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PARIS – The IAAF Golden League continues this evening at the Stade de France near Paris, site of the 2003 World Championships. Traditionally host to one of the largest crowds on the international one-day event circuit, some 65,000 are expected.
Winners from Oslo who are competing here in the $1 million Golden League Jackpot chase:
Anwar Moore (110mH), Tero Pitkamaki (JT), Sanya Richards (400m), Michelle Perry (100mH), Yelena Slesarenko (HJ) and Yelena Isinbayeva (PV).
Absent: Asafa Powell (100m), Adil Kaouch (1500/mile), Phillips Idowu (TJ), Stephanie Durst (100m).
Some of the key match-ups:
MEN –
100m: With Asafa Powell sidelined, here’s another chance for the world record holder’s second cousin, Bahamian Derrick Atkins, to make some waves. The 23-year-old has four sub-10s this season, including his 9.95 national record in Athens on Monday, and a wind-aided 9.83 in New York last month behind Tyson Gay. American Mark Jelks, fourth at the US Championships and quite possibly bound for Osaka, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing showing in Wednesday’s Zagreb rain.
400m: Looks to be a face-off between American LaShawn Merritt, the runner-up at the US Champoionships (44.06 PB), and US-based Congolese Gary Kikaya, who lowered the African record to 44.10 at the World Athletics Final last September, finishing ahead of Merritt. In their last meeting, Kikaya won at the Prefontaine Classic, with Merritt second. Canadian Tyler Christopher (44.93 this season), the world bronze medallist two years ago, won here l in 2005.
1500m: Perhaps the most anticipated race of the evening, with French record holder and current world leader (3:31.05) taking on Bernard Lagat, who is competing here for the ninth consecutive year. Baala said yesterday he’ll be chasing his 3:28.98 French record set in 2003.American champion Alan Webb arrives on the heels of his 1:45.80 800m career best.
3000m: Wide open. Kenyans Jonas Cheruiyot (7:34.37) and Joseph Ebuya (7:34.66) have produced PBs over the distance this season.
3000m steeplechase: Minus world record holder Saif Saaeed Shaheen, this is a who’s who of the event. 2004 Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi (8:05.50 this season) returns after his win at the Athens Grand Prix while world leader (8:01.05) Paul Kipsiele Koech follows up his Ostrava win. Reuben Kosgei, the 2000 Olympic and 2001 world champion, continues his comeback, after his runner-up finish in Ostrava. Local attention will be focused on former European co-record holder Bob Tahri of France.
110m hurdles: World record holder and Olympic champion Lui Xiang is the key attraction. Undefeated in four races this season, including a world-leading 12.92 in New York. Key rivals include Cuban Dayron Robles, the winner in Athens on Monday and rainy Zagreb on Wednesday, US record holder Dominique Arnold, and Osaka-bound American David Oliver. In the jackpot chase, a tough race indeed for Oslo winner Anwar Moore.
400m Hurdles: US Championships 1-3 finishers James Carter and Kerron Clement, along with 2000 Olympic champion Angelo Taylor, who skipped the hurdles event to win the US title in the 400 in a career best 44.05. Taylor is undefeated in eight 400/400mH races this season.
Triple Jump: Oslo runner-up Christian Olsson of Sweden, US champion Aarik Wilson (17.41 PB this season), and Brazil’s gentle giant Jadel Gregorio, the world leader at 17.90 top the field.
Javelin: Finn Tero Pitkamaki continues his jackpot chase after his Oslo win, again facing Olympic champion Andreas Thorkilsen of Norway and US record holder Breaux Greer, who has twice extended his national record, most recently to 91.29, farthest in the world this year.
WOMEN –
100m: Rematch between Torri Edwards and world champion Lauryn Williams, 1-2 at the U.S. championships. Also in the field is Allyson Felix, the world and US 200m and Jamaican Championships 100/200 runner-up Kerron Stewart.
400m: Sanya Richards returns to her preferred event for the first time since her shock fourth place finish at the US Championships, and will be looking to make amends. The trio that beat her, DeeDee Trotter, Natasha Hastings, and Mary Wineberg, are in the field as well, along with Jamaican champion Novlene Williams.
1500m: World indoor record holder Yelena Soboleva of Russia is on an early season tear, first with a 4:15.63 mile win in Moscow last week (third fastest ever), and a solid victory over a loaded field in Athens on Monday. As in the Greek capital, Oslo winner Maryam Jamal of Bahrain is expected to give chase.
5000m: Meseret Defar has captured the early season headlines, not it’s Tirunesh Dibaba’s turn. The reigning 5000/10,000 champion has downplayed any attempts on her Ethiopian compatriot’s recent world record of 14:16.63, and has said that she’s not in prime shape. Meselech Melkamu, another Ethiopian, lowered her PB to 14:33.83 in Ostrava in late June.
100m hurdles: Oslo winner Michelle Perry returns, aiming to bounce back from a false start DQ in Ostrava, and faces US champion Ginny Powell the world leader at 12.45. Jamaican champion Delloreen Ennis-London was an easy winner in the Zagreb rain and could be a factor.
400m hurdles: Continuing her fine return from maternity leave, Australian Jana Rawlinson returns to the track where she won the 2003 world title. US champion Tiffany Williams is in the field, after a runner-up showing to Rawlinson in Athens on Monday. The top Russian in the race in Yevgeniya Isakova, the European champion.
High Jump: Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko, the winner in Oslo with a 2.02 leap, says she’s in the best shape of her life since taking the gold in Athens. Another strong field has been assembled, including world leader Blanka Vlasic (2.04) of Croatia, European indoor/outdoor champion Tia Hellebaut of Belgium, world champion Kajsa Bergqvist of Sweden, and freshly-minted Italian record holder (2.03) Antoinetta De Martino.
Pole Vault: As usual, this is all about Yelena Isinbayeva, who despite her 4.85 win in Olso, is not currently the world leader. US record holder Jen Stuczynski (4.88) is not here, with the pair’s first face-off reportedly due in Rome next Friday. Former world record holder and Olympic silver medallist Svetlana Feofanova makes her outdoor debut, while perennial runner-up Monika Pyrek of Poland, the Oslo runner-up, has a 4.65 best this season.
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