The race for prestige is about to start. The Diamond League will begin its season on June 19, 2026, in Doha, Qatar. The athletes will finally be able to start after a delay of more than a month because of the tense situation in the Middle East. Several athletes from the African continent are eagerly waiting for the games to show their class to the world.
Faith Kipyeegon: 1500m. The three-time Olympic 1,500m champion is undoubtedly the great queen of the slopes right now. In 2025 at Eugene, Kipyegon improved his own world record of 1,500m with a time of 3:48.68, erasing 0.36 seconds from the previous mark. For the 2026 season, she will aim to defend her title in the Diamond League after dominating the 1,500 m and the mile throughout last season. His ability to cross the 4-minute mile mark remains one of the great challenges of his career.
Beatrice Chebet: 5,000 m / 10,000 m. The absolute phenomenon of women’s funds, Chebet, double Olympic champion in the 5,000 m and 10,000 m in Paris in 2024, became in Eugene the first woman to cross the 14-minute barrier over 5,000 m, in 13:58.06. In 2026, she will seek to extend her reign on the 5,000 m after an exceptional season. His rivalry with the Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay promises to be one of the great duels of the season again.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi: 800 m. Olympic champion and world champion in the 800 m, Wanyonyi will be aiming for his Diamond League title this season. His dominance in the Kenyan middle-distance is total, and he will have to face rivals such as the Canadian Marco Arop and the Algerian Djamel Sedjati.
Mary Moraa: 800 m. A world champion in the 800 m, Mary Moraa will be a key figure in the Diamond League this season. The Kenyan has a formidable turn of speed at the end of the race that allowed her to take several victories on the world circuit.
Ferdinand Omanyala: 100 m. Holder of the African record in the 100m, Omanyala represents the hope of the African sprint on the queen distance. He made history by becoming the first Kenyan to win a 100m race in the Diamond League. In 2026, it will be expected to confirm its status against the best sprinters in the world.
Morocco: El Bakkali, the king of the steeplechase
Two-time Olympic steeplechase champion, Soufiane El Bakkali ended the Kenyan supremacy in this event by winning gold in Tokyo and then in Paris, establishing himself as one of the most exciting riders of his generation. He will be particularly expected in Rabat, an African stage of the circuit, where he will compete in one of his most emblematic races in front of his audience. El Bakkali remains the number one threat on the obstacle, even if the Kenyan youth begins to shake up its hegemony.
Ethiopia: Tsegay, the feared rival
After a half-hearted 2025 season, Tsegay regained her best level by winning the mile in London, becoming the second fastest woman in history over the distance. Former world record holder in the 5,000 m, the Ethiopian is capable of shining on all distance and remains one of the most dangerous opponents for Kipyegon and Chebet in 2026.
Letsile Tebogo, the Olympic gold in search of confirmation
Olympic 200m champion at Paris 2024, Letsile Tebogo gave Botswana its first Olympic gold medal by setting a new African record in the distance. In 2026, he will resume his rivalry with high-ranking opponents, notably at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene. This young 22-year-old prodigy, capable of performing on 100 m and 200 m, embodies the revival of African sprint.
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Philemon MBALE
Rédacteur sportif
Passionné de sport depuis toujours, partage avec vous les dernières actualités et analyses du monde sportif.