Diamond League on Thursday sees terrific women’s sprint showdown with Gianmarco Tamberi, Athing Mu and Laura Muir also in action

The Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meeting in Rome is named after Italy’s 1980 Olympic 200m champion and long-time world record-holder, so it is fitting that the most eagerly-anticipated event at the 2022 event on Thursday (June 9) is the women’s 200m.

Organisers have pulled together a power-packed field led by Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica. Dina Asher-Smith, the world 200m champion from Britain, is also in the line-up, plus Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of Bahamas and the 2012 Olympic and three-time world 200m gold medallist Allyson Felix of the United States, who is on her retirement tour and set to race in the Italian capital for the final time.

Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, Marie-José Ta Lou of Ivory Coast, Dalia Kaddari of Italy and Beth Dobbin of Britain complete the field.

Italian high jump star Gianmarco Tamberi is the big local hope as the Olympic champion takes on JuVaughn Harrison of the United States, Brandon Starc of Australia and Andriy Protsenk of Ukraine.

The Olympic 100m champion from Italy, Marcell Jacobs, will not be action, though, after withdrawing due to injury. In his absence Olympic silver medallist Fred Kerley of the United States will be favourite.

We could see an American win in the men’s 200m too as Kenny Bednarek leads the field, with British sprinter Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake also in the field.

In the middle-distance races, Athing Mu, the Olympic 800m champion, makes her European debut on the Diamond League circuit as she takes on world champion Halimah Nakaayi and Olympic fourth-placer Jemma Reekie, the latter having shown a good return to form in Rabat last weekend.

Reekie’s training partner, Laura Muir, is also in action but over 1500m as she faces, among others, Ethiopians Hirut Meshesha and Axumawit Embaye.

Fresh from winning the Ethiopian 10,000m trial in Hengelo on Sunday, Selemon Barega is joined by Berihu Aregawi, Yomif Kejelcha and two-time world champion Muktar Edris in the men’s 5000m. Olympic medallist Mo Ahmed from Canada and Kenya’s Nicholas Kimeli also race, whereas there is once again good home interest with Yeman Crippa in the field too.

In the 3000m steeplechase, Lamecha Girma faces fellow Ethiopian Getnet Wale and Conseslus Kipruto of Kenya.

In the throws, world shot put champion Joe Kovacs faces world indoor champion Darlan Romani whereas the Italian challenge is led by Nick Ponzio.

The men’s discus, meanwhile, sees Kristjan Čeh facing the Olympic one-two-three Daniel Stahl, Simon Pettersson and Lukas Weisshaidinger, plus British record-holder Lawrence Okoye.

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn leads the entries for the women’s 100m hurdles while Femke Bol is favourite for the 400m hurdles just a few days after clocking 53.94 in front of her home crowd in Hengelo.

Olympic pole vault champion Katie Nageotte takes on fellow American Sandi Morris, Ekaterini Stefanidi of Greece and Britain’s Holly Bradshaw in the pole vault.

Olympic long jump Malaika Mihambo of Germany heads the long jump line-up with Italian Larissa Iapichino and Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers also competing.