The track and field world is eagerly waiting for the Lausanne Diamond League to get underway. After all, with the likes of Noah Lyles and others stepping in for the event, the anticipation is building for a riveting occasion. However, right before the fireworks on the track are set to go off, the event is facing some stiff challenges. As per the latest reports, in his bid to clock yet another sub-10 this season, Lyles will first have to battle it out with the weather. 

The weather in Lausanne is pretty harsh at the moment. With such a big event coming in, the athletes might be extremely wary of what the track has to offer. And quite frankly, things are looking bad. As per live updates, it’s cold, wet, and windy. With the track soaking wet, the challenge will be even more intense for the athletes. Not only to run fast while keeping their balance intact, but also to avoid serious injuries. 

Getting a first-hand experience of the track, several athletes put forth their opinions. And it was not at all encouraging. Swiss athletes Alessandro Collela, Ramon Wipfli, and Emma van Camp commented on the matter. Collela stated that due to the heavy rain, running on the track felt like a whole new experience. “Today was tough, because it was heavy rain. Conditions are not good at all, but it was difficult. I didn’t manage to run well, but it’s a great experience for the future!” Collela shared. And he was not alone. 

“It was very hard to race today on the rainy track – by 250 meters, the water had soaked my shoes, and it got really tough. I wanted to race today, nobody was pushing the pace, so I decided to go for it myself. My goal was to hit the world standards here, but with these conditions, it was tough. I’ll try again at the Swiss championships,” shared Wipfli. Lastly, to further prove the struggles at Lausanne, Swiss 100m female sprinter Van Camp stated that focusing in the rain was pretty much difficult. And she did not stop there.

Expressing some serious frustrations about the weather conditions in Lausanne, Van Camp labeled the weather as one of “most horrible.” “It was very hard to focus in this rain. These are the most horrible conditions I’ve ever had. I didn’t see the lines properly, so yeah, I was just focusing on the techniques and not pushing hard to get injured,” quipped Van Camp.

Now, such news coming in is not a good sign for fans. But it cannot be denied that the forecast had already warned about such a grim turn of events beforehand.

Noah Lyles and co. were already put on notice by the weather gods

Rain has no regard for rankings. And with the Lausanne Diamond League set for Wednesday, the sudden spike in weather volatility threatens to derail more than just forecasts. It could undercut a defining stretch in Noah Lyles’ season.

The American sprinter, fresh off a sharp 9.90s in Silesia, had clearly recalibrated his campaign. He had overtaken Christian Coleman and Kenny Bednarek in the final 40 metres, signaling form that demanded attention. But now, with a projected 90 percent chance of rain settling over the Swiss city, this mid-season launchpad risks becoming another soggy stall.

“The weather in Lausanne (DL is on Wednesday) 😭,” read a fan’s post on August 15, attaching a 10-day forecast that painted an unsettling picture. By August 18, the update was starker, with 90 percent rain. And it is not just sentiment. It’s a precedent.

Lyles’ 100m debut in London had already been marred by erratic skies and soaked tracks. There, Oblique Seville claimed the win in 9.86s, but Lyles could only muster a 10.00, while Akani Simbine, previously undefeated, slipped to 10.11. Even the fiercest sprinters are not immune to the invisible drag of a wet surface.

The larger concern is structural. These conditions could compromise not only the spectacle of sprinting but also the safety and performance of Team USA as a whole. Grant Fisher, Masai Russell, Anna Hall. Each carries their own expectations, and each faces the same slippery risk. When performance windows are measured in hundredths of a second, a rain-slick track becomes more than an inconvenience. It becomes a barrier. And for those with Olympic trajectories, time is not just money. It’s identity as well.