Mo Farah in the 10,000m at the Pre Classic

UPDATE: Mo Farah has dropped from the Birmingham DL, statement here. 

The Birmingham Diamond League is the second European meeting of the weekend after Thursday’s highly successful Golden Gala in Rome. Basically, almost everyone ran a season’s best, personal best or world-leading mark in Rome. Will we see similar results in Birmingham? I highly doubt it.

Last year at this contest, Mo Farah set a British two mile record in 8:07, Lynsey Sharp upset Ajee Wilson and Eunice Sum in the 800m, and someone tried (and failed, again) to break Johnny Gray’s 600m world record (stop trying to make that world record happen, it’s not going to happen).

The 2014 Birmingham Diamond League was held in August, so it’s obviously a different situation in June. But after the success of Rome (please read here if you missed out), I’m just not quite sure Birmingham will match up.

We do have a solid field assembled for the women’s 1500m with Americans Gabe Grunwald, Morgan Uceny and Stephanie Brown gracing us with their presence. Canadian Nicole Sifuentes is ready for a big race after running three 4:09s for 1500m this spring. The 2014 World Indoor Bronze Medalist should be pushed to fast pace with World No. 2 Sifan Hassan (who lost to Jenny Simpson in Rome) and European Champion Meraf Bahta.

I’m interested in how Grunewald will bounce back after dropping out of the Pre Classic 5K. She’s got solid times to her name this season (4:07 for 1500m and 15:19 for 5K) and I’m thinking she is in the hunt for a fast 1500m to solidify her race choice for the U.S. Championships.

The men’s 5K features a lot of young talent. Adams State’s Kevin Batt is making his first international appearance since his eligibility ended abruptly this spring. His 5K marks (13:39, 13:49) are nothing to brag about, but maybe since leaving Colorado things will click for Batt in this race.

Australian Collis Birmingham is coming off a big eighth-place in the Pre Classic 5K (13:17) and GB’s Andy Vernon hasn’t competed since winning the Payton Jordan 10K in 27:42. But really the star to watch for is none other than king of the roads, Stephen Sambu. Remarkably, Sambu’s fastest track 5K marks are only 13:13 (indoors) and 13:31 from 2012. For a sub-27:00 10K guy and the master of racking up money on the roads, he could smash his PB on Sunday.

Americans Stephanie Garcia and Bridget Franek are in the women’s 3K Steeplechase and I’ll be darned if Garcia doesn’t have a big PB. She ran 9:37 FTW at the Hoka One One MDC and ran her fastest time of 9:24 in Glasgow last summer. She’s having a season like no other with a 4:05 in the 1500m for the win at Furman University and 15:19 in the Payton Jordan 5K. Strength + speed = a strong case for Team USA at the World Championships.

The event will end with Olympic hero Mo Farah running a 1500m. Now Farah’s PB of 3:28.81 was set in 2013 and it’s probably not likely that a mark like that will be matched. He is coming off a world lead 10K (26:50) and is now dropping down to chase 3:35 guys (this season, at least) Hillary Ngetich and James Magut. We can’t forget to mention ageless wonder Bernard Lagat and comeback kid Dorian Ulrey who will both represent the Americans in Birmingham. Another master’s record for Lagat? A remarkable race for Ulrey, whose 3:35 PB has lasted nearly six years?

Tune in at 8:00 a.m. CT Sunday for LIVE updates to find out!