Top Guns Quincy Hall, Rai Benjamin and Grant Holloway Charge To Monaco Diamond League Victories

U.S. track and field stars shined under the lights at Stade Louis II Stadium in Monaco on Friday evening, July 12, an important tune-up along the homestretch to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Convincing victories at the Herculis EBS Diamond League meeting were delivered by Quincy Hall in the 400m, Rai Benjamin in the 400m hurdles and Grant Holloway in the 110m hurdles. The trio not only excelled on a welcoming track but also sent messages to their respective rivals.

Conditions in the tiny Principality of Monaco were ideal for record times on a pleasant night along the French Riviera, with mild temperatures in the mid-70s and just a touch of humidity.

Hall held off U.S. teammate Vernon Norwood to win the men’s 400m in a blistering personal best and world leading time of 43.80 seconds. The 25-year-old from Missouri clocked the fastest time in the one-lap race since 2022, and 13th fastest in history.

Accelerating to another gear coming around the third bend and motoring home in his all-yellow uniform and black spikes, Hall shaved .25 seconds off Canadian Christopher Morales-William’s previous world best of 44.05. 

“After American trials, I knew I needed to step up my game a little bit and that it would be enough to run this fast,” Hall said. “I feel like I have a lot more in the tank. I just need to start strong and then I can finish strong as well.

After the race, Hall flexed his muscles while posing for photographers in front of a digital scoreboard displaying his world leading time. Despite the bravado and stellar time, Hall downplayed being a favorite at the Olympics.

“Going to Paris, I don’t feel like I have a target on my back,” he said.

Benjamin won the highly-anticipated battle between the world’s three premier 400m hurdlers, running 46.67 to Olympic champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm’s 46.73. The American edged ahead of the Norwegian over the final meters in a compelling finish. Brazilian Alison Dos Santos faded slightly down the stretch and settled for third, 0.51 seconds off Benjamin’s winning time.

Despite the victory, Benjamin insisted that he can perform much better.

“I did not run the race I wanted to execute, but it was all about seeing what I have in me,” Benjamin said. “I didn’t run the home straight so strong, as I usually do, but that is ok since I won.”

The 26-year-old from Mount Vernon, New York, raised his right hand to his ear shortly after victory, asking for more noise from the well-behaved Monaco crowd. Benjamin will seek to avenge an Olympic games Tokyo 2020 defeat by Warholm, when the rivals most likely line-up again in a few weeks up the road in the French capital. Another thrilling showdown awaits.

“Paris is going to be madness – I have to win there, I believe I can do it,” Benjamin asserted. “I will go back home and try to get as sharp as possible.”

Three-time defending world champion Holloway continued to his mastery of the 110m hurdlers. The 26-year-old high hurdler from Virginia made it a perfect nine victories in nine races this season executing a clean race with a winning time of 13.01 seconds.

“I like the rhythm I had in the race today – I just need to push a bit more to run sub 13 seconds,” Holloway said. “I arrived to Monaco from the U.S. just two days ago and was tired after American trials, they took a lot from me.”

Holloway was still .15 seconds off his world leading season best. The former Florida Gators star won by .07 seconds over Italian Lorenzo Simoncelli, while countryman Cordell Tinch finished third, .09 off his winning pace.

“The only thing I need now is rest and I will focus on that – I need it before the main competition this season,” Holloway said, as he’ll attempt to turn Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver into Paris 2024 gold on Aug. 8.

It was a rare off night for Olympic pole vault champion Katie Moon. The stars didn’t quite align for the Ohio athlete as she finished tied for fifth, bowing out of the competition at 4.66m/15-3 ½. Australian Nina Kennedy – Moon’s co-world champion from Budapest last summer – won the event on countback, ascending to a season-best of 4.88m/16ft. 

Moon has been nursing an Achilles injury this season, but positively informed that her pain has subsided.

“I’m not mad about tonight – the pole vault is just so technical and if you miss by just a little bit, you’re not going to get a clearance,” she explained. “I finally felt totally pain free on the runway, having been working out the kinks with the Achilles, but just ran out of attempts.”

Swiss Angelica Moser finished second to Kennedy based upon misses, but set a new national record, also jumping 4.88m/16ft.

The high-flying Aussie summed up the evening: “The girls were jumping out of their skin tonight and I think it’s going to take (four meters and) high nineties to win at the Olympics.”

Kennedy’s Aussie teammate Jessica Hull was the star of the evening, shattering the world record in the infrequently run women’s 2,000m. Hull ran 5:19.70 for the five-lap race.

U.S. veteran Corey Ann McGee broke Mary Decker’s longstanding American record from 1984, despite finishing fourth in what was a lightning quick race. The 32-year-old McGee – who missed qualifying for the Paris Games, having finished fifth in the 1,500m at trials – clocked 5:28.78, lowering Decker’s record by nearly four seconds.

Eight of 11 women set either national or regional records in the race.

World No. 2 Yared Nuguse finished fourth in the men’s 1,500m in yet another extremely fast race on the friendly Monaco track. Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen stopped the clock in a European record and personal best time of 3:26.73.

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana won the men’s 200m in a quick 19.87 seconds, despite letting off the gas. Noah Lyles had planned to race in Monaco, but opted out earlier this week to remain Stateside and train in Florida.

Tamari Davis – who barely missed qualifying for Paris 2024 in fourth at Olympic trials in the women’s 100m – finished second at the distance in Monaco. Davis ran 10.99, 0.14 behind Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.

The London Athletics Meet on July 20 is the final Diamond League stop before the Olympic Games Paris 2024. It will serve as one last prelude, just six days before the opening ceremony on the Seine River.