Double world champion Sifan Hassan and Olympic gold medallist Faith Kipyegon will go head-to-head over 1500m at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, a Wanda Diamond League meeting, on 10 June.
Two-time world high jump champion Mutaz Barshim and Olympic pole vault gold medallist Katerina Stefanidi are also among the latest athletes announced for the event, as they look to fly high in Florence.
Hassan opened her season with a 14:35.34 5000m and 2:01.54 800m in the USA earlier this month and in Italy she will race over the distance at which she set the meeting record of 3:56.22 in 2017.
The Dutch world 1500m and 5000m gold medallist will face Kenya’s 2017 world 1500m champion Kipyegon, who claimed 2019 world silver behind Hassan in Doha, plus Kenya’s world 3000m steeplechase record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech, who improved the world 5km record in February, and Britain’s European 1500m champion Laura Muir.
Barshim set the men’s pole vault meeting record of 2.41m when the event was held in Rome in 2014 and in Florence he will take on local favourite Gianmarco Tamberi, who set the Italian record of 2.39m in 2016, as well as European indoor champion Maksim Nedasekau and world bronze medallist Ilya Ivanyuk, who have both set PBs of 2.37m this year.
The women’s pole vault will see Stefanidi, who cleared 4.80m to win at the USATF Golden Games earlier this month, go up against world champion Anzhelika Sidorova, European indoor champion Angelica Moser and Italian record-holder Roberta Bruni.
Athletes previously announced for the meeting include Malaika Mihambo, Ivana Spanovic, Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, Caterine Ibarguen, Khaddi Sagnia and Larissa Iapichino in the women’s long jump. The men’s shot put includes Tom Walsh, Tomas Stanek, Leonardo Fabbri, Michal Haratyk and Konrad Bukowiecki.
A total of 1000 spectators will be able to attend the event.
Organisers for World Athletics
