Monaco does not do modest. Especially not with a handful of world record holders set to compete. On Friday night, Stade Louis-II runs the 40th edition of the Meeting Herculis EBS, breeding some of the deepest fields of the season. It is the tenth stop of the 2026 tour, six days after the Prefontaine Classic, and it is the meet the record books lean forward for.

It is where Faith Kipyegon lowered the women's mile world record to 4:07.64, where Jessica Hull ran a 2000m world best in 5:19.70, and where Joshua Cheptegei surged to 12:35.36, breaking the 5000m world record.

This meeting has history and it continues July 10.

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Julien Alfred and Gabby Thomas will meet over 200m for the first time this season. Marileidy Paulino returns to the 400m less than two weeks after breaking the Diamond League record. Busang Collen Kebinatshipi races another men's 400m, fresh off winning in TrackTown. Kipyegon moves up to the 3000m and Mondo Duplantis is back soaring over bars.

Every event carries a headline. Here are just some of the top storylines to watch.

Battle of the Olympic Champions and NCAA Record Holder over 200m

Three of the fastest 200m women in the world will line up together. Thomas, at 21.60 seconds, is the second-fastest woman in American history over the distance. She sits behind only Florence Griffith Joyner. Alfred holds a personal best of 21.71 seconds and is the reigning Olympic 100m champion. But the story on this start line might be the youngest of the three.

Adaejah Hodge won the NCAA 200m title in a collegiate record of 21.68, breaking Abby Steiner's mark from 2022. The Georgia freshman also ran 10.63 in the 100m that week to break Sha'Carri Richardson's record, too.

Hodge has been leading the narrative during the college season and Monaco is where the professional one starts asking about her.

The 400m Fields are Looking Extremely Loaded

The men's and women's 400m are just another highlight on Friday's programme. Kebinatshipi arrives on the Riviera twelve days after his 43.53 clocking in Paris and six days after his 44.00 win at the Prefontaine Classic, where he ran down Rai Benjamin in the final 50 meters of the one-lap event. The two will meet again in Monaco.

Matthew Hudson-Smith will also see them on the start line and comes to the meeting with a lifetime best of 43.44. Zakithi Nene, Jereem Richards, Jacory Patterson and Bayapo Ndori are also in the field.

As for the women, Paulino will line up again, looking to follow her 48.48 from Paris. That performance broke the Diamond League record. Nickisha Pryce, who holds a personal best of 48.57, will challenge to take the win, as will the likes of Aaliyah Butler, Lurdes Gloria Manuel and Lieke Klaver.

Monaco has always been a fast track under the Friday night lights and the 400 will be no exception.

Kipyegon Moves to the 3000m After her Mile at Hayward

Kipyegon has three Olympic 1500m golds, four World 1500m titles, and a couple of world records. A few days ago, she also had her first defeat in a track 1500m or mile since the 2021 Rome Diamond League. Nikki Hiltz ran 4:17.49 in the mile to beat her. Dorcus Ewoi took second in a personal best. Kipyegon crossed the line in 4:17.80 for third and has been racing while managing a hamstring injury.

On Friday she moves to the 3000m. Over the distance she has gone 8:07.04, an African record, second all-time and less than a second off the world record set by Wang Junxia in 1993.

The connection between recovery, response and record book is the connection Kipyegon has been making her whole career. Let's see what happens.

Duplantis Always in Search of Higher Bars

Duplantis has not yet set a world record as a married man. He cleared 6.13m in Paris to set a new meeting record, but 6.31m is still the mark to beat. It is a mark he set in March of this year at the Mondo Classic and his fifteenth clearance of a world record height. He will be at Stade Louis-II with 6.32 next on the list.

Renaud Lavillenie, the former world record holder, headlines the field around him. Kurtis Marschall will also be there.

Seville, Longa and Tebogo in the Men's 100m

Oblique Seville is currently the world's number-one ranked 100m sprinter and the fastest man in the field with a personal best of 9.77. Six days ago at the Prefontaine Classic he ran 9.89 for second behind Kayinsola Ajayi. Monaco is just another stage for a show and the chase behind him is real.

Ronal Longa brings a 9.85 personal best to the table. Letsile Tebogo is also in the field, as are Sam Blaskowski, Jordan Anthony and Emmanuel Eseme.

Marcell Jacobs, who ran a 9.67 (+4.1) to place him second on the all-conditions list, has unfortunately withdrawn from the meet with muscle fatigue.

Also Worth Watching

Masai Russell brings her Prefontaine Classic meeting-record of 12.24 into the women's 100m hurdles. She has also gone 12.14 this season and is 0.02 off the world record in the event.

Mutaz Essa Barshim is back on the high jump runway, while Mattia Furlani takes to the long jump as the reigning outdoor World Champion.

Jimmy Gressier races the men's 5000m. The Frenchman holds the national record of 12:51.59. Isaac Kimeli, the 2025 World silver medalist, will also toe the line, joined by Alex Yee - the Paris 2024 Olympic triathlon champion, making his first Diamond League appearance since 2019.

Four Americans will be present in the women's pole vault. Katie Moon and Emily Grove will be joined by the Moll twins, who have gone back and forth breaking the NCAA record.

Stade Louis-II has always been known for its speed and spectacle. On Friday night, it does it again.

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