Three Canadian mid-distance stars to watch at notoriously fast Monaco race

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Three of Canada’s top runners are in Monaco for arguably the world’s fastest track competition: The Herculis Diamond League. Friday’s competition will be run as scheduled after more than 80 people were killed in nearby Nice, France, located just 30 minutes west of Monaco.

Canadians in action (all times EDT)

Men’s 800m – Brandon McBride – 2:15 p.m.
Men’s 1500m – Charles Philibert-Thiboutot – 2:35 p.m.
Women’s 3000 – Nicole Sifuentes – 2:55

All three middle-distance specialists made Canada’s Olympic team. McBride won the men’s 800m, Charles Philibert-Thiboutot won the men’s 1,500m and Nicole Sifuentes finished second in the women’s 1,500m at the national championships. Sifuentes is the only one of the three to have made an Olympic team previously (London 2012).

RELATED: At least two runners fighting decision that left them off Olympic track team.

The Diamond League is a series of high-profile competitions held across the world. The competitions often feature fast times and, on occasions, world records. Friday’s meet is one of the last opportunities for athletes to run fast ahead of the Olympic Games in Rio in August.

À quoi cela ressemble être pour la première fois champion national et confirmer ma place sur l’équipe Canadienne Olympique au 1500m. That feeling when you cross the line as a national champion and you punch your ticket to Rio for the Canadian Olympic Team. Un gros merci à tous ceux qui y ont contribué. Un rêve devient réalité.

A photo posted by Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (@charlespt) on Jul 10, 2016 at 8:10am PDT

McBride will be making his Diamond League debut on Friday in the men’s 800m. His best time of 1:44.50 is just one second off the Canadian record held by Gary Reed. Philibert-Thiboutot set his lifetime best in the 1,500m (3:34.23) at the Monaco Diamond League in 2015. Sifuentes will contest the rarely-run 3,000m, which is seven-and-a-half laps of the track.

2 things I’ve always wanted to do:
Run 3000m in outdoor season & Race in Monaco.
Excited to do both on Friday! #opportunities

— Nicole Sifuentes (@ndsifuentes) July 12, 2016

The Canadian men’s 800m record was set in 2008 in Monaco.

Asbel Kiprop, one of the fastest ever 1,500m runners, has broke 3:30 in Monaco for each of the past four years. The 3:30 mark is considered a benchmark in elite distance running.

After almost two full days of travel, couple cancelled and missed flights we've finally made it to Monaco ??

— brandon mcbride (@mcbride46) July 13, 2016

The event made the following announcement on Friday after the attacks in Nice:

“The Monegasque Athletics Federation, after concerting with its President, H.S.H. Prince Albert II, has taken the decision to uphold the Herculis meeting which will take place tonight, Friday 15 July at the Stade Louis II in Monaco. This evening’s programme will be kept strictly to the sporting events with no festivities. A tribute will be made to all the innocent victims of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The sporting community and the Principality of Monaco would like to express their solidarity and deepest condolences to all families and friends of the victims as well as to the national and regional French authorities.”

RELATED: Complete list of runners on Canada’s Olympic track team.

Aaaah la Côte d’Azure…. ???☀️ pic.twitter.com/EbF1JsIWnt

— Charles P.-T. (@Chuck_PT) July 13, 2016