Duplantis & Kipyegon in action as Diamond League returns

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The 2023 Diamond League champions lift their trophies

Global stars Mondo Duplantis, Faith Kipyegon and Sha'Carri Richardson are set to compete as the new Diamond League season begins in Xiamen, China.

The first of 15 meetings takes place on Saturday and the series culminates in the two-day Diamond League Final in Brussels in September.

Several exciting match-ups have already been announced as athletes build towards the Paris 2024 Olympics, with Britain's Josh Kerr and Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen renewing their rivalry over the mile in Eugene on 25 May.

The Prefontaine Classic will also reunite Keely Hodgkinson with Kenya's world champion Mary Moraa and American Olympic champion Athing Mu before their expected battle for the 800m medals this summer.

Ten Diamond League meetings are scheduled to take place before Paris, with London offering the final opportunity for Olympic preparations on 20 July.

In addition to the Diamond Trophy, each of the 32 champions crowned across the 16 disciplines in Brussels will receive $30,000 (£24,000) in prize money.

China double-header begins 15th Diamond League

The first two meetings take place in China, and reigning Olympic and world champion Duplantis will begin his bid for a fourth successive title by competing in both Xiamen and Suzhou, with Americans Christopher Nilsen, Sam Kendricks and KC Lightfoot for company.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic champion Kipyegon, who has not lost over 1500m since 2021, faces a tough opening test against 10 women who have run below four minutes - including world 10,000m champion Gudaf Tsegay.

World 100m champion Richardson, 24, begins her campaign by racing over 200m in Xiamen, before she is joined by Jamaica's world 200m gold medallist Shericka Jackson and Britain's Daryll Neita in Suzhou one week later.

World indoor 60m champion Christian Coleman begin his Diamond Trophy defence in the 100m by taking on 2022 world champion Fred Kerley and Jamaican sprinters Yohan Blake and Ackeem Blake.

Looking further ahead, British world indoor 800m medallist Jemma Reekie will test herself against Moraa in Doha in May as she looks to put herself in contention at Paris 2024.

Also in Doha, recently crowned world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery is set to go up against joint world champions Katie Moon and Nina Kennedy.

How does it work?

Athletes will compete for points at the 14 series meetings from May to September.

Those points are awarded on a scale from eight for first place to one for eighth place.

After the 14th meeting in Zurich, the top six ranked athletes in the field events, the top eight in track events from 100m-800m, and the top 10 in the distances from 1500m upwards each qualify for the final.

The final is then a winner-takes-all competition to be crowned Diamond League champion.