Zambia's Olympic Bronze Medallist Muzala Samukonga is back in the Diamond League as he is scheduled to compete in the 400 metres at the Lausanne Diamond League set for 22 August 2024 at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise in Switzerland.
Samukonga will be going up against a familiar lineup from the 400m Final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, including Quincy Hall of the United States of America and Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain, who were the eventual gold and silver medal winners, respectively.
Others include Bayapo Ndori and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, both Olympic Silver Medalists in the Men's 4x400m Relay from Botswana, Vernon Norwood of the United States of America who is the current log leader, Charles Dobson of Great Britain, and Lionel Spitz of Switzerland.
Reacting to this start list, Samukonga said,
"It feels good being part of the Diamond League because this demonstrates that I am a world-class athlete. I am going to run with the same guys I competed with at the Olympic Games, but it's not a big deal, and I will be going there to run my own race. Whether I win or lose, it's part of sport, but I know I'm the best."
Commenting on whether he will be on the podium in Lausanne, Samukonga responded by saying that he can only be out of the medal bracket if he is not feeling well.
Looking into what the rest of the season holds for him, Samukonga confidently stated that he sees himself at the top because being part of the remaining sessions of the Diamond League is not easy. This clearly shows that one is amongst the best, and the remaining sessions are always tough because it's towards the end of the season.
"I have to ensure that I perform well in Lausanne and Rome so that I can secure a slot for the final in Brussels, Belgium," he said.
He added that he looks forward to the competitions and wants to see himself in the final of the 2024 Diamond League.
The last time Samukonga competed in the Diamond League was in May at the Marrakech meet, where he secured his slot for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after taking second position in the men's 400m with a time of 44.54 seconds.
The Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions comprising fifteen of the best invitational athletics meetings.
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