Dominic Lobalu Wins the 5,000-Meter Race in Monaco

Dominic Lobalu is back—and how! One month after falling just short of breaking his Swiss record in the 5,000-meter race in Oslo—and subsequently expressing frustration over his disappointing performance—he made an impressive comeback on the French Mediterranean coast following a high-altitude training camp in St. Moritz.

With a time of 12:52.55, he was just under two seconds off his national record of 12:50.87, which he had set a year ago, also in Oslo. Nevertheless, he ran a strong race and rewarded himself with his third Diamond League victory, following wins in Stockholm in 2022 and London in 2024.

At Stade Louis II, Lobalu fully showcased his strengths on the track. He raced tactically smart and was able to pick up the pace again on the final lap. Nevertheless, victory still seemed to slip away from him in the home stretch. Graham Blanks passed the Swiss runner, but Lobalu countered and edged past the American again in the final meters.

With this victory, Lobalu secured Switzerland's fifth win of the year in the Diamond League.