byLarry Eder
Lavillenie could be the first DR winner
PARIS (FRA): 8th IAAF Diamond League meet of the season Areva in Paris is offering home stars in very good shape (Lavillenie, PML, Lemaitre, Bosse, Billaud) and some top duels like men 800 and 5000, women 1500 m and hurdles. In techical events nearly nobody is missing.
Event by event
Men
100 m: Thompson to confirm his recent improvement to 9.82. Rodgers and Ujah also clocked sub 10 this year. Spectators eyes on Lemaitre.
800 m: World champ at longer distance Kiprop against WL holder Amos, home star Bosse, Kaki is usual force, Y. Lopez fast in Norway.
5000 m: Kenya headed by C. Ndiku, Ethiopia by Alamirew, but do not forget Rupp. First sub 13 of the year is possible.
110mH (non-DL): PML to confirm Lausanne PB on home soil. New top name in the field Parchment comparing with Athletissima.
400 mH: Top two from Lausanne Culson and Tinsley against rested Flannery, Eaton and Dutch.
PV: Lavilllenie could as first with his win secure the Diamond Race 2014.
TJ: Claye in own league, behind him Taylor and Reve. Old timers Evora and Oprea. New WL would be also MR.
SP: Kovacs vs Storl top two in the World 2014. MR very possible (21.53).
JT: Vesely feels the shape, the same for Pitkamaki, is Ihab ready to repeat his Shanghai super throw?
Women
200 m: Okagbare for another win, superstars trying to find former shape (Felix, Shelly-Ann).
400 m: Sanya to clash with Montsho. But Novlene Williams-Mills is the top favorite after three DL wins this year.
1500 m: Aregawi vs Obiri, the top middle distance duel. Simpson with Hassan does not want to be too far away.
Steeple: Coburn to show Africans her shape again? MR should happen (9:28.81).
100mH: Fans for Billaud, but Harper, Harrison, Lolo and Porter looking better on paper. Pearson slowly back to shape. In good wind WL 12.53 very possible.
HJ: McPherson to confirm her two meters from Sacramento. Huge group to attack her, Croatian, Polish and Russian duos. Also Okuneva improved to 198.
LJ: Reese vs Bartoletta, but Lesueur is at home. Klishina and Spanovic not to be underestimated.
DT: Perkovic for fourth win in a row in the series. Lewis-Smallwood ready for surprise? MR looks for sure (65.53
