If you haven't secured a ticket, run and buy. Because you definitely don't want to miss this.
- There is something for every interest and for the vast majority of the biggest Norwegian profiles, says meeting director Steinar Hoen.
400 meters is on the schedule. For both men and women and with and without hurdles.
Without hurdles, there will be a new opportunity for Håvard Bentdal Ingvaldsen, who had his big breakthrough precisely during this year's event.
And on the women's side, Hoen promises a starting place for Henriette Jæger, who, like Ingvaldsen, improved the Norwegian record on the distance in 2023.
- This was really cool news and a nice Christmas present, says Jæger.
- I have always dreamed of participating in the Bislett Games. Even though I have run in the pre events, it is something else to participate in the actual Diamond League meet. With the level of 400 meters for women a day, this will be a really tough race. It will certainly be one of the highlights of the year for me and I have already started to look forward to it, she says.
Talking hurdles, we are naturally talking about Karsten Warholm in the men’s race.
- And we hope for Femke Bol among the women, together with, among others, our own Line Kloster. And then it will be exciting to see if Amalie Iuel can come back in time to meet the world elite at the end of May, says Hoen.
- In the middle distances, good races are set for the women for Hedda Hynne in the 800 meters and Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal in the 3000 meters.
The latter ran under Grete Waitz's Norwegian record during the pandemic, but due to male pacemakers and unapproved shoes, Grete still stands with the record of 8:31.75 - against Karoline's 8:30.84 pandemic run and approved 8:33.47.
For guys, there are many possibilities. Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Narve Gilje Nordås will have to make the choice between 1500 and 3000 meters during the spring.
For athletes such as Henrik Børkja Ingebrigtsen and Magnus Tuv Myhre, 3000 meters is probably the most relevant event.
- And here there are several Norwegian runners who could be on the start list. Hopefully, Filip Ingebrigtsen will also return, says Hoen - who also has the last two world champions at 1500 metres, Britons Jake Wightman and Josh Kerr, on his wish list.
- In “Søndre sving” (the southern curve), we aim to offer up to a pole vault-party, just as we in “Nordre sving” (the northern curve) offer up to ditto in discus.
- Armand Duplantis tops the start list in pole vault, and brings with him, among others, the Norwegian trio Sondre Guttormsen, Pål Haugen Lillefosse and Simen Guttormsen.
- In men's discus, we are also building around a Swede, says Hoen - who has Daniel Ståhl as one of several attractions.
- For both male and female, I think we will collect a brilliant bouquet of top throwers.
- With the Diamond League in Stockholm three days later, we plan to create some synergies with the Swedes, and build up some exercises together. When using the fast train between the cities, in addition to the fact that all transport in Oslo is electric, our greenhouse gas emissions related to transport and travel are the lowest in the Wanda Diamond League series, he says.
- Although there has been a lot of talk about Norwegian athletes, this year's event is also packed with top international names, continues Hoen.
- In an Olympic year, the 100 meters is one of the most focused events, and we hope to be able to bring on at least one of the potential contenders for the upcoming “fastest human in the world-title” in Paris. However, we don't have the budget to promise more, he says.
- We landed almost optimally, says Hoen in conclusion.
And puts pressure on almost.
- Normally we manage to put the puzzle the way we want, but this year we didn't manage to achieve everything. After having the men's hammer on the program for the past two years, it was not possible for 2024 as we have been allocated the discus for both men and women. The logistics mean that there is neither no possibility to have the hammer throw as a pre event. And that's a shame, says Hoen.
- We also wanted to have long jump for men as a Diamond League exercise, but in contrast to the problem in the hammer, we get to enter this as a national event, he concludes.
Wanda Diamond League releases 2024 disciplines: https://www.diamondleague.com/news/general/wanda-diamond-league-releases-2024-disciplines-1/
Wanda Diamond League – Oslo Bislett Games 2024:
Men's events: 100 metres, 400 metres, 1500 metres, 3000 metres, 400 meters hurdles, triple jump, pole vault and discus throw. National event: long jump.
Women's events: 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 3000 metres, 400 meters hurdles and discus throw.
