Posted: August 16, 2005

Athletics: Jackpot Duo Set For Zurich - TDK Golden League

Monte Carlo - Christine Arron of France (100m) and Russia's Tatyana Lebedeva (Triple Jump), the two athletes remaining in the hunt for the $1 million TDK Golden League Jackpot 2005 have entered for Weltklasse Zürich the fourth of six TDK Golden League meetings, which takes place this Friday in Zurich, Switzerland (19 Aug 2005).

Of the initial 12 TDK Golden League event winners in the Paris meeting on 1 July, after the Rome (8 July) and Oslo (29 July) competitions only these two athletes remain in the fight for athletics' largest single prize, at least a half share of which will go to either woman who wins at all six meetings and then competes at the World Athletics Final (9 / 10 Sep) in Monaco.

In the women's sprint, World 100m champion Lauryn Williams of the USA will have a return match with bronze medallist Christine Arron, who also took third place in the 200m in Helsinki. The two performances last week by the French lady, who is the long time European record holder for 100m, marked the height of her global career so far.

However, the other Jackpot contender, 2001/2003 World champion Tatyana Lebedeva, who is also the Olympic gold medallist at the Long Jump, had to skip the Triple Jump final in Helsinki, due to slight injury problems.

After winning in Oslo at the last TDK Golden League meeting prior to the World Championships, Lebedeva highlighted the pain that she was experiencing - "in the warm-up I started to feel a spasm in my left Achilles...fortunately even with pain I was able to jump and win." If fit the Russian will meet Jamaican Trecia Smith, the winner in Helsinki, and the only woman to have broken through 15m this summer.

Though it is yet to be 100% confirmed that Lebedeva's injury has healed Weltklasse Zürich Communications and Information Officer Christoph Schmid confirmed this morning that, Lebedeva "is due to compete. We have had no information at this time to say that she will not be in Zurich."

The original 12 winners from Paris who started on the TDK Golden league Jackpot quest and how they progressed:

 Men:
100m - Aziz Zakari (GHA) - defeated in Rome
800m - William Yiampoy (KEN) - defeated in Rome
1500m - Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (KEN) - defeated in Rome
3000/5000m - Kenenisa Bekele - did not contest Rome
110m Hurdles - Ladji Doucouré (FRA) - defeated in Rome
High Jump - Stefan Holm (SWE) - defeated in Rome
Javelin Throw - Tero Pitkämäki (FIN) - defeated in Rome

Women:
100m - Christine Arron (FRA) - contender
800m - Svetlana Cherkasova (RUS) - defeated in Rome
3000/5000m - Edith Masai (KEN) - defeated in Rome
400mH - LaShinda Demus (USA) - defeated in Oslo
Triple Jump - Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS) - contender

TDK Golden League 2005

 2005 Dates:
Paris- Friday, 1 July
Rome- Friday, 8 July
Oslo- Friday, 29 July
Zurich- Friday, 19 August
Brussels- Friday, 26 August
Berlin- Sunday, 4 September
2005 Events

There will be seven events for men and five for women:

Men:
100m, 800m, 1500m or Mile, 3000m or 5000m, 110m Hurdles, High Jump, Javelin Throw.

Women:
100m, 800m, 3000m or 5000m, 400m Hurdles, Triple Jump.