byLarry Eder
Rudisha at 600 m, Bondarenko vs Barshim
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium is the venue for the 12th stop on this year’s Diamond League. The Sainsbury´s Grand Prix is the last before the two final meets. David Rudisha will chase the 600 m world best. Bondarenko and Barshim clash again in the men’s high jump. Dibaba runs the 2 mile, the distance she set a World best in Birmingham during the indoors. Kiprop, Kiplagat and Souleiman will battle in the men’s mile.
Event By Event
Men
100m (non-DL): Rodgers looks for redemption after Stockholm DQ, Lemaitre after Euro disappointments. Carter won in Stockholm. Never rule out Kim Collins.
200m: A duel between Alonso Edward and Ashmeade. Ashmeade leads Edward in the DL race by 1 point. MR is 19.94.
400m: Commonwealth Champ Kirani James is clear favourite against African champ Makwaala, Euro Champs 1-2 Rooney and Hudson Smith and US champ Gil Roberts. MR is 44.49.
600m (non-DL): Rudisha makes a World best attempt (1:12.81). Euro Champ Kszczot is on form. US athletes Sowinski and Loxsom have 600m experience.
Mile: Kiprop and Kiplagat clash again. Souleiman, Wote, Cronje and Ingebrigtsen have all set mile NRs this season. Souleiman won the Eugene mile and the Dream Mile in Olso. MR of 3:52.10 should go.
2M (non-DL): Double Euro champ Mo Farah is joined by double Euro medallist Andy Vernon. The Kenyan challenge comes from Bett and Geoffrey Rono.
3000mSC: Birech is the DL winner, barring a disaster. Apart from Ndiku, all the top Kenyans are here, C Kipruto, E Kemboi, B Kipruto, P Koech and Yego; aswell as Euro Champ Kowal. MR of 8:19.72 will be no more.
HJ: Bondarenko and Barshim clash number 10 of 2014. Barshim fresh from a 241, Bondarenko with slight injury concerns. Drouin and Kynard fight for domestic supremacy. MR is 236.
LJ: Euro and Commonwealth champ Rutherford is the favourite. Torneus is the top placer here from Stockholm. Henderson is DL leader.
DT: The top 4 from Zurich battle again. Malachowski is the world leader, Harting the form athlete.
Women
100m: Starting with heats. Bowie is world leader and the big favourite. Felix will hope to repeat Stockholm win.
400m (non-DL): US Champs 3rd and 4th placers Hastings and Beard are the fastest this season. British hope for Ohuruogu win.
800m: World champ Sum looks for revenge over world leader Ajee’ Wilson for defeat in Monaco. Sharp is the British hope here.
2M: Genzebe Dibaba set the World indoor 2 mile best in Birmingham earlier this season, what can she do outdoors? Challenging is Eugene 2 mile winner Mercy Cherono and 2nd placer Viola Kibiwot.
100mH: Pearson will be fired up after DQ in Stockholm. Harper-Nelson needs a cleaner race. Harrison will want to repeat her win. Rollins looks for the form of 2013. Euro champ Porter looks for home win. Ali is there after good Warszawa win.
400mH: Spencer is in her own league. The top 4 fastest this year are entered, with US champs 1-2 Carter and Moline and Euro champ Child.
PV: Murer is unbeaten in her last 6 outings and is world leader. Suhr returns from her training injury. Stefanidi competes after Zurich silver.
TJ: Ibarguen is clear favourite with no Koneva or Saladukha in the field. Olga Rypakova returns from maternity leave.
SP: Adams is unbeaten since 2010. Euro champ Schwanitz will challenge.
JT: A Euro Champs re-run with the top 4 from Zurich as well as 6th placer Ratej. DL leader Spotakova is the favourite.
