Top Five Monaco Diamond League Moments Through The Years

Top Five Monaco Diamond League Moments Through The Years

For years, the Monaco Diamond League meet has provided show-stopping accomplishments on the track. Here are some of the best all-time performances by athletes Genzebe Dibaba, Asbel Kiprop, Caster Semenya, Birmin Kipruto, and Caterine Ibarguen.

Jul 20, 2017 by Taylor Dutch
Top Five Monaco Diamond League Moments Through The Years
For years the Monaco Diamond League meet has provided show-stopping accomplishments on the track. Here are some of the best all-time performances that have taken place at Louis II Stadium. 

Genzebe Dibaba's World Record

At the 2015 Monaco Diamond League meeting, Genzebe Dibaba smashed a world record that was believed to be untouchable. The Ethiopian world champion ran a jaw-dropping 3:50.07 with a 2:01 last 800m split to win the women's 1500m. The performance shattered the 22-year-old record of 3:50.46 set by China's Qu Yunxia.

nullA week before breaking the record, Dibaba blasted a 3:54.11 victory in Spain. Prior to Dibaba's performance in Spain, Yunxia's mark was thought to be unattainable as no woman had run that close to the record since 1997. But Dibaba obliterated any doubt when she beat the field in Monaco by a whopping six seconds. Sifan Hassan followed Dibaba in 3:56.05 for a new personal best and the No. 2 mark on the Diamond League all-time list. 

Another historical mark fell when Shannon Rowbury closed for third in 3:56.29 to break Mary Slaney's American record. Prior to Rowbury's impressive performance, Slaney's record had stood since 1983. 



After the 2015 Monaco meeting, Dibaba went on to dominate the 1500m at the world championships where she won her first outdoor title. 

Asbel Kiprop Near-Miss At World Record

In the same meet that Dibaba broke the women's 1500m world record, Asbel Kiprop nearly replicated the same success in the men's race. 

The Kenyan middle distance champion ran a stunning 3:26.69 to win the men's 1500m. The performance was just 0.69-seconds shy of Hicham El Guerrouj's world record of 3:26.00 which was set in 1998. With an unmatched 55-second last lap, the 2008 Olympic champion soundly beat the field by two seconds. Behind Kiprop, 2012 Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi finished second in a personal best of 3:28.75, and Abdelaati Iguider followed for third in a lifetime best of 3:28.79. 



Kiprop's historic performance put him No. 3 on the all-time men's 1500m list. Only El Geurrouj and Bernard Lagat have run faster 1500m times. In the same season, Kiprop won the World Championship in Beijing, marking his third world outdoor title of his career. 

Caster Semenya's 800m Diamond League Record

At the 2016 Monaco meeting, Caster Semenya threw down a performance that foreshadowed her dominance on the Olympic stage. The South African standout won the women's 800m in a then-lifetime best of 1:55.33. The performance was both a national and also a Diamond League record. 



Just a few weeks later, Semenya replicated the fierce racing style when she won her second Olympic gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rio. To win gold, Semenya ran 1:55.28 in the Olympic final.  

Birmin Kipruto's Steeplechase Diamond League Record

The 2008 Olympic champion established his personal best with a stellar performance at the 2011 Monaco meet. Kenya's Birmin Kipruto unleashed a stunning 7:53.64 to win against a loaded field. The performance was an absolute nail-biter as Kipruto finished just 0.01-seconds shy of the world record set by Saif Saeed Shaheen in 2004. 

Caterine Ibarguen's Triple Jump Diamond League Record

Before winning the Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Games in Rio, Colombian champion Caterine Ibarguen leapt 15.31m at the 2014 Monaco meeting. The performance established a still-standing personal best and Diamond League record. 

Ibarguen went on to win her second world championship title in 2015 and her first Olympic victory in 2016.