While NCAA athletes are busy qualifying for their championship meet, the professional side of the sport will be split between two top-level competitions. The Diamond League makes its second stop of the year, this time in Rabat. Stateside, the LA Grand Prix features Diamond League quality fields and will serve as a preview for the USATF Championships in several events. 

There’s great fields all over the place, but here are five races that stand out this weekend:

Men’s 100m: Rabat Diamond League

Despite the late scratch by Marcell Jacobs, several interesting storylines converge in this men’s 100m. Fred Kerley is the reigning world champion and will look to stay undefeated in 2023. He’s raced all around the world, but this will be the toughest field he’s faced this year. Ferdinand Omanyala has put together the best non-Kerley resume of 2023. Omanyala has the world lead in the event of 9.84 seconds and has also run a wind-aided 9.78. 

Is there a gap between Kerley and Omanyala? If so, how big is it? This race should let us know. 

The field is strong outside of those two. Trayvon Bromell of the United States will make his outdoor debut the season after getting the bronze medal at the World Championships. Letsile Tebogo is just 19-years-old but has already run 9.91 and 19.87. The latter came a month ago at the Botswana Continental Tour. Also featured is Yohan Blake and Akani Simbine.

Men's 110m Hurdles: Rabat Diamond League

A US vs. Jamaica battle is on tap with Devon Allen and Grant Holloway representing the United States and Rasheed Broadbell and Hansel Parchment leading the way for Jamaica. Holloway is the two-time world champion, and world leader, but has lost to both Broadbell and Parchment in recent years. 

The most high profile loss came when Parchment upset Holloway at the Tokyo Olympics. Devon Allen won his season opener in challenging conditions at the Penn Relays. His lifetime best of 12.84 came just about one year ago.

Men’s 1500m: Rabat Diamond League

Jakob Ingebrigtsen kicks off his outdoor season against stiff competition. Ingebrigtsen only ran two meets during the indoor season, a 1500m in Lievin and then the European Indoor Championships where he doubled in the 1500m and 3000m. 

But the story of the indoor season in the men’s middle distance was the rise of Yared Nuguse. Nuguse had three incredible races, including a 3:47 mile at the Millrose Games. That was enough to garner interest in a match-up with Ingebrigtsen. It didn’t happen indoors, but it will go down on Sunday in the 1500m outdoor opener for both men. 

Nuguse isn’t the only potential challenger. There are four other men with personal bests under 3:31—Oliver Hoare, Mario Garcia, Abel Kipsang and Charles Simotwo.

Women’s 100m: LA Grand Prix

This race features three of the fastest women in the world right and the two quickest in the United States. Sha’Carri Richardson will try to keep the momentum going after a string of strong races. Richardson ran a wind-aided 10.57 at the beginning of April, won the Doha Diamond League in the 100m (10.76) and then ran an effortless 22.07 in the 200m in Nairobi. 

Marie-Joseé Ta Lou of the Ivory Coasts is just behind Richardson on the yearly list with a 10.78 she ran two weeks ago. Aleia Hobbs has a season’s best of 10.86 and is undefeated in her eight finals in 2023. This could be a preview of the July’s U.S. Championship with Twanisha Terry also in the race.

Women’s 100m hurdles : LA Grand Prix

A spectacular field is assembled that includes the world record holder and reigning world champion, Tobi Amusan. Amusan shocked everyone last year when she ran 12.12 in Eugene last year in the semifinals of the World Championships. She went on to run a wind-aided 12.06 in the final. 

Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the Tokyo Olympic champion, is already in top form. She ran 12.17, wind-aided to win the Bermuda Grand Prix. That is the third fastest mark under all conditions, behind only Amusan’s two races from Eugene. She also won the only Diamond League of the season in Doha. 

The former world record holder, Keni Harrison, is also in this race, along with Tia Jones, Alaysha Johnson, Nia Ali, Tonea Marshall and Gabbi Cunningham.