Mo Farah set to race at JN-Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica - global update
The latest top name for the JN-Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, Jamaica, on June 10 is double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah, who is scheduled for a 3000m race.
Also announced are world record-holders Wayde van Niekerk and David Rudisha.
The event is set to be Usain Bolt's last race on Jamaican soil.
Daegu 2011 wold 100m champion Yohan Blake, former 100m world record-holder Asafa Powell, London 2012 Olympic 200m silver medallist Warren Weir and Commonwealth Games 100m champion Kemar Bailey-Cole are among the locals expected to be on show.
American sprinter Jenna Prandini, along with Jamaicans Danielle Williams, the world 100m hurdles champion, and Ristananna Tracey, are also listed.
Olympic long jump silver medallist Luvo Manyonga achieved a superb 8.62m (+1.2) African record and world lead during the regional Gauteng North Championships in Pretoria on Friday.
It is also the best mark in the event since 2009 when Dwight Phillips (8.74m) and Irving Saladino (8.63m) jumped further and moves Manyonga to joint 12th on the world all-time list.
In his series he also twice jumped 8.34m and and achieved 8.29m once.
Jabolane Ncamane won the 800m in 1:47.94 and Cornel Fredericks a fast 400m hurdles in 49.27 ahead of Constant Pretorius's 49.57.
In the under-18 race (youth height), Sokwakhana Zazini clocked 48.84 for what is the best ever time in this category and hurdles height. Wenda Nel won the 200m in 23.91 (-1.4).
The Japan athletics federation has announced its marathon team for the IAAF World Championships in London.
In the men's event will be Hiroto Inoue, Kentaro Nakamoto and frequent runner Yuki Kawauchi. Alternate is Hiroyuki Yamamoto.
The women's event will be contested by Yuka Ando, Risa Shigetomo and Mao Kiyota with an alternate position for Misato Horie.
Reigning champions Stephen Sambu and Molly Huddle will defend their titles in the NYC Half on Sunday.
Sambu will face Olympic marathon silver medallist Feyisa Lilesa from Ethiopia (59:22 PB) and Britain's Callum Hawkins (60:00, his first major American road race) along with leading Americans Abdi Abdirahman (60:29) and Meb Keflezighi (61:00).
Two-time winner Huddle (67:41) will go head-to-head with Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat who has an identical half-marathon lifetime best.
Olympic marathon runners Desiree Linden and Amy Cragg should also feature along with Burundi’s Diane Nukuri. Two-time Olympic 5000m champion Meseret Defar was a late withdrawal.
The Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon has lost two excellent runners from this year's event.
World record-holder Peres Jepchirchir and the former event record-holder, Worknesh Degefa, had to withdraw because of health problems.
Jepchirchir cannot travel to the Czech Republic due to a serious infection. "Initially the doctors diagnosed Peres with malaria, but after blood tests they found she was suffering from typhoid fever which eliminated her from the race without discussion," explained her agent, Gianni Demadonna.
"Worknesh’s problem is not as serious. During training she sprained her ankle, and she is not able to train so she can’t come to Prague," added Demadonna.
Olympic 5000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot is set to go head-to-head with world marathon champion Mare Dibaba in the Lisbon Half Marathon on Sunday ahead of the London Marathon next month.
Other top names in the line up include world half-marathon bronze medallist Mary Wacera from Kenya and defending champion Ruti Aga from Ethiopia, while the European challenge is led by European marathon champion Christelle Daunay and home favourites Jessica Augusto and Sara Moreira.
Olympic marathon champion Jemima Sumgong was a late withdrawal due to injury, while Ana Dulce Felix has also scratched.
The pre-race favourite in the men’s race is Kenya’s James Mwangi, who clocked 59:07 last year.
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