Thursday marks the first of two Diamond League finals, and the fields are deep and the stakes are high. With World Championships implications aplenty in Zurich, here’s a look at what’s on the line in each of the running events.

Men’s 400m Hurdles: Warholm vs Benjamin . . . Finally

The last event in Zurich could be the climax. The two best men on the year race against each other for the first time in their careers. Karsten Warholm has been knocking out huge victories all throughout Europe this summer, including a 47.12 in London and a 47.26 in Paris last week. 

Rai Benjamin has also piled up big wins, his only loss coming at the season opener in Shanghai in May to Aberrahman Samba. Samba, the fastest man in the world in 2018, hasn’t raced since July 12. Whether or not he’s fit for the World Championships, it's going to take something incredible to win gold this year.

For Thursday, the styles of the race will be in stark contrast. The swashbuckling Warholm goes out hard and always looks on the precipice of spiraling out of control. Benjamin is more reserved and puts his imprint on the race in the final 100 meters.

Women’s 400m Hurdles: Will The World Record Fall Again?

Dalilah Muhammad will return to the track for the first time since breaking the world record at the U.S. Championships. After that race, her coach said there was room for improvement and a time under 52 seconds is possible. 

DALILAH MUHAMMAD BREAKS THE WORLD RECORD IN THE 400MH AT USAS!
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— FloTrack (@FloTrack) July 29, 2019

Sydney McLaughlin was just over a half a second behind Muhammad in Des Moines. Will she be able to close that gap in Zurich and get into the world record (and gold medal) mix? At USAs, Muhammad broke the race wide open on the final curve; keep an eye on that third 100m on Thursday. Ashely Spencer (third at USAs) and Shamier Little (fourth) are also on the start list and will ensure this race is quick.

Women’s 200m: Thompson, Asher-Smith, Miller-Uibo Collide

Forget what happens in Doha, because this will be the best women’s 200m of the year. That statement sounds grandiose, but it’s an easy point to argue. Shaunae Miller-Uibo isn’t running the 200m (opting instead for the 400m) at World Championships, meaning this is the best field she will line up against in 2019. Elaine Thompson’s 22.00 from the Jamaican trials is the best time of the year, though Miller-Uibo is 4-0 against Thompson, including a win this year in Monaco. 

Dina Asher-Smith gave Miller-Uibo a race through 170m at Birmingham two weeks ago before finally getting passed. A similar race should play out in Zurich with fast starters Thompson and Asher-Smith doing everything they can to not get reeled in by Miller-Uibo.

Men’s 100m: Lyles Returns To The 100m To Face Gatlin

While the state of the men’s 100m hangs in the balance, there will be a pretty good race in Zurich. Noah Lyles and Justin Gatlin will match up again. Lyles is coming off a 19.65 200m in Paris and looks remarkable.

Whew. Did Noah Lyles just break Usain Bolt’s meeting record?

Yes. Yes he did.
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— FloTrack (@FloTrack) August 24, 2019

Last time, Gatlin got the better of the two with a 9.91 win in Monaco. Lyles was just 0.01 behind on that day and has shown plenty of potential in the 100m, even if he’s focusing on the 200m this year. Gatlin’s start will give him the edge in the first half but Lyles’ close is well established at this point. Mike Rodgers just broke 10 seconds in Madrid and is peaking at the right time.

Men’s 800m: Brazier Poised For PR Against Good Field

U.S. champion Donavan Brazier has the slowest personal best of anyone in the field on Thursday, but that could change. Brazier has been running as well as anyone in the world this year and is one of the main contenders for the gold medal in Doha. 

If Nijel Amos is healthy — he pulled up with a hamstring injury earlier this season — he could pull the race into the 1:42 range. Emmanuel Korir has run 1:42.05, but he hasn’t broken 1:44 this year. Clayton Murphy was second at USAs and has been consistent throughout the season. If an American wins, an extra spot for World Championships is expected to go to Brannon Kidder.

Women’s 1500m: Strong Field In Place Even With Big Names Missing

Without Shelby Houlihan, Laura Muir, or Faith Kipyegon, it’s hard to call this a World Championship preview, but it’s still pretty good. 

World record Genzebe Dibaba hasn’t raced since July and hasn’t made a Diamond League appearance since the end of June. Sifan Hassan broke the world record in the mile running, 4:12. In her last race she broke the European record in the 5000m, with a 14:22. 

4:12.33. NEW WORLD RECORD. SIFAN HASSAN???? #MonacoDL

?: @Diamond_League pic.twitter.com/GkxeepEktH

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) July 12, 2019

Konstanze Klosterhalfen might be the sharpest of anyone in the field. In Birmingham, she rocked a 4:21 mile by herself. American Jenny Simpson will run for the first time since USAs. She’s kept her race count low in 2019 (Saturday will be her seventh race, including prelims, of the year). If she’s able to pull out a win, Sinclaire Johnson (the fourth-place finisher at USAs) would be bumped into the World Championships. 

Men’s 5000m: Can Chelimo Pull The Upset?

U.S. runner-up Paul Chelimo wades into a very deep field including the four best Ethiopians from this year in Selemon Barega, Hagos Gebrhiwet, Telahun Haile Bekele, and Yomif Kejelcha. 

Kenya’s top man of 2019, Nicholas Kimeli, is also entered along with Prefontaine two-mile winner Joshua Cheptegei. Even though it’s still a month before the World Championships, this has the potential to be fast. Chelimo will be extra motivated after being out-kicked by Lopez Lomong in Des Moines. A Chelimo win would push Ben True (also in the race) into the World Championships.

Women’s 400m: Naser The Big Favorite; Americans Looking For Momentum 

Aminatou Seyni and Shaunae Miller-Uibo aren’t in this event, giving Salwa Eid Naser a clear path to victory. In her last Diamond League appearance, she ran 49.17 to hold off Seyni and win in Lausanne. She won’t need a time that quick in Zurich, but with Miller-Uibo looming in Doha, she needs to show low-49 shape. 

Americans Kendall Ellis and Shakima Wimbley finished two-three in Paris last Saturday and could also use a quick race heading into the World Championships. 

Women’s Steeplechase: Can Anyone Contend With Beatrice Chepkoech?

So far, the only woman who has been able to slow the world record holder has been Norah Jeruto. Jeruto took down Chepkoech in Oslo before Chepkoech responded with a big win in Birmingham. If Chepkoech runs aggressively, there’s nobody who can stay with her. 

Emma Coburn is the lone American in the race. And with every Coburn effort, you need to put the American record on watch. The 9:04.90 that she ran at the end of June was the second-best time of her career. After two more months of training, she will be able to give Courtney Frerichs’ 9:00.85 a scare.