Top five USA players to watch at Rome Diamond League 2024

There will be some of the prominent USA athlete on display in Rome.

The United States track and field athletes will aim for yet another impressive show as many of the big names will be featuring in the Rome Diamond League 2024. After their dominant show at the Paris Olympics, they will look for a dominating run at the Diamond League meetings.

As a result, numerous track and field stars from the United States will be participating in the Diamond League meet in Italy, scheduled for August 30, Friday. With this, let’s take a look at the top five USA athletes to watch out for at the Rome Diamond League 2024.

5) Anna Cockrell (Event – women’s 400m Hurdles)

Anna Cockrell will be eyeing her first Diamond League meet victory at the Rome Diamond League as she headlines women’s 400m Hurdles with her personal best and season best of 51.87s. In Femke Bol’s absence at the Diamond League meet, she will hope to capitalize on the opportunity with a victory in the 400m hurdles.

She is the current silver medalist in the event at the Paris Olympics 2024, coming only behind Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the finals.

4) Fred Kerley (Event – men’s 100m)

Fred Kerley is another USA athlete to watch out for at the Rome Diamond League 2024. He won the bronze medal in the 100m event at the Paris Olympics with a sensational time of 9.81s in the finals. He also showed his brilliance at the Silesia Diamond League where he secured a victory in the 100m, clocking a time of 9.87s.

However, it is set to be a challenging contest as the men’s 100m field at the Rome Diamond League comprises a star-studded lineup including the 200m Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, the 60m world record holder Christian Coleman, the Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Marcell Jacobs, and African record holder Ferdinand Omanyala among others.

3) Masai Russell (Event – women’s 100m hurdles)

After a disappointing fourth-place finish in the 100m hurdles finals at the Silesia Diamond League, Masai Russell will aim to bounce back in the event slated to take place in Rome. At the Paris Olympics 2024, Russell beat a stunning field to become the Olympic gold medalist, recording a best time of 12.33s.

Russell’s season best and personal best stands at 12.25s which she achieved during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. This timing also makes her the fourth-fastest athlete in the history of the discipline, tied with Ginka Zagorcheva of Bulgaria.

2) Ryan Crouser (Event – men’s shot put)

Ryan Crouser, a three-time Olympic champion, is one of the big names representing the USA at the Rome Diamond League 2024. After conquering the Olympic title in Paris, Crouser is aiming to bag his second Diamond League Final title, with his last victory coming in 2021.

Having narrowly lost to compatriot Joe Kovacs in Silesia, he will hope to avenge his loss with a dominant show at the Diamond League meet in Rome. 

1) Tara Davis-Woodhall (Event – women’s long jump)

Tara Davis-Woodhall enters the event as the pre-race favorite in the women’s long jump at the Rome Diamond League 2024. Davis-Woodhall has been exceptional this season, winning the World Indoor Championships and the Paris Olympics 2024.

Having entered the event in Rome, Davis-Woodhall has shocked everyone and is targeting her first-ever Diamond League leg victory. She revealed in a post via threads the reason behind her participation in the event. She said, “People are asking why are you competing after winning Gold? well I want to see how far I can jump without the pressure of trying to win an Olympic Gold medal :)”

Notably, Davis-Woodhall has already announced that the event is going to be her last competition for the 2024 season. Her personal best stands at 7.18s, also her season-best, accomplished during the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque.

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