Hudson-Smith leads British challenge in Diamond League finale

Diamond League Final

Venue: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels Date: 13-14 September

Coverage: Live coverage from 19:00 BST on BBC Two (Fri) and BBC Three (Sat)

Olympic 400m silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith leads the British charge at the season-closing Diamond League final in Brussels on Friday.

The 29-year-old takes on Zambia's Muzala Samukonga, who finished third at Paris 2024, and London 2012 champion Kirani James, in the final race of the first day of action, with compatriot Charlie Dobson also on the start line.

Elsewhere, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita are part of blockbuster women's 100m as St Lucia's Julien Alfred and American Sha'Carri Richardson - who finished first and second in the summer Olympics - renew their rivalry.

Josh Kerr is absent from the 1500m line-up, but Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen and American pair Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse - who took gold and bronze in the Paris Games - will contest a hotly-anticipated race that also includes Britain's Elliot Giles.

In the 200m, Botswana's 21-year-old Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo comes up against a strong American contingent, including Kenny Bednarek.

Sweden's Armand Duplantis may attempt to improve the pole vault world record he has broken three times already this year, while Britain's Molly Caudery will try to put her disappointing Olympic campaign behind her in the women's competition.

Britain's Melissa Courtney-Bryant features in the women's 1500m, while compatriot Ben Pattison is up against formidable Kenyan Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi in the 800m.

Georgia Bell will run the 800m-1500m double, with Jemma Reekie alongside her over the shorter distance. Neita and Amy Hunt will also compete in the 200m on Saturday.

The line-up for each race has been decided by qualifying points gathered across 14 events staged over the season, with the winners of each Diamond League final taking home a trophy and £24,000 in prize money.

American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is not in contention for a title and the associated prize money, having preferred a low-key Stateside build-up to the Olympics without any Diamond League events.

However, organisers have put on a pair of special races for the 400m hurdles Olympic champion and world record holder.

The 25-year-old McLaughlin-Levrone will race in invitational 200m and 400m races and could break Sanya Richards-Ross' American record in the latter.

Full start lists and event schedule are available on the Diamond League website., external