As it should have been, Zurich was the best Diamond League meet of the year. Its proximity to the World Championships and the culmination of the regular season created the best fields of 2019. Here’s how the meet reshaped the run-up to the World Championships in the nine events contested last week. 

Men’s 400m Hurdles: All Of Our Expectations Were Realized

This event was on our radar since last year, though the cast of characters has changed. In 2018, it was Abderrahman Samba who was clicking off 47-second (and in one case, 46-second) times all throughout the circuit. The only man to put up a time near Samba’s was Rai Benjamin, who clocked a 47.02 at the NCAA Championships. Because there was no major championship (and Benjamin was coming off a collegiate season), we didn’t see the two race in 2018. We stashed away the men’s 400m hurdles so that we could savor it later. Meanwhile, Karsten Warholm was lurking in the shadows. Samba beat him in all six of their meetings, but Warholm lowered his lifetime best to 47.64. 

This year, with Samba sidelined most of the year with an injury, Warholm mimicked Samba’s 2018. He’s five-for-five in Diamond Leagues and, after last week, has a time under 47 seconds as well. 

Benjamin hasn’t gone anywhere and the two will make the 400m hurdles one of the best events at the World Championships. We don’t know if Samba will make it to the start line. It’s a home World Championships for him so it’s a safe assumption that he will do everything humanly possible to get to the start line. 

Even with how good he’s been, it’s going to be hard to jump right in and slow down the moving train that is Warholm and Benjamin. Adding him at sub-47-second shape would be an embarrassment of riches that I’d gladly accept. But this event can be great without Samba--an assumption I didn’t think we could make at the beginning of the year.  

Women’s 400m Hurdles: Sydney Strikes Back

Sydney McLaughlin beat Dalilah Muhammad and the rest of the all-star field with a time of 52.85. It was the second-best time of her career and a nice response after Muhammad broke the world record at the U.S. Championships. Muhammad finished behind Shamier Little in third, running outside 54 seconds. 

McLaughlin is now 2-0 against Muhammad in Diamond Leagues this year. Muhammad got the win, and the world record, at USAs. 

Which record would you rather have heading into the World Championships? Muhammad’s win in the rounds is more applicable to Doha, but it’s not as if McLaughlin has had issues in championship settings. Thursday wasn’t Muhammad at her best, and over the past two years, she hasn’t been a consistent as McLaughlin (McLaughlin has gone under 53 three times, Muhammad just once). 

Sydney McLaughlin going after that GOLD?

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— FloTrack (@FloTrack) August 29, 2019

In Doha, this race will be sensational regardless if anyone runs faster than 52.20. McLaughlin illustrated in Zurich that she can push back and the loss could give Muhammad a boost, just like her second place to McLaughlin in Oslo did before USAs. 

Men’s 800m: Brazier Heading For Something Special 

The manner in which Brazier won that race might have distracted from the larger takeaway about his World Championships chances. He’s a co-favorite to win the gold medal. Nijel Amos, who ran the bizzaro version of Brazier’s measured 1:42.70 in Zurich, is the only other man who can beat him this year. But Amos’ record in championships has been as mercurial as his pacing. 

Meanwhile, Brazier is in a zone. Here’s what he’s done in 2019:

-Lowered his personal best to 1:42.70

-Won two Diamond Leagues

-Won a tactical U.S. Championships

-Set American record indoors in the 800m

-Run 3:37 in the 1500m

That checks a bunch of boxes. Is he unproven in championships? Yes. But he hasn’t had that many opportunities. Amos has been around since 2012 and has one more medal than Brazier. Others could get involved as well, but there really hasn’t been another runner step forward yet. This looks like a two-man race. 

What a race for @DonavanBrazier. He goes from 8th with 1 to go to first in 1:42.70. 50.8/51.9 splits. Now 2nd fastest U.S. 800m runner in history https://t.co/x8Y9p1hKVv pic.twitter.com/XTdghEqb6l

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) August 29, 2019

Women’s 1500m: Hassan Should Go For 1500/10,000m Double

Even since we all looked at the schedule and saw that a 1500m/5000m double wasn’t physically possible, the movement began for Sifan Hassan to go for the 1500m/10,000m at the World Championships. The movement may only include my colleague Lincoln and my podcast co-host Jason, but we are a passionate trio. 

The 1500m portion of the obscure double known as the Sifanathon looks like a greater possibility after Thursday. Hassan dropped a 57 last lap and blew away the field. Some of her top rivals are faltering as well. Faith Kipyegon and Laura Muir appear to both be hurt and Genzebe Dibaba got chewed up on Thursday. Hassan’s best competition might be from Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Shelby Houlihan. 

The 10,000m is any one’s guess because the event is so rarely run. But going on the information that we have, Hassan would, at worst, be one of the favorites. Her times in the 5000m and the half marathon combined make her a natural for the event. And if it goes out slowly, she isn’t going to be beaten on a last-lap sprint. 

Women’s 200m: Miller-Uibo Is The Best In The World

Shaunae Miller-Uibo ran 21.74, a lifetime best and tied for the 15th-best mark in history. At the end of the meet, they gave her a diamond trophy, which should have also included a World Championships gold medal. 

That is the best women’s 200m we will see this year and, if not for poor scheduling that doesn’t allow for a 400m/200m double, Miller-Uibo would be running it in Doha. 

Men’s 100m: Still In A Holding Pattern

This event is in limbo until the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules on the Christian Coleman case. Noah Lyles won on Thursday, but he’s not running the 100m at the World Championships. Justin Gatlin looked like he was walking gingerly after he finished a surprising fourth. If he’s less than 100 percent, that would certainly open things up in the race for the medals. Simply put, there’s still much we don’t know and much that could change in the final month of the season in the men’s 100m.  

Noah Lyles is unstoppable??

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— FloTrack (@FloTrack) August 29, 2019

Women’s Steeplechase: American Record Still Holding Strong

As Beatrice Chepkoech dominated from the front, again, I found myself paying more attention to Emma Coburn’s quest for an American record and a sub-nine-minute performance. She went out under world-record pace for the first kilometer (2:53), a pace that was too much for everyone in the field. The middle of the race slowed as Chepkoech gained control. Coburn slid back into sixth place with a 9:10.01. 

The good news, in terms of the American record, is that the final in Doha should be fast again. Chepkoech serves as a natural rabbit and even if she runs a conservative first kilometer (say around 3:00), that's perfect for Coburn. Also, Courtney Frerichs will be there. The two have made magic together in the World Championships before and if they don’t go 1-2, there’s still a good shot that the presence of each pulls at least one of them under nine minutes. 

Ouchie. I ran hard, 2:53 first 1k ? trying to follow the pacer and leader, and paid for it the last lap. I now know what my limit is. I’m healthy, fit, and ready for Worlds. Learning and growing from every race experience. #ZurichDL

— emma coburn (@emmajcoburn) August 29, 2019

Women’s 400m: TBD Until Miller-Uibo Races Naser

Salwa Eid Naser took the easy victory. Without Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Aminatou Seyni this field was missing clear players (other than the 100m, the women’s 400m had the most big names absent). Shakima Wimbley took second for the United States. As a whole, the U.S. looks vulnerable in the 4x400m relay, but no other country looks to be in that great of shape to upset them either.