Exciting athletics on the menu tonight

A couple of million eyes worldwide will be fixed on the Stade de France in Paris tonight for a mouth-watering schedule of 2024 Olympic Games track and field events, including the men’s 400 metres semi-finals, men’s long jump and men’s 1500m final, women’s 3000 steeplechase and women’s 200m finals.

Here are some of the international stars who will strain every muscle in their ambition of winning medals for their country.



19:35 – Men’s 400 metre semi-finals. First two in each heat and next two fastest will advance to the final.

Olympic and world record: Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa, 43.03 seconds in 2016). 2020 Olympic champion Steven Gardiner (Bahamas, 43.85). 2023 World champion Antonio Watson (Jamaica, 44.22). 2024 World leader: Quincy Hall (USA, 43.80).

Semi-final 1: Lane 2 Cheikh Tidiane Diouf (Senegal, 45.03 personal best and season’s best), L3 Ammar Ismail Yahia Ibrahim (Qatar, 44.66 PB & SB), L4 Collen Busang Kebinatshipi (Botswana, 44.45 PB & SB), L5 Hall (USA, 43.80 PB & SB), L6 Alexander Doom (Belgium, 44.15 PB & SB), L7 Jereem Richards (Trinidad & Tobago, 44.18 PB & SB), L8 Charlie Dobson (Britain, 44.23 PB & SB), L9 Havard Bentdal Ingvaldsen (Norway, 44.39 PB, 45.22 SB).

Semi-final 2: L2 Elian Larregina (Argentina, 44.93 PB& SB), L3 Lythe Pillay (South Africa, 44.31 PB & SB), L4 Aruna Dharshana Singhapurage (Sri Lanka, 44.99 PB & SB), L5 Muzala Samukonga (Zambia, 43.91 PB, 44.54 SB), L6 Christopher Bailey (USA, 44.42 PB & SB), L7 Bayapo Ndori (Botswana, 44.10 PB & SB), L8 Kirani James (Grenada, 43.74 PB, 44.38 SB), L9 Luca Sito (Italy, 44.75 PB & SB).

Semi-final 3: L2 Leungo Scotch (Botswana, 44.54 PB & SB), L3 Zakithi Nene (South Africa, 44.74 PB, 44.80 SB), L4 Reece Holder (Australia, 44.53 PB & SB), L5 Samuel Ogazi (Zambia, 44.55 PB & SB), L6 Michael Norman (USA, 43.45 PB, 44.10 SB), L7 Matt Hudson-Smith (Britain, 43.74 PB & SB), L8 Cristopher Morales-Williams (Canada, 44.05 PB & SB), L9 Jevaughn Powell (Jamaica, 44.54 PB & SB).



20:15 – Men’s long jump (12 finalists)

Olympic record Bob Beamon (USA, 8.90 metre in 1968).

Top-five contenders: Defending 2020 Olympic champion (8.41) and 2023 world champion Miltiadis Tentoglou (Greece, SB 8.65), Simon Ehammer (Switzerland, SB 8.41), Wayne Pinnock (Jamaica, SB 8.40), Carey McLeod (Jamaica, SB 8.38), Mattia Furlani (Italy, SB 8.38).



20:50 – Men’s 1500m final

Olympic record Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Norway, 3 minutes 28.32 seconds in 2021).

Top 5 contenders: Ingebrigtsen (SB 3:26.73), Timothy Cheruiyot (Kenya, SB 3:28.71), Brian Komen (Kenya, SB 3:28.80), Yared Nuguse (USA, SB 3:29.13), Josh Kerr (Britain, SB 3:30.92).



21:14 – Women’s 3000m steeplechase final

Olympic record Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (Russia, 8:58.81 in 2008).

Top 5 contenders: Peruth Chemutai (Uganda, SB 8:55.09), World record holder (8:44.32 in 2018) Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya, SB 8:55.40), Valerie Constien (USA, SB 9:03.22), Wingfred Yavi (Bahrain, SB 9:03.68).



21:40 – Women’s 200m final

Olympic and world record: Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA, 21.34 in 19.88).

Top 10 contenders to qualify for the final: Gabby Thomas (USA, SB 21.78), McKenzie Long (USA, SB 21.83), Julien Alfred (Saint Lucia, 21.86), Brittany Brown (USA, SB 21.90), Dina Asher-Smith (Britain, SB 22.07), Daryll Neita (Britain, SB 22.20), Favour Ofili (Nigeria, SB 22.24), Lanae-Tava Thomas (Jamaica, SB 22.34), Audrey Luduc (Canada, SB 22.36), Niesha Burgher (Jamaica, SB 22.39).

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