by Alfonz Juck
Asbel Kiprop, photo by PhotoRun.net
Mo Farah, photo by PhotoRun.net
Kiprop vs Farah
MONACO (MON): IAAF Diamond League continues after break on Friday with Herculis meeting of Monaco, the one which scored last year the highest ever by all-athletics.com. This year with Olympic Games coming it was not easy for the organisers to put the fields together. But as usual all middle distance races are promising something special. In that region also Omar McLeod over the hurdles and superb men high jump field.
Event by event
Men
200m – Nobody in the field has broken 20 seconds this year. Fastest this year: Alonso Edward (20.06), Churandy Martina (20.11) and Shota Iizuka (20.11).
400m – Will Wayde van Niekerk break the 44-second mark for the first time this season?
800m (non-DL) – Kenya should dominate courtesy of sub-1:44 competitors Jonathan Kitlit, Nicholas Kipkoech and Alfred Kipketer but Poles Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski arrive fresh from a one-two in Amsterdam.
1500m – Asbel Kiprop has set the four fastest times of his career in Monaco: 3:26.69, 3:27.72, 3:28.45 and 3:28.88. Expect another fast race: pacemakers have been asked to reach 800m in 1:50 and the 1km mark in 2:17. Special guest Mo Farah.
3000m steeplechase – Can Conseslus Kipruto approach the world record? Pacemakers have been asked to reach 1km in 2:37 and 2km in 5:16.
110m hurdles – Omar McLeod is unbeaten this year. Top rival will be Orlando Ortega with the Americans missing.
Long jump – Rushwal Samaai will compete for the first time since winning the African title with a wind-aided 8.40m. His best wind-legal mark of 8.38m is still the best in the field.
High jump – All of the top names are here: Mutaz Barshim, Gianmarco Tamberi, Bohdan Bondarenko and Derek Drouin. And special guest Ghazal from Syria.
Discus – Polish duo of Piotr Malachowski and Robert Urbanek, can Gerd Kanter challenge them?
Women
100m – Should be Tianna Bartoletta vs. Dafne Schippers. Schippers leads the head-to-head 5-0 but Bartoletta ran 10.78 at the US Olympic Trials.
800m – Will Margaret Wambui or Francine Niyonsaba get closer to Caster Semenya after her exploits at the African Champs? Expect her world-lead of 1:56.64 to be challenged with the pacemaker asked to cover the first lap in 55.
3000m – Kenyan trio of Hellen Obiri, Mercy Cherono and Janet Kisa should dominate with the top Ethiopians absent.
400m hurdles – Ashley Spencer was the best of the Americans after finishing second at the US Olympic Trials. How will Cassandra Tate and Shamier Little bounce back? European champion Sara Petersen also competes.
Triple jump – Will Caterine Ibarguen regain her winning form after a surprise defeat in Birmingham to Olga Rypakova?
Pole vault – Excellent field assembled including world champion Yarisley Silva, European champion Ekaterini Stefanidi and in-form Fabiana Murer who has cleared a 4.87 AR this year.
Javelin – Fine field here including Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova, world champion Katharina Molitor, European champion Tatiana Khaladovich and DL race leader Madara Palameika.
Shot put – Christina Schwanitz is back in top form with a 20.17m mark at the European Champs. Will Valerie Adams and Michelle Carter regain their 20m-plus form with Rio approaching?
