Sprint queens renew rivalry in Brussels
Jamaican sprint world champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson take on Americans Sha’Carri Richardson and Aleia Hobbs among others in the women’s 100m at the penultimate Diamond League meeting of the season in Brussels on Friday (Sept 2).
Spectators at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme will be hoping the complete line-up materialises, though, following the disappointment at the Lausanne Diamond League last week when Fraser-Pryce withdrew with a niggle and then Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah false started.
This time in Belgium hopes will be high that a great race unfolds. In addition to world 100m champion Fraser-Pryce, world 200m gold medallist Jackson and US talent Richardson, there is also Marie-Josée Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast and Aminatou Seyni of Niger. Dina Asher-Smith was originally set to compete but is no longer on the start lists.
Twelve months ago Christine Mboma of Namibia won the women's 200m in Brussels with Jackson second, Asher-Smith third and Richardson fourth.
In total there are nine reigning world champions from Eugene in action plus a number of top Brits.
The men’s 800m features the one-two-three from Eugene – Emmanual Korir, Djamel Sedjati and Marco Arop – plus European champion Mariano Garcia, Commonwealth winner Wycliffe Kinyamal and world 1500m gold medallist Jake Wightman.
After racing over 3000m in Lausanne last week, European champion Laura Muir returns to the 1500m in Brussels with European runner-up Ciara Mageean of Ireland among others.
The women’s high jump sees the top three from the World Championships – Eleanor Patterson, Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Elanda Vallortigara – with Belgian heptathlon star Nafi Thiam offering home interest.
The women’s 3000m steeplechase is being billed as an attack on the world record of 8:44.32 held by Beatrice Chepkoech. In the field are Chepkoech herself, together with Werkuha Getachew, Mekdes Bekele, Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai, Courtney Frerichs and European champion Luisa Gega.
There is also set to be an attempt on Mo Farah’s world best for the one-hour of 21.330km by Kenyans Kibiwott Kandie and Sabastian Sawe.
Elsewhere the men’s 5000m features Grant Fisher, Stanley Mburu, Jacob Krop, Stewart McSweyn and Yomif Kejelcha. Alison dos Santos goes in the men’s 400m hurdles, while the women’s sprint hurdles sees Jasmine Camacho-Quinn taking on Britany Anderson, Keni Harrison and European champion Pia Skrzyszowska.
A top-class pole vault is also on the programme led by world record-holder Mondo Duplantis. The women’s javelin, meanwhile, sees world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber of Australia against World Championships medallists Kara Winger and Haruka Kitaguchi, plus European champion Elina Tzengo and world record-holder Barbora Spotakova.
On Thursday (Sep 1) there is a city centre shot put event with European champion Filip Mihaljevic of Croatia taking on Lausanne winner Joe Kovacs of the United States and Commonwealth champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand.
For viewers in the UK the event is on BBC3, online and iPlayer live from 7-9pm on Friday.
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