WDL Final 2026: Five athletes to watch on day one in Brussels

The 2026 Wanda Diamond League Final begins in Brussels on Friday, with five athletes among the leading names to watch on day one. Valarie Sion, Julien Alfred, Mondo Duplantis, Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Oblique Seville arrive with major targets at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme.

Sion is seeking a sixth consecutive Diamond Trophy in the women’s event. The 31-year-old had won the title every year since 2021 and collected 23 victories during that run before her first Diamond League defeat in three years, in London in July. Another triumph would put her level with the record of six titles shared by Sandra Elkasevic, Valerie Adams and Caterine Ibargüen.

Alfred moves into the women’s 200m after an outstanding season at the distance. The St Lucian won in Rome against Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, set a personal best of 21.51 seconds in Monaco and followed that with another victory in London to reach the final. She will face Americans Anavia Battle and Kayla White, along with European champion Amy Hunt.

Duplantis is pursuing a sixth straight men’s pole-vault title, but Karalis has made the contest less predictable. The Greek raised his outdoor best to 6.16m in Lausanne and then cleared a personal-best 6.20m in Zurich, where he also tried 6.32m, the world-record height. Duplantis remains the leading contender, although his dominance faces a stronger challenge than in recent seasons.

Wanyonyi has recovered from a difficult opening stretch in the two-lap event. The Kenyan lost in Rabat, Oslo and London despite setting a 1000m world record in Monaco, then won in Lausanne before taking the world lead from Marco Arop in Zurich. He now meets the Canadian again while aiming for a fourth successive series crown.

Seville is chasing his first Diamond League title in the men’s 100m. The Jamaican world champion can join Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Ackeem Blake as a Jamaican winner, maintaining the country’s record of having at least one series champion in every season since 2010. Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi, Christian Coleman of the United States and South Africa’s Gift Leotlela are also in the field.

The Brussels final runs on Friday and Saturday, with athletes qualifying through season points as well as national and global wildcards. The meeting has previously produced notable moments, including Faith Kipyegon’s fifth Diamond League title in 2024 and Aries Merritt’s world record in 2012.