Kerr and Ingebrigtsen Set for Showdown in Zurich as Diamond League Nears Finale

Josh Kerr will reignite his rivalry with Jakob Ingebrigtsen as the Diamond League season heads into its penultimate event in Zurich this Thursday. With only one stop left before the season’s two-day final in Brussels, the star-studded field in Zurich promises high drama as athletes compete for vital points and a chance to secure their spot in the winner-takes-all showdown in Belgium from 13-14 September.

Fresh from a silver medal at Paris 2024, Kerr will face off against Norway’s 5,000m Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen for the first time since both were upstaged by American Cole Hocker, who took the 1500m gold in a shock result at the Paris Games. Hocker will also line up alongside his two rivals in Zurich, setting the stage for a thrilling rematch between three of the world's top middle-distance runners.

Athletes in Zurich will be fighting not only for a place in the Brussels final but also for a chance to win the coveted Diamond Trophy and a lucrative £24,000 prize awarded to each of the 32 champions across 16 disciplines. With so much on the line, Thursday’s action promises to deliver fireworks on the track.

The Zurich meeting is the 14th in the 2024 series, which has crisscrossed four continents since opening in Xiamen, China, in April. Athletes have one final opportunity to accumulate enough points to qualify for the season finale, where the best in the world will compete for glory in Belgium’s capital.

British sprinting stars Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita will also be in action, as they contest the women’s 100m, taking on a competitive field of sprinters aiming to solidify their places for Brussels. Asher-Smith, a former world 200m champion, and Neita, a rising force in British sprinting, are both targeting strong finishes to their seasons.

Another name to watch is Botswana’s Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, who claimed a statement win in the 100m at last week’s Diamond League meeting in Rome. Tebogo’s remarkable form has made him one of the hottest prospects in athletics, and he will look to extend his winning streak in Zurich.

Fans can catch all the action from Zurich on BBC Two from 19:00 BST on Thursday, with live coverage also available via the BBC Sport website and app. The drama continues with the Brussels final, where coverage will be shown on BBC Two on Friday, 13 September, and on BBC Three the following day.

As the Diamond League nears its climax, Zurich is shaping up to be a pivotal meeting, with athletes like Kerr and Ingebrigtsen determined to set the tone before heading to Brussels. The stage is set for a spectacular finish to what has been a thrilling season.