Amy Hunt and Armand Duplantis headline Diamond League opener in China
Great Britain’s Amy Hunt and Ben Pattison will join global athletics stars, including Armand Duplantis, as the 2026 Diamond League season begins in China this Saturday.
The prestigious 15-meeting track and field circuit was originally scheduled to commence in Doha but will now launch in Shanghai/Keqiao following regional postponements.
World 200m silver medallist Hunt faces a formidable sprint lineup featuring Jamaican icon Shericka Jackson and American champion Sha’Carri Richardson.
British interest extends across multiple disciplines, with 800m runner Pattison and discus thrower Lawrence Okoye among the travelling home nations contingent.
Pattison targets fresh silverware
Pattison approaches the new campaign fully fit after a difficult period plagued by illness and a stress fracture that previously hampered his Olympic ambitions.
The 24-year-old middle-distance specialist is now heavily focused on securing podium finishes at the upcoming European and Commonwealth competitions in Birmingham and Glasgow.
“The plan is to do both and my goal is to get two medals.”
The English runner announced himself on the global stage with a surprise bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
Despite moving behind only Sebastian Coe on the British all-time list shortly after, he admits frustration at still being defined by that breakthrough Hungarian performance.
“I don’t like the fact that people still reference Budapest.”
“To achieve that by the age of 21, I’d like to think by the end of my career I’ll definitely be able to get more medals – and that’s what really gets me going.”
Global icons set for Shanghai
Swedish pole vault sensation Duplantis and Kenyan distance great Faith Kipyegon provide the headline star power for the opening weekend.
They are joined by Botswanan sprinting prodigy Letsile Tebogo as the elite competitors prepare for a long season culminating in September’s two-day Brussels finale.
Action from the Shanghai/Keqiao meeting will be broadcast live on BBC Two from 12:00 BST this Saturday.
Key schedule events (BST)
- 11:15 – Men’s pole vault (featuring Armand Duplantis)
- 11:37 – Women’s 5,000m (featuring Faith Kipyegon, Melissa Courtney-Bryant and Revee Walcott-Nolan)
- 12:41 – Men’s 800m (featuring Ben Pattison)
- 12:48 – Men’s discus (featuring Lawrence Okoye)
- 12:52 – Women’s 200m (featuring Amy Hunt, Shericka Jackson and Sha’Carri Richardson)