 for the Meeting de Paris. With the World Championships in Tokyo inching closer, Paris will play host to a mix of Olympic champions, world record holders, and rising stars.

Here are the five athletes to watch out for at the Paris Diamond League 2025:

5. Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Women’s High Jump)

The high jump queen is back at the venue where she made history with a stunning 2.10m world record last year. Mahuchikh leads a brilliant lineup that includes Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers, who recently cleared a season-best 2.01m. With both athletes pushing boundaries, Paris could witness yet another leap into the record books.

Additionally, keep an eye on Sandi Morris as she hunts a third straight pole vault win, steeplechase king Soufiane El Bakkali’s return to his Olympic turf, and local favourite Gabriel Tual in the men’s 800m.

4. Marileidy Paulino (Women’s 400m)

Fresh off an exceptional showing in the Grand Slam of Track series, Paulino headlines a loaded women’s 400m field. The Dominican star will face Olympic silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser and Dutch powerhouse Lieke Klaver; hence, Paulino’s Diamond League debut in 2025 is one not to miss.

3. Cole Hocker (Men’s 5000m)

The 1500m Olympic champion is stepping up again in the 5000m ahead of the U.S. Trials. After a seventh-place finish in Sweden, Hocker returns to test his mettle in a stacked field. With more 5 Ks on his calendar, Paris is a key checkpoint in his ambitious double bid.

2. Grant Holloway (Men’s 110m Hurdles)

Despite a minor setback due to a freak injury post-indoors, Holloway returns to the circuit determined to regain momentum. The reigning Olympic and world champion will look to shrug off his tenth-place finish in Xiamen with a statement run in Paris.

Holloway will be facing fellow Olympic gold medallist Rai Benjamin, who has extended his European tour to race in Paris after securing his third win of the season in Stockholm, which is a surprising move for the usually selective sprinter in this crucial championship year.

The women’s 100m hurdles promises just as much drama with a top-class clash between current world record holder and 2022 world champion Tobi Amusan and former record holder Kendra Harrison.

1. Neeraj Chopra (Men’s Javelin Throw)

The two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra returns to familiar territory – the Stade Charlety, where he once competed as a junior world gold medalist. After narrowly missing out in Doha, Chopra will be eyeing his first Diamond League win of the season.

With reigning world champ Anderson Peters also in the field, one can expect the javelin showdown to grab centre stage in Paris.

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