From the much anticipated Duplantis vs Warholm 100m battle to Sha'carri Richardson’s return to the track: Why Zurich Diamond league is a must watch

The Zurich Diamond League is the penultimate meet of the DL tour before we head to Brussels for the finals, and it promises to deliver some mind-blowing action. The line-up of events includes a face-off between pole vaulting star Mondo Duplantis and 400m hurdles world record holder Karsten Warholm, a rematch of the Paris Olympics finals between Sha'Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred, and more, making the competition an absolute must-watch.

The Duplantis vs Warholm rivalry has been in the making for over a year now, and fans are excited to finally watch the two get down to business. Discussions of the Swede and Norwegian facing each other competitively began last July, when they practiced together ahead of the Monaco Diamond League.

Each one of them is convinced they can outdo the other. Duplantis is sure of his quick start, and Warholm is confident in his ability to finish strong. Now, all the talk has finally materialized into something substantial, and fans couldn't be more excited to watch two of this generation's best athletes go head-to-head in an event where neither excels.

Outside of fans, Mondo Duplantis and Karsten Warholm’s upcoming clash at the Zurich Diamond League has also left the elites of the track and field world divided. Reigning 200m Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo and vaulter Katie Moon are siding with the Swede, while American sprinting legend Michael Johnson is putting his weight behind Warholm. Some athletes like Grant Holloway are sitting on the fence, unsure of how it will play out, but certain that the battle will be one for the ages.

Elsewhere, the women's 100m is another race at the Zurich Diamond League bound to keep fans hooked. The sprint marks the first time American sensation Sha'Carri Richardson will step out onto the track since the Paris Olympics, and a rematch between her and gold-medalist Julien Alfred awaits.

Richardson went into Paris as the reigning World Champion and a heavy favorite for the win, with the odds of her finishing atop the podium only looking better when Jamaican sprinting legend Shelly Anne Fraiser-Pryce withdrew from the event in her semifinals.

However, come the finals, Julien Alfred was undoubtedly the star of the show, getting off to an impeccable start and holding off a late surge from the American to win gold and give Saint Lucia their first-ever Olympic medal.

Now, Sha'Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred will take on each other once again, and with the pressure of the Olympics dissipated, it will be intriguing to see who emerges victorious.

The Zurich Diamond League will feature a handful of other rematches between the gold and silver medalists of the Paris Olympics. On the track, Letsile Tebogo and Kenny Bednarek will go head-to-head in the men's 200m, Masai Russell and Cyréna Samba-Mayela will face off in the women's 100m hurdles, Grant Holloway and Daniel Roberts will run the men's 110m hurdles, while Cole Hocker and Josh Kerr fight it out in the 1500m.

Meanwhile, the field events at the Zurich Diamond League will see Nina Kennedy and Katie Moon square off in the pole vault, Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovac compete in the shot put, Yaroslave Mahuchikh and Nicola Olyslagers battle in the high jump, as Miltiadis Tentoglou and Wayne Pinnock lock horns in the long jump.

Zurich Diamond League: When and where to watch

The Zurich Diamond League will take place on September 4 and 5. The first day of action will feature the highly anticipated 100m clash with Mondo Duplantis and Karsten Warholm, as well as the women's pole vaulting competition. The next day's event lineup includes the women's 100m, men's 200m, men's 1500m, and more.

Fans in America excited to tune in to the action can catch all the Diamond League events on NBC’s Peacock, starting at 2 PM ET on September 5. Meanwhile, the Duplantis vs Warholm race will be live-streamed on Red Bull TV as well as the World Athletics website at 3:30 PM ET on September 4.